Mixed Media

Having gained confidence from drawing with a simple black pen and watercolors, I felt the need to expand my knowledge of materials and to create “pages” that were more self- expressive. What I discovered was that there no rules as I started experimenting with mixed media which afforded me that freedom.

Starting with an unfinished drawing or a blank page, I began covering the surface with light-colored acrylic paint. Intuitively, I layered handwriting, collage materials, and found objects made into stamps, to build up translucency and depth. The result was a “push and pull” between what became clear and what receded into the background thru the process of unconscious editing and personal reflection.

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I discovered other artists who were making very expressive mixed media works in different scales who have become inspirations for me. Seth Apter’s journal pages inspired me to incorporate household materials in a mixed media sketchbook. While Mark Bradford’s large-scale collage paintings demonstrate an “excavated” approach to reveal stenciled messaging underneath. What I’ve discovered thru my own process is that working intuitively is best. I often start with a prompt and then some handwriting across the page.