As a young art student, I was taught by the nuns to stick very closely to purist. There was anything as mixed media. If you were working batik, it was not to look like parts of it were tie-dyed. The least amount of crackling in the color was awarded better grades. Water colors were NOT to be penciled sketched then "filled in." Clay and pottery were functional and recognizable objects. Never should a metal object be sewn onto a banner. A banner was all cloth. Period.
I suppose it was to gain a firm stance in the fundamentals, but all it did for me was take the creativity out of the process. I worked like a trained copycat. Stroke for stroke, sticking to the prescribed outcomes. That idea stuck with me and made it so very difficult to transition into being my self and having my own style.
It wasn't till my daughter, Gitta, was into her jewelry and metalwork major at university, did I feel ok with the concept of mixed media, creating your own style and feel free to do things my way, even if no one else liked it or understood it!
What a thought! She is graduated now. I still struggle at times and ask her, "Is it ok to do it this way?" She always affirms me and gives me the most constructive advise. I have posted her college blog as one I follow.
In that free spirit, I share a few pictures of some things in the works. This is a Ren Faire coif of hand felted wool, pointed cap with needle felted worst into a thistle design. It will have thistle blossoms of purple in the opening between the two curls of thistles. For some odd reason, I love to make hats! So strange, but so fun~
oops... there was not anything such as mixed media!
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