My Weekend CREATE-ing

Hello Everyone!

I hope the weekend treated you all well!  Mine was amazing!

My Mom and I went to the CREATE Mixed Media Retreat, finally, after waiting for over 6 months for it to arrive.  I don't know if you remember that I asked my Husband for this gift last Christmas....a Christmas, Birthday, Anniversary gift all rolled into one....

My Mom wanted to attend with me, so it was nice to have a Partner in Crime to go with.  Plus, she lives just 15 minutes from where it was held here in California, so we didn't have to spend the money on hotel rooms.
If money was no option, one could take (4) six hour classes and (4) three hour classes over 5 days.  We took (3) three hour classes and (2) 6 hour ones....5 classes in all.

On Wednesday, we took a class called "Carved Birches - no cutting tools required" given by Staci Swider.

This was a 3 hour class.  We used 12x12 canvases, acrylic paint and oil pastels.  The neat birch tree effect was created with molding paste, crackle medium and house paint!  A really cool effect!

 

My oil pastels weren't blending very well, so the teacher let me borrow one of hers.  It was some French brand of oil pastel....and it was like butter! So creamy!  I need to add those to my wish list!

 

Thursday night, we took a class called "Crinkly Iridescent Vestiges" given by Helen Shafer Garcia.

 

 

 

We were given a special Masa Paper (rice paper) that we drew simple images on, crinkled up and soaked in water.  We outlined our drawings in a wonderful acrylic ink and watched them bleed. 

 

 

We filled them in with watercolors and embellished when dry.  We worked on several, but this is the only one I finished.

 

 

 

We took a 6 hour class Friday morning called "Unleash your Creative Spirit" with Staci Swider again.  This was so different than what I'm used to, that it really forced me to just go with the process.

 

Here's my view of the class from my side of the room :)

 

 

 

We started with a 2 foot square wood panel.  We covered it in gesso and acrylic paint (I used my hands the whole time).  We dripped water over the top and swirled it around by moving the panel to and fro.  We soaked up the water and some paint with a large piece of watercolor paper.  We did this as many times as we liked........then, we were told to find something hidden, looking at the panel in all directions.  Some found faces, others found animals.....

 

 

I saw a giraffe :)

 

 

We were told to incorporate some of the watercolor paper into the panel. 

 

 

We used oil pastels to define our lines....otherwise, it was all painted using just my fingers!

 

 

Saturday morning, we took a 6 hour course by Chris Cozen called "Incised to Perfection: Working with Color, Pattern and Texture"

 

 

There were lots and lots of layers put on this piece with flowers being "found" in the random designs.  Stencils and course molding paste were used.

 

 

I didn't realize you could paint over molding paste with watered down acrylic and have it bleed over the surface. Interesting.

We worked on 2 canvases, but I didn't come close to finishing the 2nd.

 

 

 Our last class on Saturday evening was called "Chip Off the Old Block" given by Pam Carriker.

We were given tips and guidance for carving our own stamps.

I've tried this before, but not for a long time.  I tried to pick an image that I could get a lot of use out of.

 

 

I carved both sides so I would have both wings.  I'm sure you'll be seeing more of these in art to come ;)

 

 

Thanks for letting me share my class projects with you!  Attending them was a wish come true....

 

I think we'll try to go next year, too! We'll see what the Hubby says....heehee ;P

 

Big paint covered hugs to you all!

Cam