First of all, let me own up and tell you that the gorgeous picture you see above is not mine: it’s a collage on canvas that was created in just one day by a participant in my very first mixed-media workshop. I have been teaching decoupage for a while, which is very enjoyable both for me and for those who come to learn. People spend anything from two hours to two days in the studio, learn the necessary skills, familiarise themselves with the materials we use, and leave with a completed project: a colourful photo frame, a funky pair of shoes or even a piece of upcycled furniture. So far so good: these classes are mostly about skill and we can all learn how to do something new, right? That is easy. How about teaching people to create something original from scratch though? The kind of teaching which is about developing vision and being able to play, and where skills are involved, for sure, but are not at the centre. And could that be achieved in just a day? That would be a challenge I thought, but as I am convinced that any adult can be helped to uncover their “inner artist”, the only thing to do was try it. My chosen medium for this was collage, partly because it’s my thing and partly because I feel that tearing up bits of paper and messing about with paint and glue allow us to be playful and not worry too much about the end result. So, last Sunday the first four participants arrived and after introductions and coffee, they set to work for the most part of seven hours. I provided starting points to make the task seem less daunting, inspiration from my own finished pieces, and guidance throughout. Did the magic happen? Well, of course I think the results were brilliant but you can judge for yourself below:
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