AIY- MIxed Media Art Retreat

It's been a while since I returned from the AIY mixed media retreat at Noosa.  While I don't generally do my best work in workshops, the opportunity to try new techniques, and materials, is not to be missed.

 

Brick By Brick

The above is a collage from Seth Apter's workshop 'Brick By Brick'.  I pulled the original (on 12" x 12" canvas") to bits and started again on 10" x 10" board.  The canvas made it difficult to glue the bricks evenly due to its flexibility.  I was happier with this version.  Don't know why I chose green...it seems to be coming up a lot lately.

I had two days painting with Kecia Deveney, a full-on experimental mark-making experience. Of course I'm not all that happy with the result, but it's a work in progress and will change dramatically before it's done.

A multitude of techniques here, on 36" x 36" canvas.  I now know why the workshop was called 'Art Brut'.  It's raw, rough, aggressive, and totally unrefined.  Perhaps I was channelling Basquiat.

By the last day I was quite unwell, having caught a 'bug' on the first day and despite masses of cold/flu medication.  I was glad I'd chosen a wind-down class with the lovely Linda Lucas.  I sat down to make some greeting cards using all sorts of techniques and tools that I'm not usually familiar with.

Making cards is fiddly at the best of times, but it's certainly made easier with an assortment of cut-outs, and stamps. FUN!

The whole four days was full of the wonderful enthusiasm engendered by large groups of creative people.  Definitely not to be missed.  Wonder woman Sallianne McClelland , who is the driving force behind AIY retreats here, and in the USA, has ensured that each AIY retreat is absolutely full of experiences, excitement, and the opportunity to make lasting friendships.

Remember I said I totally dismantled my original 'Brick By Brick' on canvas?  Well, after tearing off the bricks, I had such a great surface for another kind of work, that I added some rust-dyed muslin, ink, and porcupine quills.  Now I have a piece that is more 'me'.