Creating Pandemonium

John Creighton Petersen
One Day Workshop

Working outside of the rules, exploring new techniques and experiences – this is the idea behind creating your own pandemonium! Many times we forget that the key to being an artist is to allow our inner voices to speak, to embrace the creative process, and let our work evolve organically and to take on a life of it’s own. This workshop was created after I experienced my own personal “creative funk” and has been developed after my experiences of learning the importance of returning to my creative roots for allowing myself the freedom to be creative again. You will leave this workshop inspired, with a new confidence and courage to continually evolve as an artist.

In this workshop, we will celebrate the freedom to explore new techniques to create a mixed media masterpiece that focuses upon creating texture and color while incorporating found objects and ephemera for building backgrounds and layers. Get your hands dirty while learning how to use a variety of different pastes, gels and paints – with many of these techniques able to be used on a variety of different surfaces. You will also have the opportunity to create some amazing mixed media elements including faux tin-type photos (photos on metal), antique and vintage elements from paper clay, sculptured fabric, and resin paper.

Student Supplies to bring to workshop:

  • Canvas ranging in size from 12 x 12 (minimum) to 16 x 20 (maximum) inches. Prep your canvas with gesso prior to the start of the workshop.
  • ‘basic’ creative supplies (scissors, craft knife, your other ‘essential’ creative tools)
  • paint brushes in a variety of sizes (detail brushes to 1 inch)
  • palette knives
  • heavy gesso in black and white
  • craft mat
  • small spray bottle (for water)
  • ‘heavy duty’ adhesive like Liquid Fusion (or similar) that can quickly set a variety of different materials
  • laser copy (toner based) images for transferring onto metal (variety of sizes)

Because this workshop is meant to be an expression of yourself, please bring your personal found objects, images, ephemera, etc that you may want to incorporate into your mixed media canvas

Optional Student Supplies:

  • favorite stencils and rubber stamps
  • heat tool (if you don’t want to share with other students)
  • favorite paints and/or mediums

Workshop Kit Fee: $25

  • variety of texture pastes and inclusions
  • paints, mica powders, and other materials for adding color
  • resin
  • metal (for creating transfers)
  • limited selection of found objects and ephemera
  • paper clay and molds for creating embellishments
  • sculpture medium for fabric

Please don’t hesitate to send me an email (moc.evawwentra@nhoj) with any questions about supplies needed for class, found objects that can be used, etc. For more samples of completed projects visit artnewwave.com or my Instagram (artnewwave).