AND.....we are back in the swing of things!

Hello everyone! I couldn't help but repost the old blogs on my Facebook and my Google plus circles to remind you all that we were there before and that we're still here! Took a little break to chill out with my family but it's time to get back involved with the community again we are very excited about it. We are looking forward to new adventures and new things to do. Be looking for the posting of our art show coming up here in just a couple of weeks to display the latest of our children's art. So just be in touch, keep up with what we're doing, because you never know what Lori Rene has in store for you next!

~ Fall Art Classes start next week!

Come have some FUN  with us at ArtWorks Studios in Downtown Brandon: where you can unleash your creative spirit! Classes for kids and adults start back next week.  Call or register online at ArtWorksStudios.com .... I'm also booking time slots for private art students-(so if you want the same time as last year let me know quickly before they fill up.) 

Art Classes * Private Art Lessons * Arty Birthday Parties * CopyCat Teen/Adult Paint Parties * Original Artwork * Handmade pottery * and more...

Fall 2012 weekly Art Class Schedule

Session 1 - Aug. 20 - Oct. 12

Session 2 - Oct. 15 - Dec. 14

Kids classes $150 per 8 week session

Thursdays 3:30-4:30 ---------K-5th grade *starts Aug 23

Thursdays 6:00-7:00----------K-5th grade *starts Aug 23

Fridays 1-2pm--- Preschool Picassos (ages 2-4K) *starts Aug 24

Adult classes $200 per 8 week session

Tuesdays------ 9:30-11am *starts Aug 21

Thursdays---- 7:30-9:00pm *starts Aug 23

Private Art Lessons   

Learn to create what you want (I have morning, afternoon, and evening spots still available)

Copy Cat Painting Parties for Adults

Bring your friends for a fun evening of painting!  $25 per person!

Call Lori for details and painting options. 601-499-5278

Artsy Birthday Parties

~ Copy Cat Paint Party ~ Pottery Party ~ Art Adventure Party

Art Classes * Private Art Lessons * Arty Birthday Parties * CopyCat Teen/Adult Paint Parties * Original Artwork * Handmade pottery * and more...

call Lori Rene' 601-499-5ART (601-499-5278)

Check out these young artists!

Can you believe that a five year old chose to paint a study of this Matisse painting?


My version of Monet's Sunflowers...great job!


Painting flowers at Highland Bluff with some 4th graders.



CopyCat painting parties...Kids parties, adult parties, groups, girls night, etc. You pick the art project anything from pottery to painting, mosaics, to sculpture!


Look mom I can paint with my feet!


I love to use my toes!


Finger painting my fingerprints on my wheel thrown bowl


I LOVE charcoal!


Can I touch it?


Beautiful flower and vase still life painting by this private lesson student


Birds of a feather...or lots of feathers...stuck together


Clay is So much fun!


Private lessons, parties, classes, fine art and gifts in the gallery! Create Each Day and have some fun with us.

Parties at the Studio

We've been hosting alot of parties at the studio in the last month or so. Ranging from kid's pottery or painting birthday
parties,



Check out these 4&5 year olds painting a copycat sunset beach scene!



adult and kid's CopyCat paint parties,


And Christmas parties





And our Gallery grand opening party! Wow! I've eaten so much cake and party food lately, yummy.


We still have a few party time slots available in January and February, so call me to book your customized Artsy Party!

Create Each Day with chalk, paint, or clay...
or ink...or pencil, or charcoal, watercolor....wood, metal.....

Location:Artworks Studios

Adult Painting Class

There's still time to sign up for the 4 week adult intro to painting class. It starts Tuesday Jan 11 from 7-9pm. Also all adult painting students who have taken the intro class are welcome to join the regular ongoing class which begins at 6:00pm. I'm looking forward to getting started back and seeing everyone again.

For pottery students who need to finish up any pieces at the studio you are also welcome to come on Tuesday evenings. We will have another intro to pottery class starting on February 10th.

Movin' on down, pics of the new space

Well here are a few pics of what we've been doing the last couple of months to get the downstairs studio and gallery space opened, while keeping regular classes, private lessons, parties and everything else going upstairs. Thanks to all my students, parents, and family for their patience and encouragement. I am especially thankful to my husband, Tam, for working long hours with me and helping me to bring my dream of this space to life!


Got all the carpet up, thought I could just paint the floor and be done with it. But no, not me, I had to chisel up that 1st tile to see what was underneath...and you know it always seems like it will be a quick and easy job.


Take a break from the tar covered floor and paint the front room for a while.


Wow we've used crowbars, spackle knives, scrapers, hammers and chisels to slowly remove bits of the old tiles piece by piece.


Oh that orange
Is coming along nicely!


WHY!?? Did I want to mess with this silly floor anyway?



We continue on hammering away for over a month. Ting ting clank (at least I was able to build some of my arm strength back up ;) breaking tools, searching for new tools, taking multiple excursions to Home Depot and fast food places. We were slowly getting the tiles up, but had no idea how to get the black sticky tar up. I could see that the original hard wood floor was underneath, but it just looked dirty sticky and had an awful smell... And oh yeah it stuck to everything... Shoes clothes, tools, sand paper....


Nothing seemed to work to get the sticky nasty mastic tar off of the wood floor that I just KNEW was gonna be beautiful underneath and that all our hard work would pay off. We tried solvents, scraping, sanding, renting floor sanders. Everything just gummed up with tar.


Another machine that didn't work

Finally, as we are ready to give in to defeat, I try my favorite little turquoise power tool, a 11,000 rpm Makita angle grinder with a flap disk. I learned as a sculptor (or sculptress if that is even a word) that a grinder is my favorite and most useful tool, and it wins again. We did go through quite a few disks, but it did the job.





It sure was messy though since it grinded the tar into tiny bits and splattered them all over the place. The walls, floor, our clothes were all covered with bits of tar.


Wow, Tam, this reminds me of us grinding all of the chair bolts off of the floor at the old Capri Theater in Fondren about 7 years ago. (all because I had this crazy idea that I wanted to do a performance art show there and display my paintings and....)


I'm seeing some beautiful wood down here. The place is filling up with sawdust now, not just tar! Now time for more shop vac in'


Wow I can't believe this is the same floor!


Rolling on the polyurethane, wow this sure is the laid back easy part!


More painting, I love adding color you know






More painting, rearranging, bringing stuff down the stairs, and setting up the studio.



All of our classes, lessons, parties and events are happening downstairs now. I've still got some more organizing and projects to do, but it will all come in time.




For now, just add people and art!


Come to ArtWorks Studios to draw, paint, or sculpt your own art, buy art, learn about art, or have an artsy party.

Create Each Day with Lori Rene'

Gallery is now selling Lori Rene' paintings, sculptures, and handmade glass and clay necklace pendants.

Girl's Night out at ArtWorks Studio!!!

Friday, September 17, a group of girls from Hillcrest Baptist Church in Byram had a girl's night out at our studio in Brandon.
It was so much fun for all!!!

These were the finished products. But the "in-between" pictures are below:

Outside spray-painting the canvases so they would be dry by the end of the night.

Ashley getting ready to do some painting!

They even brought food! It was an all -out girl's night! Chick-Fil-A, Death by Chocolate, Caramel cake.... creating art AND food!!! Does it get any better?

Showing the students the first step to being an artist.

Eager students!

Hey down there!!!

Kelly and Diet Coke! Watch out!

Showing the girls how we are going to add texture to our creations.

Penny and Shelley

Mixing colors.

In deep concentration, making BEAUTIFUL works of art!

Another picture of the finished products.

A picture from one of the girls, after hanging it in her home. Her family was so proud!


Book a party at ArtWorks Studios and have 10 friends/family members/coworkers show up to create a painting, and you will get to paint for FREE! Book a party. Evenings are available. Just contact Lori!

www.artworksstudios.com