Mount Pleasant is almost full! Don't wait.

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My finger is hovering above the phone, getting ready to call you to see if you are coming to the class in Mount Pleasant. Don't make me do it! Every third call will result in a half-grown, feral cat sent to your home. Yes, one of the ranch cats got away from us during cat-round-up-and-spay time. Ah, hum, back to Mount Pleasant: the classroom is smaller at the PD, so enrollment is limited and the class is almost full. If you have attended this class in the past, you know what fun it is—and a number of you have already said your returning. Some of you have your certifications expiring, some are working on their CFA title, and some of you need a drawing boost. Don't wait to let us know you are coming to class (or not coming.) As a reminder, the class is the week of October 28-November 1.

Fall News

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Wow, we just returned from an incredible week of classes in Carmel-by-the-Sea! Four instructors and thirty-five participants make this a record for us. Next up is the class in Fort Lee, NJ, a scant three weeks away. I'm shipping books on Friday (9/20). If you are thinking about coming and haven't given us the word, you need to let us know before I ship or you could be out of luck.

News and Notes

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Only two more open classes between now and the end of the year: Fort Lee, NJ, and Mount Pleasant, SC. Mount Pleasant is rapidly filling and the space is limited. The Carmel, California class coming up in a week filled with over 30 participants and we had to turn folks away. Don't wait if you're thinking about attending this year. We can pencil your name in to be sure you have a seat.

Carrie and Rick Update

Rick has been accepted into the annual Kruger Masterclass workshop with Sebastian Kruger in Germany this fall. He will be joining artists from around the world, including his great friend Mike Wagner. Wags is not only is a fantastic portrait painter but also one of our finest forensic art students. Rick considers Sebastian the most talented artist he has ever seen and feels extremely privileged to be able to paint with him for the week. http://www.sebastiankruger.com

Carrie has received the first edit of her novel, A Cry from the Dust, from her publisher, HarperCollins Christian. She'll be working to complete the revisions before the classes in October. You can keep up with the progress on her web page:www.carriestuartparks.com. Be sure to sign up for her newsletter.

We have a new member of our family: Gertie, an 11 week old Great Pyrenees puppy. She will be joined by her brother, Papa, next month.

Class Updates and News

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This is our most important newsletter of the year. Rick's computer crashed with the last nine years of correspondence with you all. Glack! We want you to have an update on the next few classes.

Carmel, California, September 9-13. We have three seats left and eleven folks telling us they are coming but as yet haven't formally registered. The hotel, The Bay Park, Monterey, 831 649-1020, has most of the room block filled (under the name of Carmel Police.) If you are planning on attending, please email me ASAP and book your room. carrie@stuartparks.com

Fort Lee, NJ, October 7-11. This class is looking grim. We have one person formally enrolled and four more on the list. Watzup? If you have put in for the class and are waiting, or if you're considering attending, you need to let us know ASAP. We'd like to hear from you even if you CAN'T attend so we won't have to take the time to contact you personally.

Mount Pleasant, SC, October 29-November 1. We have several folks registered and several more that have indicated they are coming. We'd like to put you on our list if this class is in your future.

Thurston County, WA, August 19-23. Lots of room in this class. We probably won't be teaching classes in Northwest except for here on the ranch as interest is slight. If you can't attend outside of Washington State, you might just want to jump on this. Going, going, ....

We can't stress enough that letting us know your plans are critical. We have airline tickets we need to purchase and these tickets can jump hundreds of dollars in a matter of a few days. Other folks need to know if we are going to be teaching in a specific area in order to make their plans.

NEWS, NEWS, NEWS. If you're interested in keeping up with my writing career, check out my new website: CarrieStuartParks.com. You can sign up for my writing newsletter and be the first to hear when my novel, A Cry From the Dust, is launched. If you haven't gotten the latest: I signed a three book deal at auction between publishing giants Simon & Schuster and HarperCollins. (HarperCollins won.) The books are suspense/thrillers about a forensic artist, Gwen Marcey. Surprise!

 

O, Canada, eh?

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We need to hear from everyone who is looking into taking a class from us this year ASAP, especially ALL of our Canadian students!! Because of the floods in Alberta including Medicine Hat (our class location) it is extremely important that we find out immediately if you are looking into attending the Medicine Hat class. We need to let some of our Canadian students know now whether the class is a go because they will change their training requests to a US location if it is not a go. This is particularly important if you live in Canada and your name is Carolyn, Jean, Nathan, Torrey, Kevyn, Cam, Crystal, Alanna, Macaully, Duncan, Ernie, Terry, Phil, Calvin, Brenda, Chris, Carrie, Wendy, Guylaine, Karen, Adam, Leona, Ian, Julie, Talva, Heidi, Leslie, Kathy, Dean, Donna, Barbara, Tony, Kristene, Andy, Manny and the artist formerly known as Ken.

For all students from the US and other hockey wanna be countries, it might appear strange that we have named certain individuals but you must understand, in Canada, promptness and politeness are required attributes so we should hear from all of them within minutes.

We do need to hear from everyone that is looking into classes so we can start to work on our travel schedule and which classes to hold at each location. Don't make me have to call you because there is still lots of Sharks news to talk about...the draft, free agent frenzy, new divisional standings...you get the idea.

Operators are standing by at 208 682-2831 or rick@stuartparks.com or carrie@stuartparks.com (hockey free address)

Rick

Carmel, Dude!

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The Carmel-by-the-Sea class location and hotel are set! We need to hear from any students who are looking into attending a class at this location ASAP! We have two classrooms with limited space and we will determine which classes listed will be offered based solely on the response we get in the next couple of weeks. Let us hear from you!!

We are excited to announce that our class location will be at the Sunset Center in Carmel-by-the-Sea, the Monterey Peninsula's Premier Arts Facility! http://www.sunsetcenter.org/

We have the Bay Park Hotel in Monterey reserved for the students to stay during the class. It is only about a mile from our training site and close to attractions like the Monterey Wharf and Cannery Row.

They have reserved a block of rooms for us at the government rate of $89.00 per night. We asked that they reserve seven rooms from Saturday to Saturday and the rest from Sunday to Friday. The participants do not need to show any police ID as the rate will just be $89.00 as the standard rate for the room block that is under the name Carmel police department training. This is a great deal. We can testify from our experience last year that it can be close to impossible to get a hotel room during peak times on the Peninsula, so get your room booked as soon as possible!

http://www.bayparkhotel.com/

 

More information on the Medicine Hat Class

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Update on the exciting upcoming Medicine Hat Class. The class, as of now, will be held at the Medicine Hat Police Services building. Hotel info below:

HOTEL INFORMATION: The Medicine Hat Lodge is holding a block of rooms for us under bock #579850. The cut off date for the rooms is August 23.
Web page is: http://www.medhatlodge.com
The rooms are $114 a night.

 

Two More Locations and a Reminder

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We are delighted to announce two new locations and dates. We return to the lovely folks of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, for the week of Sept. 23-27, 2013. Also the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy has invited us to teach there the week of November 18-22, 2013. The location is Plainfield, IN. Just posted, Rick will have the fliers up next week.

Also a reminder of the already scheduled classes:
August 5-9, Colorado Springs, CO (cut off date July 1)
August 19-23, Tumwater, WA
Sept. 9-13, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA (filling VERY fast)
Oct. 7-11, Fort Lee, NJ
Oct. 28-Nov. 1, Mount Pleasant, SC
Jan. 27-31, 2014, Chandler, AZ

Two New Locations and Dates

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Two new class dates and locations! Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, and Fort Lee, NJ! Also don't forget our scheduled classes in Wisconsin, Illinois, Idaho, Colorado, Washington, and South Carolina. With so many classes stacked up, we need to hear from you if you are thinking, planning, putting in for, or hoping to attend.

California. What better way to celebrate the 25th year of our classes then to have the training in the most incredible setting we have ever had...Carmel-by-the-Sea! Combining an unmatched passion for the arts and breathtaking scenery, this spectacular location has been our dream city in which to hold classes. Thanks to The Carmel-by-the-Sea Police Department, it's going to happen September 9-13 this year. So as the former Mayor was known to say, "go ahead, make our day" and join us!

NEW YORK CITY! Well...almost, it's just right across the world's busiest motor vehicle bridge from the historic borough of Fort Lee, the birthplace of the American film industry. You know the drill...Broadway, Central Park, Museums, Yankee's games (which the guys had a blast at last year), Giants, Statue of Liberty...forgettaboutit, you won't have time to do it all, but we are gonna try! Mark October 7-11 as the week for this training.

Announcing by popular demand, we are offering our Unlocking the Secrets to Drawing class to be held together with our classes for the week! Spend two days learning how to draw a face, then three days developing your own drawings of your friends and family. *This class also offers you the totally unique opportunity to join the Composite Drawing for Law Enforcement class as an option after the first two days. Please contact us for more details.

A note to our Canadian participants: you are so very important to us! Would you please contact us as to training, timing, and location, or if you can travel to a US course.

As always you can download fliers off our web page.

New Class Dates

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New class dates! The Illinois State Police will be hosting a class the week of June 10-14. Thurston County Sheriff's Office will be hosting the week of August 19-23. The information on Thurston County is below. Check out our web page for a listing of all scheduled courses and locations.

Thurston County sent a student to our very first class in 1988, so when they asked us if they could host a class in our twenty-fifth anniversary year we couldn't imagine a better way to come full circle. So, if you have ever wanted to find out why they call it the GREAT Pacific Northwest, join us this August for our series of classes. Since we will be within an hour of Seattle and Mount St. Helens Visitor Center and an hour and a half from Mount Rainier National Park Visitor Center and Ocean Shores on the Washington coast, you will want to give yourself plenty of time before or after the class to explore the most dynamic area in the country!

Don't forget to take a look at the classes in Madison, Wisconsin, and Colorado Springs, Colorado. More classes to be posted VERY soon.

More Stuff

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Two new classes and a vote! We scheduled two ranch classes for those of you wanting a relaxing course in the mountains of Idaho. July 8-12 is a mixed forensic class (all classes except basic.) The rooms are already booked, but there are some nice hotels just 12 minutes away in Kellogg. Also, for those of you waiting, we'll have a Watercolor workshop the week of June 24-28. Veery limited enrollment on this one!

Now, as to that vote. Rick and I have a busy schedule in art and books lined up for this fall, so we will have limited classes. We need to hear from you. Where would you like to take a class, and when? Rick needs to hear from everyone on this list now regarding the classes we have on the schedule! rick@stuartparks.com.

I have interest from a hosting agency in Washington State, but no participants. Anyone interested? And those of you on the east coast ... heeelllloooooo...Boston, New Jersey...talk to me! Where and when? California? It's important to us to be responsive to your needs. Drop us an email today.

More News

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Okay, we're on a roll. Here's another update. Starting with Riverside, California: we've received an extension on the last day to book your room: March 11. If you haven't done so already, you need to jump on this and also be sure you're registered. If you are in the SOCAL area this will be the one class scheduled for the year.

For the Plano, Texas (Dallas area) class we need to hear from everyone ASAP since this class was scheduled just recently. We have secured room block rates at TWO very nice hotels for the week. The Four Star Renaissance Dallas Richardson Hotel: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/dalrd-renaissance-dallas-richardson-hotel/

Block rate $113. per night link:

Book Standard Room at Renaissance Dallas Richardson Hotel for $113 per night

SpringHill Suites by Marriott: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/dalsr-springhill-suites-dallas-richardson-plano/

Block rate $85. per night link: http://cwp.marriott.com/dalsr/rpd

Madison, Wisconsin hotel information coming soon. June 3-7, 2013.

New class location! For the first time we are scheduling a class in spectacular Colorado Springs, Colorado! August 5-9, 2013. This will have a cut off date of July 1. That is, if we don't have a minimum number of participants by that date, we will cancel the class, so if this works for you, don't wait to let us know. We will take enrollment up to a week before class,
but we need to know sooner on this one.

Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, is on the schedule again! Think about walking on the sandy beaches, visiting the historical sites, and taking a great class the week of October 28-November 1, 2013.

Chandler, Arizona, January 27-31, 2014 for all you guys who want to get away from the cold and say we never schedule classes far enough ahead!

We enjoy hearing from all of you. Please keep telling us of your progress. Could everyone please let us know which classes and locations you're looking at this year! That's the only way we can assure you that we will be at the locations offering the classes you are interested in! We're all ears...or something

208 682-2831

carrie@stuartparks.com

rick@stuartparks.com

 

Deadlines, Locations, and News in General

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Big News about classes filling, looming deadlines, exciting locations, and our new way of contacting you! Rick spent days entering each of you into our newsletter system.  We are going to utilize this technology to keep you updated regarding the classes and events for the year.Let's start with our next class in Riverside, California, at the incredible Mission Inn Hotel & Spa.  We have secured rooms for the awesome rate of $84. a night.  Participants are registering from as far away as France, not to mention other exotic foreign locales like Canada and New Jersey. This class could be filled by the deadline for the room block at the Mission Inn of March 4.  If you are even considering attending, please contact us immediately! 

Christmas

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Christmas is almost here! The tree is up, twinklie lights sparkle around the living room, and I've even thought about wrapping presents--rather a last minute thing around here.

We're looking forward to the class in Chandler, AZ. and hoping some more folks want to join us. I know it's a bad time of year to try and get the word out.

Also, starting next year, we'll have a limited number of on-line classes. Watch our web page for more information.

Just a quickie.
God Bless you this Christmas and holiday season.
Rick and Carrie

Starting Out Right

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All kinds of events have crowded into our year and we're still in the first few weeks. In no particular order, here's the latest from the ranch.

Clackamas County Sheriff's Office (Portland, Oregon, area) will host the third class of this year. In case you missed the memo on the first two: Chandler, AZ and Cataldo, Idaho will usher in the new year. We always have such fun and warm sharing at this class. Join us!

February News

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It's our Silver Anniversary! Twenty five years ago this month I taugh my first Forensic art class. It lasted two weeks and, because of a grant from the state of Idaho, it cost the participants $100. Wow!

We just put the finishing touches on our California class and are pleased to announce we'll be teaching the class at the breathtaking Mission Inn Hotel and Spa, a Tuscan-inspired masterpiece that's listed as a national historic landmark.

Class Update

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Announcing our new class dates and locations.

Our next upcoming class is Riverside, California, with the class to be held at the beautiful Mission Inn. March 25-29. April 15-19 finds us outside of Dallas in Plano, Texas. Yeeeehaaa! Then on to Madison, Wisconsin the week of June 3-7. For my fine artists, we will be offering 'Secrets to Drawing Realistic Faces' classes during our forensic art weeks.

A couple of important notes.

Thanksgiving Cheer

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I guess I’m old fashioned. My fall decorations will stay up until I figure it’s “officially” Christmas season, which starts the day after Thanksgiving. There now, I’ve said it. I’m “officially” wishing all of you a blessed Thanksgiving day and a huge list of things you’re grateful for this year. We will travel to my older brother Steve’s house for our celebration. I understand we’ll be there BEFORE the football game. Sigh.

We are actively working on our new web pages and are planning on making one major change: we will be using our newsletter contact list to let you know of new classes and updates, not personal emails. Rick spends weeks mailing out email updates and making contacts with our former students--time he needs to devote to his, and our, art. We’ll be trying to get everyone on our list in the near future.

Summertime News

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Summer is winding up just as I finally got a lawn mower that works, not to mention the weeds I tried to kill feel that Roundup is some kind of plant food. Sigh. 

Oh, before I forget, if you’re receiving more than one of these news alerts, you’ve signed up more than once on my list. Drop me a line and I’ll delete your older emails.

Deadlines are fast approaching

On Line Class

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I hope your summer is going well-though fast. I know we're watching the days fly by.
Just a quickie: If you are looking for a short class in portraits that you can do at home, check out my on-line class on watercolor portraits offered here: http://www.artistsnetworkuniversity.com/courses/secrets-to-painting-watercolor-portraits
The class begins very, very soon, so jump on it.
Also take a look at the upcoming courses on our schedule page. 
Keep your pencils sharp, m'friends.