Mixed Media

I've been experimenting with acrylic paints, collage, stenciling and stamping to create some mixed media art.  I've also been trying to use a different palette each time.  

It's fun to create without knowing what the outcome will be.  that's one of my principles of teaching my sewing class "Stupendous Stitching" and it is a process that I enjoy and now am bringing into my mixed media world.

Of course, "printing" on a gel plate already ensures you cannot predict the outcome but when I pick up a brush, somehow, my brain takes over and wants me to paint, knowing the eventual outcome so it's been hard.

I know I will never be a realistic painter.  And doing abstracts is also hard and takes years of practice until you get it right.  But I find mixed media is much more enjoyable since there are so many opportunities to correct what you don't like and save what you do.  Because I work in layers, if I hate a particular piece, I can cover the whole piece with white gesso and start again.

As usual, 99% of my artwork goes through an ugly stage but I have found, when I don't give up and throw it into the garbage, I usually end up with something I like.

This piece is a perfect example.  I felt it didn't really work with all the vibrant colors until I toned down the black "blobs" with white strips and added the numbers.  I always have a hard time adding black but this piece demanded some contrast.

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