On today's podcast I interview a new Lucky Star instructor, Yasmin Youssef. Yasmin is a visual artist living and working in Austin, Texas. Her mixed media collage, NFTs, and cyanotype work is influenced by her multi-cultural heritage as well as her professional careers as a Middle Eastern dancer and User Experience designer. While designing enterprise level software for the tech industry, Yasmin was also performing nationally and internationally with Thievery Corporation, Govinda, and as a member of the dance collective she co-founded. Yasmin’s artistic pursuits expanded into visual art as a natural way to gather and present ethereal & moving experiences. In her mixed media works, inspired by lifespans of beauty and decay in the Natural World, Yasmin reveals deep layers and rich texture by building up and scraping back materials such as vintage collage ephemera, plaster, acrylics, gold leaf, and mark-making. Her work explores common themes, including rich color palettes, elements from the Natural World, and moods of introspection, connection, and internal strength. This will be Yasmin’s first time teaching at Lucky Star Art Camp and she is excited to share her techniques for creating mixed media collage portraits as well as mini travel journals. Welcome to the podcast, Yasmin Youssef!  Website: Yasmin.ws Facebook: TheGoldCurrent Instagram: @thegoldcurrent Pinterest:  @thegoldcurrent Lucky Star Classes:  Mixed Media Collage Portraits and Mini Travel Journals  Today's episode is sponsored by Rockin' R Retreat Center. Rockin’ R Retreat Center in Temple, TX is your place to get away, be with friends or meet new ones and create whatever you want! At Rockin’ R, your comfort and creativity is Rena’s number one priority. To attend one of Rena’s personally hosted retreats at Rockin’ R go to www.renacotti.com. To rent Rockin' R to host your own event go to www.rockinrretreats.com *********************************************************************************** Lucky Star is a women’s art and whole living sleepaway camp that takes place each fall in the Texas hill country. This is no art retreat in a hotel conference room…and no, we’re not camping in tents… we’re actually “glamping” in climate controlled cabins that are built into the hillside overlooking the Guadalupe River, and we’re eating gourmet, chef-prepared food in a dining hall like we’re at Hogwarts!  We’re fully immersed in creative workshops like jewelry making, astrology, mixed media collage, apothecary, abstract painting, writing, sewing, yoga, welding, pottery, and we’ve even had classes on raising alpacas and tomahawk throwing!  No dishes, no laundry, no driving kids, and no deadlines or demanding bosses.  Just a solid five days to be YOU because we believe in the importance of discovering/reigniting the authentic part of you that makes you feel ALIVE and we know that CREATIVITY can be a powerful catalyst for growth, healing, self-care, connection, and just the spark you need to thrive.  When we’re not at camp learning, laughing, making, and singing by the campfire, we’re a thriving creative community of supportive women known as the Lucky Star Galaxy and...