If you follow my Linda's Blog you know that I love taking online arts & crafts classes and could, literally, spend 24/7 just doing this. So, for sure I was looking forward to taking two classes at Artful Gathering this year: Artful Gathering 2019 Session 1 "Leonardo Loves Zia" Class taught by Christina Zinnia Galliher and Artful Gathering 2019 Session 2 "Beyond the Imaginarium: A Compendium of Holiday Merriment" Class taught by Mary Jane Chadbourne.
In 2012 I discovered the Artful Gathering online classes and fell in love with them. They offer online art retreats that are available in the Spring and Summer each year that are are taught by some of the most unbelievable and creative artists I have ever encountered and whose creativity is always beyond measure.
Artful Gathering 2019 Session 2 "Beyond the Imaginarium: A Compendium of Holiday Merriment" Class by Mary Jane Chadbourne
According to Mary Jane in this class we were to learn to make, "all sorts of dolls who will help you ring in the holiday season and with plenty of time to not only enjoy the creating, but be ready for the holidays ahead of time!"
"This class will take you to new explorations and learning fun techniques! The first part of the class will be creating a tall Santa and his Elf….a whimsical pair that compliment each other and put a smile on everyone’s face. Completed with mixed media adornments and no limit to where these techniques will take you and the creative fun you will have along your journey! There will be new techniques added in this class, along with some favorites of mine from the original class.
The second part is creating my “Deerly Yours” block dolls. We will explore techniques in watercolor painting whimsical faces incorporated with collage. Dressing the “deer girls” will give us the opportunity to work in collage, painting and more mixed media techniques! Each one is truly different and original….all with carrying a festive holiday message. "
This is the 3rd class I've taken at Artful Gathering taught by Mary Jane Chadbourne. The first was "ART-S2-307 The Imaginarium: Anthologies of an Art Doll " which I took in 2014 and I reviewed here.
That class was my first introduction into mixed media and I loved it and Mary Jane's teaching methods so much I decided to take her "Tinytopia & The Magic of Little Things Online Class" class at Artful Gathering in 2015, which I reviewed here.
Mary Jane Chadbourne is an amazing mixed media artist whose classes always provide a lot of fun filled interaction with the rest of the class participants. They are filled with all sorts of different projects and mixed media and collage methods to try. Her video's are chock full of instructions and examples of her creations and what she is trying to convey.
Her enthusiasm for teaching and her creations is not only infectious but inspiring. I always find myself wanting to begin my creations right away. With 25+ chapters of video instructions to her classes you have to pace yourself and be patient. For anyone like me in a creative mode this is really had to do....lol If you're looking for a great class with a lot of student activity you don't want to miss one of Mary Jane Chadbourne's classes.
So, for the past two weeks I have been taking my "Beyond The Imaginarium - A Compendium Of Holiday Merriment with Mary Jane Chadbourne" and blissfully creating away. This is a delightful mixed media art doll class that had me not only laughing while watching the video's but laughing while I've been creating. Laughter the whole way through. What's better than that! Certainly good for one's health! The holiday art dolls that we are making are just too adorable for words.
While it's been a lot of fun it has also been a lot of work. Mixed media and collage crafting is always a lot of work as there are so many different media and methods to utilize as well as a a lot of different art & craft supplies to take out and go through. My craft area always looks like it's been hit by a bomb when I'm working on a mixed media and collage class. There are just so many containers of supplies that are needed and which I need to be readily available. All necessary of course, but a lot none the less.
I've always looked forward to the excellent instructing by all the phenomenal artists that teach at Artful Gathering but, what really makes the classes outstanding is the student and teacher class participation. That's what makes all the classes so delightful. This class was filled with a lot of student and teacher participation.
If you want to learn how to make mixed media art dolls, various mixed media projects, mixed media techniques and media, watercolor painting, collage and so much more you should take one of Mary Jane's classes. What better way to learn mixed media while having a blast than to learn from an extremely gifted and talented master artist.
My Linda's Blog post with more info and pictures of my Santa and Elf art dolls is here.
My Linda's Blog post with more info of my "Deerly Yours" art dolls is here.
My Linda's Blog post with more info of my "Deerly Yours" art dolls is here.
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