Collage

This week I'm teaching a five-day in-person workshop: Mixed Media Collage Intensive. The workshop is for intermediate to advanced students and the focus of the workshop is on creating a body of work -- a series of 6-10 pieces that you’re proud of and reflect who you are as an artist. Some of the topics we are covering this week are: personal voice when to know if it's done working in a series value contrast composition focal point how to use a sketchbook (studio notebook) for a mixed media collage practice how to analyze and assess your own work how... Read more →


I'm working on some new artwork in the studio this week. It's very much WIP - work in progress. Watch the video for more: As you can see from the video, I'm currently working through the final stages of a couple of mixed media pieces -- doing my best to figure out how to push them to the finished stage. I'm using my knowledge of the Elements and Principles of Art to guide my choices. You can learn more about how to use the Elements and Principles of Art in your artistic practice in Design Boot Camp. Registration is now... Read more →


You may have noticed that I changed the name of this Tuesday series from "Studio Visits" to "Studio Snippets." When I came up with the idea for this video series -- a short peek into what's happening here in my studio -- I didn't really know what it was going to be. Now that we are 21 weeks/21 videos (about 5 months) into it, I have a better sense of what the series is all about. So "Studio Snippets" -- tiny little bits from the studio -- feels like a more accurate title for the series. If you want more... Read more →


This post was originally published on June 24, 2019. I have updated the post with some additional thoughts. My artwork rarely ends up where I thought it might. It's usually more of a wandering process than a marching one. Let me show you what I'm talking about: I started a painting and I thought it might be an abstract piece. This is how it started: I didn't love it, so I cut it in half (one of the benefits of working on paper): Then I decided to add some collage in order to break up some of the rigidity of... Read more →


This week I'm filling up my Art Parts bin with black and white collage paper! Yay! Watch the video for more: As I mentioned in the video, I'm using High Flow Acrylic Paint on both deli paper and sulphite paper. And now I have lots and lots of great black and white collage paper to choose from! Recently, I have found myself reaching for black and white collage paper more and more. You can see some in each of these pieces from this year: Because I use soooo many colors, the black and white paper adds texture and pattern in... Read more →


I don't think I've gotten so many responses to a blog post since I announced I was pregnant in 2019! The response to my dilemma about sending complicated hand made cards to everyone on my holiday list... ...garnered a lot of comments (both on my blog and instagram) and many many emails. This is a screenshot of my inbox: Overwhelmingly, the crowd seems to feel that Steve has it right. "I agree with Steve. Keep things simple. Handmade for those who will appreciate the effort and treasure your art. Prints of one of the originals for everyone else. I do... Read more →


I'm back with another inspirational art journaling video for you. Yay! This is a clip from my online class, Art Journaling: 10 Minutes a Day for 30 Days. It's all about shape -- one of the design elements we work very hard on in Design Boot Camp. Interesting shapes matter in art because they elevate the visual experience, convey personal meaning, and contribute to the overall impact and value of the artwork. They are one of the essential tools that artists use to express themselves and communicate with their audience. Watch the video for more: I often find myself doodling... Read more →


Back in February, I created this mixed media collage piece: It was meant to be part of my ongoing series of work about my experience of motherhood. The series features vessels (bowls, vases, cups, etc.) and plants in various stages of bloom. I showed it to my Mom and she was insistent that it was a house with a staircase and somehow, that bugged me. I lived with it for a few weeks, but it kept bugging me. So, I painted a new painting on top of it. This version of the mixed media collage is more flat and contained.... Read more →


Hello friends! This week I thought you might be interested to see the collage palette I used in my recent Collage Faces class. Just as you might swatch paint colors when working on a painting, it's extremely helpful to have a quick reference sheet for collage. Watch the video for more: Here are a few reasons you might want to swatch your collage papers (aka create a collage paper palette): Visual Reference: Just like paint swatches, I like to see at a glance what I have on hand. It helps me to make decisions. Opacity: You can use a non-white... Read more →


A few weeks ago, I wrapped up my three-part live online Collage Faces class. For class number three, we focused on troubleshooting, backgrounds, bodies, and finishing touches. For instance, I shared how to take this perfectly great collage... ..and make it even better! It's more complex, more interesting, more layered, and more nuanced. Here are a few of my other demo pieces: Much of my focus in class was about embracing your personal style and I think you'll fall in love with the beautiful and unique work from the students. I asked if any of them were willing to share... Read more →