Being Creatively Corageous.

I thought I would include something here about one of my favourite art applications - mixed media. It’s such a diverse topic and, in teaching it, i have come to realise that by its very definition, it can be both confusing, and even overwhelming! So lets take a deeper dive into what it actually means and what it can offer, no matter whether a beginner or experienced artist.

In a nutshell, mixed media offers a broad platform for us as visual artists to express our personal narratives and a freedom to explore a wide range of creative possibilities as opposed to the perceived constraints of single-medium art. By combining different materials and techniques in a single painting it’s possible to create really unique and dynamic pieces and this allows for more nuanced and complex expressions of ideas - to work outside the box so to speak.

This approach enables me to create a wide variety of textures, depth and dimension by layering different materials such as acrylic paint, watercolour, pastels, inks and collage elements. In this way I am not only building up the surface but by scraping back into it I am adding further visual interest and another dimension to the artwork, inviting viewers to interact with it on multiple levels. 

If you have never used mixed media in your work I would encourage you to give it a go, whether you are a hobby artist looking to try something new or an experienced professional wanting to push the boundaries of your creativity. The possibilities are endless and the results [and happy accidents] can be very surprising!