Experimental Mixed Media Workshop

acrylic and collage with acrylic skins on canvas, 18X24″

My three day experimental painting workshop at Sebastopol Center for the Arts was last weekend. Some fun mixed media techniques were offered, including acrylic medium textures, “skins” and metallics.  The above painting was begun as a demo.  Not quite sure it’s finished yet.  I like the way the shapes are so suggestive but non specific, so you can fill in the blank any way you choose, “Cluster of _____”

It was a very dynamic group of artists, who took full advantage of the lessons to incorporate the techniques into their own aesthetic, making for a particularly exciting workshop.  The students had backgrounds in sculpture, assemblage, encaustic, oils, watercolors and heavy body acrylics, and they seemed most interested in creating textures.  I always get ideas for future lessons by watching my students try things out in new variations.