Save the Date!!

The winter blahs are upon us. The holidays are gone, and spring seems months away. For many folks with an itch to create, it's the perfect time to explore new means of self expression. For me, it's the perfect time to share with others my favorite "secret" mixed media techniques by teaching a workshop!

So come explore a whole new world of artistic possibilities: join me on March 14 at The Art House in Acworth for "Surface Design for Artists, Card Makers and Scrap Book Enthusiasts," a one day workshop in designing and creating your own original art papers, non-paper surfaces and dimensional embellishments!

Just a few of them are shown here:

Radiant Sun, mixed media collage made with clay, inks, tissue, copier papers, sewing supplies and acrylic paints     

 

   © Lynn Edwards

In this workshop you'll discover how to turn readily available items such as copy paper, aluminum foil, fabric scraps, "found" treasures and other materials into stunning one-of-a-kind elements you can use in mixed media/collage, scrap booking, card making and just about any other artistic/creative endeavor you can think of.

               Greeting card made from 6 different paper treatments             

 

 

 

 ©Lynn Edwards

You'll paint, crumple, pour, scrape, shape, dunk, glue, carve and layer art supplies and common household materials, transforming them into spectacular elements that are uniquely YOU!

Jewelry makers can use many of the techniques taught in this workshop.  ©Lynn Edwards

 At the end of the workshop you'll have a collection of art papers and alternative surfaces of your very own design, a step by step handbook of techniques learned in the class, and finished pieces you can display in your home or give as gifts.

All you need to bring is a sack lunch...I'll supply everything else. So register NOW; participation is limited to just 10 students. (This allows me to offer plenty of one on one time with each person.)

BTW, you do NOT need to be an experienced artist. You'll have a blast even if you've never done anything "artsy" in your life. Can't draw a straight line?? No need to. If you want straight lines I'll hand you a ruler, lol!

Here's all the info:

Workshop Title:
SURFACE DESIGN FOR ARTISTS, CARD MAKERS AND SCRAP BOOK ENTHUSIASTS

Fee: $90   All supplies will be furnished; all you need to bring is a sack lunch

Date: Saturday, March 14, 2020

Time: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Location: The Art House, 4425 Cherokee St., Acworth GA 30101

TO REGISTER ONLINE VISIT ACWORTHARTSALLIANCE.ORG
or call 678-543-5777 to register by phone. Checks, cash and debit/credit cards are accepted.

All text and images ©2020 Lynn Edwards

Resources for Artists: Acrylic Solutions by Chris Cozen and Julie Prichard

The wind is howling, the roads are icy, and snow is falling. It's the perfect time to curl up with a cup of cocoa and a good book! If that book is Acrylic Solutions: Exploring Mixed Media Layer by Layer (North Light Books), you're in for a fine read.

Co-authors Chris Cozen and Julie Prichard lead readers step by step through the process of creating  compelling mixed media paintings. After covering the basics -- paints, surfaces, tools, and guidelines for applying techniques like glazing, blending, and mixing colors -- they move on to the hows and whys of laying a solid foundation for a piece, including choosing the right substrates and how to prep them.

Structure comes next, with discussions of exactly how the various mixed media pieces shown were developed using collage, texture mediums, color blocking, mark making, etc.

From there the book moves into the topic that poses a challenge to many artists: how to develop complexity in a work without it becoming a visual jumble. Advice and techniques are offered to enable you to design a work of art that's both exciting and yet cohesive.

The last chapter covers the essential final step, which is assessing the work and finessing the details.
If the checklist provided reveals that improvements are necessary, you'll find numerous ways to achieve them in the "toolbox" of solutions offered.

I consider this book to be an essential resource due to both its excellent content and functional design. It's spiral bound, making the many demos in it easy to follow because it can be laid flat on your worktable. It's written in a lively, entertaining style, and the many photos provided are crisp and clear. Among them are many photos of works created by the authors along with those of dozens of other mixed media artists. The works depicted are sure to inspire anyone looking for some artistic inspiration. And because Cozen and Prichard's own personal styles are considerably different from one another, it's interesting to see how applying their suggestions can result in decidedly different yet equally successful works of art.

©2015 Lynn Edwards