If you're new to my blog, thanks for coming - I'm so glad you're here! You can learn more about my Leave Your Legacy challenge here.
Earlier this week, I pulled out some of my Donna Downey unfinished class projects (see more about this here and here) and thought about working on them.
I say "thought about", because it's been so long since my last class with her that I almost forget all of the techniques that we learned! :( Well, forget may be the wrong word - intimidated may be more appropriate. I have all of these supplies and I'm afraid of "messing things up" or having it turn out wrong...
I can almost hear what all of my mixed media artist friends are saying to me: "Turn out wrong? In art? You IS crazy, girl!". But the intimidation factor was still there.
Until a few days ago.
I came across a great quote and it reminded me of an important lesson:
"Every artist was first an amateur." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
And just like with Oprah's words, I knew that the best way to become a true artist was to forge ahead fearlessly and hone the craft through trial and error. So I dug out a small 4"x4" canvas and began to experiment.
Without pause. Without the fear of making a mistake and ruining my project. With pure joy in my heart and paint on my hands.
And stinky gesso - but that's a story for another time!
So here's your challenge this week:
Using the above quote by Emerson, create a project or layout. Remember that leaving your legacy doesn't just have to tell the story of your life in words, but it can be as simple as leaving a piece of art for future generations to share in your inspiration or muse.
Here's my project:
Higgins India ink; Ranger glossy paper; Martha Stewart Crafts punch; Bazzill Basics cardstock; Sharpie paint pen; vintage book paper, music sheets, sewing patterns, tissue paper from my stash.
At first glance, I can see all of the "mistakes" - but then I realized that these mistakes pushed me to get creative! Happy accidents, as I like to call them.
Like the butterfly stamping on the right lower corner that didn't take because of the give of the stretched canvas on the frame:
So I used it as a shadow for a cut-out butterfly stamped on glossy cardstock, adhered with a dimensional glue dot.
Or the original black handwritten text, that while passable in style, was lost on the dark painted background:
So I reached for my Sharpie paint pen... (Still not sure if that's a happy accident, because the paint pen tended to splatter when it hit a bump!)
I am in love with the how the paint job turned out though! :)
Sa-Weeeeeeeeeeeeeet! You are so talented and brave!
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