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Natural Earth Paint News!

Eco Artist of the Month: Melissa Jenkins



“Our Natural World in Miniature”
Melissa is a Canadian artist who resides in a rural farmhouse surrounded by landscapes that inspire her art. There she forages for flora to make her own botanical inks while working with acrylics and Natural Varnish. Her paintings are miniature and require a magnifying glass to paint! Check it out …. Read More

New! 3 Organic Oil Painting Mediums

We’ve added three new products to our Fine Art Supplies! These SOMA Oil Painting Mediums are 100% organic and hand-crafted. They are crafted to speed or slow drying, and increase luminosity, richness, and glow. Professional artists swear by these, nationwide!

Unsurpassed in quality, they bring an indescribable radiance to oil paintings! Shop Here

Watch the Natural Varnish Transform Her Paintings! Watch what happens as “Cassy Draws” brushes on Natural Varnish! It’s hard to believe! Watch Here

Learn to Build a Guitar Neck with Tim Sway! Scroll to minute 7:10 to see Tim do his final varnish with Natural VarnishWatch Here

Read Leah’s Latest Interview:   “Creating Natural Earth Paint Was Good for Her Body, Good for Her Soul”



Leah was recently interviewed by Art Materials Retailer, where she spoke about her journey of creating Natural Earth Paint, launching the Natural Acrylik Paint, and the importance of natural art supplies. Full interview below! Read Here

Zero Waste Packaging!

Now available – all pigments and natural earth paints are available in a brown paper bag, tied with hemp twine. No labels, tape, or printing. Available Here.

Want to get creative with your favorite Natural Earth Paint pigments?

Check out the Recipes section of our website for innovative uses of our products for fine artists and families! Have questions about our eco-friendly products? Visit our FAQ page or send us an email at [email protected].

FRESH PAINT SILENT AUCTION FOR RUCH SCHOOL

FRESH PAINT SILENT AUCTION FOR RUCH SCHOOL

What’s the first thing that gets cut when schools face a budget squeeze?

Friday, June 23rd, 7pm Fresh Paint Silent Auction in the Art Barn Tickets – $25

Friday, July 14th, 7pm Fresh Paint Silent Auction in the Art Barn Tickets – $25

Party in the Art Barn for Ruch School kids!

We invite you to support Ruch Outdoor Community School by purchasing a $25 ticket (either Friday, June 23rd 7pm to 9pm and/or Friday July 14th, 7pm to 9pm to join us in the Applegate River Lavender barn for a fun-filled evening of food, wine, music and art. The barn will be filled with paintings created by regional artists who painted all over the Applegate Valley during a one-day plein-air quick paint earlier in the day. You read that correctly — all the paintings will be less than 8 hours old.

There will also be a few select works created by Ruch School students included in the auction. All of the pieces will be available for you to bid on (via anonymous silent auction) while you meet the artists, nibble on tasty appetizers and sip local wine.

The net proceeds of the auction and ticket sales will be donated to fund 2023-2024 art programs at Ruch School. Your participation in this event will help the school maintain vibrant creative experiences for their students.

Please support art programs at Ruch school

As a “community school”, learning opportunities multiply when students dig into their surrounding environment, repositioned to take a closer look at the social, environmental, and economic issues at play.Ruch School students embark on local projects that have tangible results and observable outcomes.

Can’t Come But You Want to Support Ruch School?

If you think this is a great idea but life is too busy to make it to one of the receptions you can donate directly to Ruch School art programs funds by following the June 23rd ticket page or the July 14th ticket page. Just click on the “Get Tickets” orange box to see donation opportunities.

Would You Like to Help Sponsor this Event?

That would be great! Just fill out the form below and tell us how you would like to help (donate food, wine. $ or ?) or you can click on the June 23rd ticket page or the July 14th ticket page, click on the “Get Tickets” orange box to see sponsorship opportunities.

Would You Like to Volunteer to Help with the Event?

That would also be great – use the form below or contact information to let us know how you would like to help.

Friday, June 23rd, 7pm Fresh Paint Silent Auction in the Art Barn Tickets – $25

Friday, July 14th, 7pm Fresh Paint Silent Auction in the Art Barn Tickets – $25

Please fill out the form below (follow this link to the original post with the form) or call/text Rob Rustad at 831-521-5344 or email [email protected].

PLEIN AIR QUICK PAINT FOR RUCH OUTDOOR COMMUNITY SCHOOL

PLEIN AIR QUICK PAINT FOR RUCH OUTDOOR COMMUNITY SCHOOL

What’s the first thing that gets cut when schools face a budget squeeze?

We invite you to support Ruch Outdoor Community School by participating in a Plein Air Quick Paint in the Applegate Valley as part of the Southern Oregon Lavender Festival.

(TIME/PLACE CLARIFICATION – this event has a starting time of 8am but you can start anytime and anywhere – the goal is to show up at our barn (375 Hamilton Road, Jacksonville, OR) sometime between 4pm and 6pm with fresh art for the reception that evening)

There is no cost for artists to participate and you are welcome to join us for food, wine and stories at the Fresh Paint Reception and Silent Auction at 7pm – also at no cost to you.

REGISTRATION FORM AT BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE (follow this link)

Please support art programs at RUCH OUTDOOR COMMUNITY SCHOOL

As a “community school”, learning opportunities multiply when students dig into their surrounding environment, repositioned to take a closer look at the social, environmental, and economic issues at play. Ruch Outdoor Community School students embark on local projects that have tangible results and observable outcomes.

Where Do I Paint?

We are encouraging folks to paint in the Applegate Valley, which is just 10 minutes outside of Jacksonville, OR. Here are some great resources.

Wander Applegate
Applegate Connect
The Applegater
Southern Oregon Lavender Trail
The Applegate Valley Wine Trail
PDF Map or Applegate Valley

Here’s how the plein air quick paint for river school works

Summary:

  • The goal of the Quick Paint is to raise money for Ruch Outdoor Community School by selling plein air paintings (created earlier in the day) at The Fresh Art Reception and Silent Auction. Reception tickets sales also donated to the school.
  • You start when and where you want. We’re encouraging people to paint in the Applegate Valley, but it’s up to you. We want what is most convenient for you.
  • You are very welcome to paint at our lavender farm as many others have in the past. We will also be serving as a “friendly port” for all artists who need a snack, drinks and or to get out of the heat. Please let us know if you plan to paint here so we have sufficient supplies.
  • Stop painting at 4pm and deliver your fresh creations to our barn at 375 Hamilton Road in Ruch by 6pm. (mailing address is Jacksonville).
  • Put your name, contact info, and auction reserve price on the back of each painting.
  • You receive 80% of the auction sale price – 20% is donated to Ruch School.
  • You are welcome to stay and enjoy the reception/auction at no charge.
  • Any unsold works at the auction will continue to be for sale for the rest of the weekend – you can adjust the reserve price if you wish.
  • ALL paintings remain in our barn through Sunday at 5pm.

Artists Must Agree to:

  • Start and finish your painting on the day of the event – finish by 4pm. There is no starting check-in or starting event. You can start where and when you like. There is also no authentication process for validating “same day” status of your work – we trust you.
  • Deliver your completed work to our barn (375 Hamilton Road in Ruch) by 6pm.
  • Help us display the art. The simplest solution is to find a way that it can be hung (we have lots of space to hang on) or bring an easel (standing or table).
  • Write your name and contact information on the back of the painting along with your “reserve” lowest acceptable price.
  • Paintings will then be sold via silent auction during the evening reception. If they do not sell at auction, they will remain on sale for the next two days in our barn during the lavender festival. You can adjust your reserve price for the festival days.
  • 20% of the painting sale will be donated to Ruch School and 80% will go to the artist.
  • Paintings must remain in the barn for the remainder of the Lavender Festival – until 5pm Sunday night.
  • Any paintings that do not sell during the auction will remain on sale during the next two days as thousands of people will be attending the Southern Oregon Lavender Festival.
  • Paintings can be picked up anytime after 5pm Sunday. We can arrange to ship a painting (at cost) if it is a hardship to return to our farm for out of town participants.

Artists are encouraged to:

  • Attend the Fresh Painting Reception and Silent Auction at no charge – you will be guests of honor. The event is VERY casual and attendees showing up with paint on their clothes will be celebrated. There will be hors d’oeuvre and one glass of wine included – cash bar after that.
  • Meet and greet enthusiastic silent auction attendees and members of Ruch school.
  • Price paintings at an “accessible” level to encourage generous bidding. We have purposely set the rates to encourage giving to the school.
  • This is a non-juried, open event and we encourage artists of all levels to participate. There is not really any competitive aspect to the event.
  • While we refer to the event as “plein-air” we are pretty open to any artist that wants to contribute and help Ruch School.
  • Artists are encouraged to paint in the Applegate Valley but again, there are no hard rules for this. FYI, there will be six lavender fields in vibrant bloom on the day of this event. 🙂
  • We will provide snacks and drinks for any artists that want to paint at our farm or to swing by during the day. If you are coming, or think you might, please let us know. Artists will also have access to rest areas and bathrooms in our air conditioned house.
  • If the paintings do not sell, they will remain on sale during the remainder of the Lavender Festival where many people may purchase them.
  • Artists will receive their payment within 7 days of the event but we will do our best process and pay transactions during the reception.

We understand that there are very real expenses for you to participate in this fundraising event and we greatly appreciate your efforts.

Please fill out the form below or call/text Rob Rustad at 831-521-5344 or email [email protected].

I’m Interested in your quick paint event and reception for Ruch School art programs

In the message area (follow this link to original post on the Applegate River Lavender website) please include:

Name, mobile phone, email address

Which date, June 23rd and/or July 14th, do you intend to paint?

Where you intend to paint? Artists at our farm will have food, drink, inside restrooms/rest areas – please let us know if you intend to paint here or stop by so we have enough supplies. 🙂

Can you deliver your painting to our barn from 4pm to 6pm on the day of the event?

Do you plan to attend the reception at 7pm? You (the artist) do not have to buy a ticket. There will be music, hors d’oeuvres and you will you will receive a ticket for a glass of wine – cash bar after that.

Will you have a guest/s with you at the reception?

[reception is a fundraiser for Ruch School, additional guests can order tickets here: June 23rd 7pm-9pm Fresh Paint Reception in the Art Barn Tickets – $25 and/or July 14th 7pm-9pm Fresh Paint Reception in the Art Barn Tickets – $25

Can you please tell us what your approximate reserve price will be for the auction? (artist receives 80% and school receives 20% – many reception ticket buyers have asked how much the paintings will be) NameEmailMessage Send

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Applegate River Lavender Farm

375 Hamilton Rd, Jacksonville, OR, United States

[Click Here for Directions]
+1 541-702-2250
[email protected]
linktr.ee/applegateriverlavender
applegateriverlavender.com

    Southern Oregon Veg Fest! Sunday, June 11th 11-4:30

    Southern Oregon’s first VegFest is this Sunday at Tikkun Olam Farm Sanctuary in Phoenix, and several of my framed prints are part of their silent auction! Although I will not physically be there, I will be there in spirit!

     

    The post Southern Oregon Veg Fest! Sunday, June 11th 11-4:30 first appeared on DANA FEAGIN – Animal Art.

    Southern Oregon Guild May 2023 Event & Classes


    Spend time with a Mother or caregiver in your life while enjoying fine art, local wine, homemade chocolates, and live music by Terry D. Davis. Let her pick out a gift from the variety of local art and fine crafts on display, or treat her to a gift certificate. In-person class sign-ups will be available for our upcoming Citrus Beeswax Candle workshop held on May 20. Attend together and make candles to enjoy and take home!  Our Mother’s Day event is FREE with no prior registration needed. Donations are always appreciated. The Guild Gallery & Art Center is located in the historic Kerby Belt Building at 24353 Redwood Highway Kerby, OR 97531.

    Are you looking for an opportunity to learn a fun new craft this spring? We invite you to join us at the Guild Gallery & Art Center on Saturday May 20 from 1-3pm to learn how to make Citrus Beeswax Candles with Alyssa Babin of Fireheart Candles. During this 2 hour hands-on workshop led by Guild Member and local artisan Alyssa Babin, you’ll make and take home your own citrus beeswax candle using high-quality organic ingredients. Beeswax doesn’t contain any toxic chemicals, and because there are no additives or chemicals, beeswax burns clean and doesn’t produce unsightly black soot. When burned, beeswax candles produce negative ions which bind with air pollutants (positive ions) and drop to the floor, removing them from the air and leaving it cleaner!

    All candles will be made inside a large citrus peel of your choosing which emits an uplifting natural citrus scent when used! Learn how DIY candle-making can be easily adapted to your own unique tools that you have available at home. This is a wonderful opportunity to treat Mom or a caregiver to the class for Mother’s Day and make a candle together!

    Class fees are on a sliding scale $35-$55 and include all materials. When you register, please honestly self-select your contribution. If the sliding scale would be a hardship and you’d like to request a scholarship, please send an email to [email protected] or call us at 541-592-5019.

    ABOUT ALYSSA BABIN

    Guild Member, Alyssa Babin, is a poet, musician, independent parent, and candle maker currently living on the beautiful Southern Oregon Coast. Alyssa was inspired to create her business, Fireheart Candles, when her child Alex was still in the womb. Driven by a desire to express herself creatively and spend as much time as possible with Alex, Fireheart Candles was born! Fireheart, Alex’s middle name, was chosen by Alyssa’s niece and means fire and love all at once–a metaphor for the warmth and beauty that candles offer us. Alyssa makes every candle by hand, beginning with mixing and pouring concrete for each container. After curing, they are then hand painted with her unique marbling technique and laser etched with her own designs created by Adobe Illustrator and laser etching robots. Local beeswax is then mixed with organic essential oils and poured into each unique container to create her one-of-a-kind candles! Every candle she makes is infused with love and the special bond between mother and child is felt! To learn more about Alyssa and Fireheart Candles, visit www.fireheartcandles.com. Alyssa’s beeswax candles, in various sizes and scents, are also for sale at the Guild Gallery & Art Center.

    Odd Man Inn 6th Annual Online Art Show & Sale

    This week, until April 29th, you can purchase $5 chances here to win this original oil painting of Melvin, the tripod and earless pig from Odd Man Inn Animal Refuge in Janesville, TN. The painting is framed and ready to hang – canvas size is 24 x 18. Making this art package even better, Kat von Cupcake wrote a poem to accompany my painting. You can also view the many other wonderful art packages and purchase chances to win any of those items, all to benefit the sanctuary. Melvin lost his ears and his leg due to an altercation with a dog before he was taken in and rehabilitated by Odd Man Inn. His recovery is truly amazing and a testament to this strong boy’s will to survive.

    The post Odd Man Inn 6th Annual Online Art Show & Sale first appeared on DANA FEAGIN – Animal Art.

    20th Annual Rogue Winterfest

    Holiday Singers, Rogue Winterfest 2018 at Evergreen’s Bear Hotel

    ASCEND 2022 Creatives Conference in Jacksonville

    Oil Painting, film making and production, and musical inspiration. Join other creatives from across the West Coast at ASCEND 2022 creatives conference and workshops July 14th (early bird classes), 15, and 16th in Jacksonville, Oregon! And sign up early as some class sizes are limited. Inspiring professional instructors and captivating speakers, with 4 major FOCUS PATHS to choose from. Oil Painting with Frank Ordaz, plus see his original works with Lucas Film and so much more.   Filmmaking with Jeff Bates from The Chosen. Thrive in your craft, impact culture, and confidently forge ahead while being energized by fellow creatives!  Use SOAR coupon for $25 discount. Register at AscendWestCoast.com by July 10th.

    Tribute to a Masterpiece Friend + Beauty From Ashes


    Beautiful Ashland, Oregon.

    Spectacular fall greetings!


    The Creator’s palette of brilliant changing colors carries with it the onset of a new season, even as we’ve enjoyed a great season of events as Masterpiece has been connecting culture to Christ through fine art.

    The two pieces of artwork below were featured in our September benefit art exhibit and auction Beauty from Ashes. Prints of both pieces are on sale for a limited time to commemorate the event. Read on below for more information about the event and these and other prints.


    Angel Light by Sandy Cathcart.
    Prints available for purchase



    The Gift by Mera Oliveria.
    Prints available for purchase

    Tribute to a Great Masterpiece Friend and His Lasting Impact

    But first, a tribute to one of our dearest friends and founding artists in our Masterpiece family, Mick McGinty, who passed away from cancer last month. Masterpiece President Jeanne Randall said this in remembrance of him:

    Mick’s talents were well-recognized in America throughout the corporate world and Hollywood. We laughed at our art conference where Mick was teaching as he admitted what a great year it was for him financially when he produced the Joe Camel image we ALL recognized. We’ve always preached the power of images! And, with his success that year, he put in a pool in his home in Arizona! But, he was grateful for what he now viewed as part of his higher calling.

    Mick produced the very first piece of original art specifically for a Masterpiece exhibit, Let There Be Light, in 2008: the powerful Walk on Water. He believed in our brand new mission. When his piece arrived in my inbox to preview for the show, it was accompanied with Mick’s words to the effect of, “Is this what you had in mind… something like this?” I was stunned and ecstatic. I teared up. It was so poignant, so powerful, and I knew we were among masters. 

    We then traveled with Mick’s pieces alongside all the other powerful depictions. He was a masterful visual storyteller. We often laughed in front of Drowning Pigs, “Who would actually want this piece in their church or over the living room mantle?” But, once you saw it, you never forgot it! As we toured, that piece enabled us to speak truth of the reality of demons, the power of Jesus Christ over the demonic realm and possession, and the supernatural ability and love of Jesus to restore a man to new life, sanity, wholeness, and hope.


    Drowning Pigs by Mick McGinty.


    Sunday’s Ride by Mick McGinty.


    Walk on Water by Mick McGinty.
    Prints available for purchase



    Moses and the Bronze Serpent by Mick McGinty.

    I will miss Mick so much as a friend and colleague. The onset of Mick’s cancer was very swift, and within twelve weeks of his diagnosis, he was gone. But, just days before his passing, he was joyously baptized in his pool. 

    I wish there were more time for Mick to create Biblically-themed pieces. But those he created will continue speaking and testifying to these truths well beyond Mick’s passing. Through his remembrance, I am reminded of our responsibility to act on the opportunities we have NOW, using our gifts and talents to the glory of God, as one day, any day, we will cross the finish line, and in this realm, we will be no more. Part of Mick’s legacy is preserved through his art that remains with us in Masterpiece’s permanent collection.

    In remembrance of Mick’s legacy, Masterpiece is offering for purchase on our website prints of his masterwork Walk on Water. Click here to view the prints.

    Beauty from Ashes

    This fall, Masterpiece was honored to partner with a number of local artists to host Beauty from Ashes, an art exhibit and auction benefiting victims of the Almeda Fire which raged in our Rogue Valley last year. The event took place on the one-year anniversary of the Almeda Fire, so the setting for our exhibit could not have been more relevant. Empowered Life Church in Talent was miraculously spared from fire damage last year, and the people of the church have played a crucial role in offering aid and comfort to their community.


    Standing in the Fire by Charity Hubbard.
    Original available for purchase


    Phoenix Rising by Jennifer Garrett.
    Prints available for purchase

    To further commemorate Beauty from Ashes, we would like to offer for purchase four of the pieces that were on display in the exhibit, each of which were created by longtime friends of Masterpiece. Our featured art for the event was Jennifer Garrett’s Phoenix Rising, which was a perfect thematic and stylistic centerpiece. Charity Hubbard told a beautiful story of preservation and perseverance in Standing in the Fire, a piece with which many visitors of the exhibit connected. Mera Oliveria’s The Gift touched many hearts with its enlivening depiction of hope, and Sandy Cathcart fashioned a captivating depiction of heavenly being in Angel Light. If you are interested in purchasing prints of these pieces, please click here. 10% of proceeds go to further help victims recover. To join the growing number of artists and patrons who believe in Masterpiece and our work connecting culture to Christ through fine art, you can give here now.

    The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.
    II Timothy 4:22

    Visit our website!

    Empty Bowls Event!

    EMPTY BOWLS EVENT

    Empty Bowls Event Featured Image_2014

    WHEN: Online Silent Auction: October 8th-13th, 2021

    WHERE: Virtually! Text ‘EmptyBowls2021’ to (406) 302-5086 to get a link to bid or visit https://go.eventgroovefundraising.com/joco-emptybowls-2021 directly.

    FUNDRAISER BENEFICIARY: Options for Southern Oregon and Josephine County Food Bank. Proceeds will help food insecure adults, children and families in our community access food.

    CONTACT PERSON: Sarah Small, Development and Integrated Health Coordinator at (541) 476-2373 or email at [email protected].

    Empty Bowls is a grassroots effort led by Options for Southern Oregon in partnership with the Josephine County Food Bank that includes artists and restaurants in our community. This event raises funds to fight hunger in our community.

    Empty Bowls has historically been held at the Parkway Christian Center in Grants Pass. Due to the pandemic, last year’s event was held virtually. While we had hoped to return to an in-person event in 2021, unfortunately, our region is experiencing a surge in cases. Because the safety of our community is paramount, we have decided to once again shift to a virtual event to respond to the ever-changing nature of the pandemic.

    Our virtual Empty Bowls event will feature an online silent auction featuring unique ceramic bowls and art pieces. Individuals will also have the option to purchase one of the beautifully crafted event bowls, much like our usual Empty Bowl experience. We wanted to bring a bit more of our in-person event to the virtual space, so included with each bowl purchase is a $5 coupon that can be used at one of our participating restaurants.

    The auction will begin on Friday, October 8th, and will close on Wednesday, October 13th. Participation in the silent auction will be free and open to all, but individuals will need to register to participate. We will end the virtual experience by hosting a drive-through event at the Josephine County Food Bank (3658 Upper River Rd, Grants Pass, OR 97526) on Friday, October 15th, where individuals will be able to pick up their silent auction items and event bowls.

    We want to extend a special thank you to this year’s restaurant sponsors, including Casa Amiga, Climate City Brewing Company, Ma Mosa’s, Taprock Northwest Grill, The Laughing Clam, The Train Depot, The Twisted Cork, The Vine, and Wild River Brewing & Pizza. In the past, these amazing restaurants have donated soup and gift cards to our event. This year, they are partnering with us to provide an opportunity for Empty Bowls supporters who purchase event bowls to get soup. Clayfolk potters and other local artists have generously donated their time and talent to make more than 150 beautifully handcrafted bowls for this year’s event.

    Thank you to our generous event sponsors AllCare CCO, AIG Retirement Services, Banner Bank, Clayfolk, Evergreen Federal Bank, and J.D. Fulwiler! These organizations have been supporting Empty Bowls for many years, and their generous donations help make this event a success!

    More information can be found at optionsonline.org and the Josephine County Empty Bowls Facebook page (www.facebook.com/emptybowlsjoco)