CREATE with Kari McKnight-Holbrook

When I realized that Interweave's CREATE was happening so close to me, I knew I should not pass up the opportunity. Unfortunately, by the time I got around to signing up there weren't many classes that I was interested in available. I have been playing with fluid acrylics and I love collage so Kari McKnight-Holbrook's class A Fluid Romance. I loved that she provided the option of sending you a class supply list with images. What a great idea! I was shocked at how many students came unprepared. (Certainly takes the fun out of it for the rest of us.) Kari was incredibly generous with her supplies.

I was also fortunate to have a table mate that approached the process pretty much like I did. Let's just try everything and not worry about making something great. I had thought I would do a collage about my adopted grandmother. That didn't seem to work because when I began I went for bright colors (the only one to do so in the class of approx. 25). As Kari would travel from student to student making comments, all she could say about mine was "Nice use of color," and move on. Good thing I don't need encouragement. I also noticed that she spent most of her time talking and spending time with the right (her right) side of the class something I have noticed with teachers and something I conscientiously try not to do.

And while I don't feel my piece is great, I also can't seem to paint over it either. I do want to play more with the different techniques that were used. I see more fluid acrylic collages in my future. I also see myself painting more because I love it. I'm also releasing that college professor who told me I could paint because he didn't like my subject matter. I've also discovered that fluid acrylics work well on fabric! Kari did open my eyes to the wonderful layering that can be done with them and as a quiltmaker I do love layers.

For this piece, I used some of my photographs (Krygyz woman in traditional dress and door from Georgia) copied onto paper, rub-ons (love them), cut up flash card, postage stamp, drawing, model paste, foiling, writing with a Sharpie, stencils, and spray painting with a toothbrush. Kari likes the look of dripping paint. This just didn't appear to me so I choose not to include it in this piece. 

Trying new things keeps me growing. It's also time to release the old demons and spread my wings and fly, fly, fly.