Yesterday I took a class called "Not Your Mother's Acrylics!" taught by my friend and fellow artist Adria Arch and also Patti Mollica from NYC, both Golden Working Artists, at the Arlington Center for the Arts, in Arlington MA. We worked from 9am-4pm learning about gels, mediums, and other stuff I didn't know much about. I'm glad to know more, now that I'm more of a painting and printmaking based mixed media artist and less of a fiber mixed media artist.
The interesting thing for me is that the one paint experiment that we did in the class, is the one I thought to myself that I'd never want to do again. Now I can't stop thinking about it. We played with using open acrylics (with the black cap) mixed with mixed with open thinner or open medium, on a surface such as molding paste where you take away (wet) pigment similar to scratch board (see the image above). I have many ideas how to combine this technique on board with monoprinted construction fences. I have been thinking about it so much I had trouble falling asleep last night and I just want to play in my studio except that I can't for the next few days. I'm going to try to pick up the materials I need at Dick Blick tomorrow if I can, and if not, place an order. Hopefully I can play sometime this week, before the next snow storm if I have the materials, and if not, as soon as we dig out.
The other materials I liked working with were pencil and paint on an acrylic ground for pastels. There are also a lot of good possibilities.
I really enjoyed the class and I encourage others to take classes like this if you have the opportunity.
