Student Art Show, August 10th

If your child is taking part in our Summer Camps this year, they should also participate in our Student Art show. Allowing kids showcase their work in an art show is a great way to give them confidence as an artist. When I was younger, I took part in a kids' art show at the local library, where I sold my first painting, and took my first commission. I was thrilled! I felt like a real artist and gained confidence in my work.

I want our students at Bear Hands to have the same kind of opportunity. This art show is free entry for anyone who participates in our Summer Camps. We want to hold the show at our new location, although we are not sure yet where that will be! Stay tuned in to our email newsletters, blog, or website to find out.

I'm excited to see the artwork that our kids will produce in these classes.

~Hannah Mathiot
Art Teacher

2013 student art show from Hannah Mathiot

What to Do With The Kids This Summer

Summer is on its way. Moms, you know what that means. Nine weeks of "I'm bored," or "so what are we doing today?" and more...

Well, fear no more, Bear Hands has a huge schedule of summer camps just for you. We like to say, "A creative kid is a happy kid." The word "creative" may also be exchanged with the words: painted, messy, muddy, etc.

You can drop them off here for a two-hour class, or pack them a lunch and take the day off. We have morning sessions, afternoon sessions, and price breaks for a whole day of art camp. Our schedule is packed with classes!

See you there!

Customer Appreciation Sale

Our Loyal Customers,
To start off our relocation art materials sale, We're having a non-publicized sale just for you. We want to present our most loyal customers and followers with the opportunity to get first choice of any art materials we have in stock.

You can save and print this card, bring it in as many times as you wish from May 13-25, 2013, and receive 50% off of any art material in our store. That includes books, brushes, paint, canvas, easels, and more.


View card on Slideshare

Paint Party Field Trips With New Bern Christian Academy

This year we have had the honor of serving New Bern Christian Academy, a private christian school on old cherry point road,  by hosting their students for some wonderful painting field trips!

Chris Mathiot, Painting instructor, explains why these events make such wonderful, educational field trips. "We teach them art projects while they are creating." He says. "They get to work with real, high-grade materials. We guide them through a process that they can repeat when they make other things."

Every grade at the school does two field trips at Bear Hands, "One is in ceramics, and one is on canvas," Chris explains. We go to the school for the kindergarten field trips, our operation is pretty mobile.

Students learn how to mix paints, clean brushes, make different kinds of brushstrokes, create definition in their paintings with contrast and outlines, and more.

Most of the field trips take place on Tuesdays during the school day. The kids take the bus to our location and we have a classroom area all set up for them. We provide all of the materials, set up, and clean up. Its not a difficult operation. I've taught a few of the younger grades, and the kids are very receptive to the process.

Today we painted sheep with the 9th graders!

"Cheap Art" May 10th

On May 10th, New Bern's next Artwalk, Bear Hands will be hosting a unique art show aimed at getting Local art into the hands and homes of our community. Everything piece in the show will be priced at $15 or less. This artwork will make great gifts, decorations for your home, or additions to your art collection!

Although we believe that art is inherently valuable and worth paying a good sum for, we challenged our artists to create and submit art that is affordable and accessible to the public.  Here's a sneak peek at some of the artwork that you will have an opportunity to purchase at this event!

Keep your eyes open for more sneak peeks! You may also find Jewelry, knits, and pottery at this show!

Chris Mathiot

Chris Mathiot

Chris Mathiot

Chris Mathiot

Chris Mathiot

Hannah C. Mathiot

Chris Mathiot

Hannah C. Mathiot

Hannah C. Mathiot

Zentangle Workshop: May 18th

On Saturday, May 18th, Samantha Taylor will be teaching a Zentangle® workshop at Bear Hands! Zentangle is an increasingly popular art form that takes the idea of "doodling" to a whole new level. Using structured patterns and repetition, this relaxing art form increases focus and creativity. And believe it or not, its actually quite easy to learn! I can't tell you how many times people have come into our store saying things like "I never thought I could draw, but then I tried Zentangle."

Samantha Taylor is a Certified Zentangle Teacher, who trained under the original developers of Zentangle. We are honored to have her come teach at our store!

A Zentangle Fish from Samantha's "Tanglefolio"

 Samantha's Students create fantastic Zentangle Tiles in her classes!

The pictures above are from Samantha's Facebook page "Zentangle Eccentric." Visit her page to see even more amazing Zentangles. Click here to register for her class at Bear Hands!

What Can Kids do in our Summer Art Camps?

This summer, I am planning the BEST summer art camps your kid will ever take. I'm concentrating all of my efforts and materials on making camps that will awaken your child's artistic nature. We have tons of awesome materials to use, and tons of ideas on creative ways your kid can use them. So don't wait! sign up today! Oh, and take a look at some of the projects that Shelley has planned for the pottery camps!!

 +Shelley Mathiot  has designed tons of amazing projects that kids can do in our hand building pottery camps!

 Collage, paint, draw, and create in my art camps. Perfect for 7+, but I've also had some five-year-olds do pretty well in these classes, so I'll be flexible with the age groups.

 Space Diorama! Kids can make some awesome dioramas themed however they wish in our Art Camps.

This is a kitty teapot! make an animal teapot in our hand building pottery camps!

monsters and castles and mermaids, Oh My!

Wall Pockets and paper sculptures...

lets face it...kids' pottery is just plain awesome

Click here for the schedule! you can even register online!

Mr. Burdic's Puzzles

Meet Brad and Mamie Burdic of New Bern, NC. Their hobby is piecing together artistic masterpieces in the form of puzzles. They have been framing puzzles with Bear Hands (Previously Ballentyne's Framing) since the beginning. They have over 80 framed puzzles in their home. 

Mr. Burdic's first puzzle was a gift from his friend. It is a picture of his 57 Studebaker Golden Halk parked at the Union Point Gazebo.

 Most of Mr. Burdic's puzzles are at least 1000 pieces; so It can take as long as 30 hours of their combined efforts to complete each puzzle.

The Burdics also enjoy creating their own custom puzzles with photos of family members as gifts. 

 In a span of 3 and a half years, they have filled up all of the walls of their large garage with beautifully framed  puzzles. Mamie's favorites are the Thomas Kinkade puzzles. She says that they are some of the most difficult puzzles to complete.  Brad likes the puzzles filled with people and life.

 They hang some of the puzzles in the garage and some of them in the elevator! The Burdic's will face a challenge when they run out of room for puzzles. But they don't plan on giving up their hobby. They decided to donate a few of the older puzzles to be sold for a good cause.

Chris and Mary Kay, Framers at Bear Hands, were honored to tour the puzzle room of Mr. Burdic's home.

Sometimes, transporting the puzzles to the frame shop can be difficult. Brad once lost half of his puzzle when the wind picked up outside of our shop. Brad and Mamie, along with a few helpful bystanders, recovered almost every single piece! Only five out of the 1000 pieces remain missing. The Bear Hands Framing team painted in the empty spaces so that the gaps are nearly invisible.

Sometimes Brad still brings in puzzles with a missing piece, but usually those pieces are found around his house not long after. Once, Brad found a puzzle piece in his shoe a few weeks after it went missing.

Starry Night Painting Party

Starry Night is probably the most iconic image of the impressionist art movement. And at Bear hands, its one of our favorite canvas Connections events. This two-hour painting session includes all materials and guests are welcome to bring wine and snacks


 Most of the people who participate in these classes have never painted before, or haven't painted in years. But you don't have to know how to paint to join this event. Chris, the Canvas Connections instructor, guides the class through this painting step-by-step. We boast a 100% success rate! Everyone leaves with a beautiful painting.
Register here!

Coastal Women's Forum Tuesday

Tomorrow I will be at the Coastal Women's Forum Trade Show at the Christ's Church Ministry Center representing Bear Hands Art  Factory & Framing! I'm so excited to get the word out about our wonderful new Drop-In Painting area, our exciting Canvas Connections classes, custom framing, professional art supplies, and Summer Art Camps!

Our Drop-In Painting Area is the newest addition to our growing business. Our goal is to make the experience of painting accessible to everybody: artist or not.  Kids, teens, adults, and seniors will all be able to enjoy spending time in our store painting. Our canvasses have everything you need sketched onto them, and each painting has simple instructions on how to get the results you want. An experienced artist and teacher will be at hand at all times to answer questions and provide you with the materials you need!

I'm thrilled about the Drop-In Painting program, and I can't wait to share the news about it with the other ladies on Tuesday!