Learning curve indeed...

 ...is the name of the game.

Before I finished the first nine collages, I was quite happy with one of them.  Testing a new-to-me technique, though, had me wanting to tear my hair out. I can see that adding the 'stencil on tissue paper' is a technique that will take a ton of practice.  It may be that I'll go back to my tried and true asemic writing and learn that one next lifetime. 🤣

I did enjoy the last three of the warm colour collages coming to life, though.

And now I'm in the midst of the cool colour paper-making.  I'll show you some results of those next week.  In the meantime, I've got another bee in my bonnet and I'm getting prepped for spring!

Hope your week has been fabulous - I'm heading off to see what you've been up to!!  

With all the flowers outside...

...my mind turned to vases and vessels , and here's what happened.

This little vase measures about 3 inches in height (sans flower).  With the tail included, it's about five inches wide.

Created from a piece of painted cheesecloth (you'll find the tutorial video just below) it has been stiffened with Golden GAC400.  While wet, I wrapped the cheesecloth around a small plastic bottle which had been liberally (and I do mean liberally coated with Vaseline).

I let the GAC-stiffened cheesecloth dry overnight and then used my palette knife to free the bottle from the vase.  Both survived, although the bottle will take a lot of cleaning if it's to be reused.

I do love the look of the cheesecloth,

and rather suspect I'll be playing more with this technique.

Of course, I'll need to paint more, and larger, sheets of cheesecloth if that's going to happen.  And I'll need some more container shapes, and does anyone know where one can secure some bath sheet-sized bits of cheesecloth and gallon drums of Vaseline?   Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

What's happening with you this week?  I look forward to hearing about it all.

Is it Christmas?

Perhaps not, but Catherine Moes got to use her Christmas gift this past week when she came for a three-hour private lesson, and we had more fun than I suspect is strictly legal.

The beauty of one-on-one is that sessions can be tailor-made to fit the student, and after a short studio tour and a discussion of Catherine's current explorations, it was decided that a morning with the knife would be a great playtime.  Accordingly we got some palette knives in action.

In order to create a feeling of looseness, we utilised only the palette knife, molding paste and heavy gel to bump up the texture, heavy-bodied acrylic paints and a spray bottle of water.  Creating a landscape from our imaginations, we tore right into an abstract painting.

We accomplished a great deal in our short time together, even managing a quick demo session with the gel plate as we waited for the mediums to dry a bit on the paintings.

Catherine was so pleased with her husband's stocking stuffer that I could literally hear the wheels turning in her head as she planned for a return visit.  

I love doing these private lessons - they give me such joy when I can sponteaneously create a coaching session that is exactly what the artist wants and needs.  Being able to encourage mixed media exploration in the arts is why I've been teaching for so long.

If you're looking for your own stocking stuffer, why not email me for details?   I'd love to see you come and play!

Of course, that's not all that went on in the studio this week - I got into more dryer sheets and baby wipes.  Are you surprised?  Maybe you would be when you find out that I made flowers from them.  Using Golden GAC400, I got myself gunked right up, and John caught me in the act.

If  you've been following this blog for the past few weeks, you can likely guess where these might be going!  The deadline is fast approaching to get this Lunacy Gown completed.

Hope your week has been just as much fun - see you on the flip side, and please let me know what you've been up to in the last while.  I love reading your comments.