Teaching and learning more about my process by teaching.

So I finished up this year teaching at Donna Downey Studio. I was starting to get bored with my fabric collage process and knew I better kick it up a notch to make the class interesting not just for my students but for myself. What I learned this time around was :  I was still trying to keep the linens I used precious....I wanted to retain some of the raw fabric and not cover up some of the lace and beautiful details in the linen. I realized that this was my canvas and it was ok to cover all of it and make mistakes if I had to. I could always sand it or cover it up if I needed to. I watched my students boldly apply color and plaster and really make some bold pieces. I loved that. I decided with this last piece I am showing (the girl with the reindeer head) I would treat it like a canvas and I covered everything with gesso and plaster and color. I rubbed some of the color out with sanding. I used some of my "precious" lace to create a stencil using plaster which made it more imbeded into the fabric collage. I created depth and atmosphere with dark shadows and a hint of a landscape. It became a painting and not just a figure painted on top of fabric. Now I am interested again and feel like there is still much for me to learn with this process. Oh, and now I discovered chalk paints which work beautifully on the fabric. I apply some of the paint with glazing medium and then seal everything with first a clear wax and then a dark wax to bring out some of the texture.
Yes....teaching is part of my creative process. I look forward to an abundant and busy 2014 with alot of teaching coming my way. Please check out my 2014 teaching schedule. I also teach online and in the works to start a new online class on the trodden path. If you haven't signed up yet for Studying Under the Masters, please look at my post below with all the details and sign up button. THAT is going to be such a great class! Thank you all for supporting me this year and encouraging me with all your wonderful comments. It means so much to me....kate