Testimonials

While searching on a travel website I was drawn to the images of the warm, homey rooms and the spectacular art that was displayed at the Tierra Magica B&B …..Mark and I signed up spontaneously and immediately for a stay. I later went to the Tierra Magica B&B website and read the description of Barbara’s art training and viewed with closer detail the images in her art gallery and I was amazed to see the images that were generated using clay.

When Mark suggested that I sign up for the three day workshop I was thrilled. All I can say is that it was an extraordinary experience and I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn and experience this unique art form. And I highly recommend anyone who has any inclination to experience this, please don’t hesitate! You could not be in better hands!
 

Science is only now confirming what has been known to healers for thousands of years: Clay has many medicinal properties. There was something so natural and fun about working a clay pigment into a canvas….. and the fact that it was non-toxic, cleaned up with water, and remained forever forgivingly flexible, allowing the image to be pushed, pulled, smoothed, or erased for as long as you wanted was such a welcome surprise.
 

But working with clay is paradoxically easy and difficult. Each color of clay behaves slightly different, and finding the exact moment when the clay was workable was a lesson in patience and observation: too wet and the image runs like a watercolor, touch it while too wet and the clay clumps or lifts off the canvas changing the image, and one second too late and the clay turns hard and sits obstinately.
 

So now looking at Barbara’s images I am even more impressed with the subtle detail and smooth luminous surface she creates that underscore years of experience and hours of work. Barbara patiently demonstrated many of her techniques and offered advice and gentle guidance for creating my art piece. I have to say that I would have been happy to take home any art work but what I left with is something that is so very special…… more so because it is born of a vision and carried from the heart. With Barbara’s keen artistic eye and help I have an image that is meaningful at so many levels for me.

Barbara: I cannot thank you enough for your intuitive understanding of what was needed and respectfully offer that the clay is only one vehicle by which spirit is healed- art generated from within always touches those who can feel it ….. Thank you so much for your time and assistance on the journey home.

 Love,
 Sandi