“EMBRACING THE UNEXPECTED”
A new intuitive Ariane Mariane mixed media (textile art) workshop in collaboration with VAWAA
Inspired by my collaboration with VAWAA (see previous post), I’ve imagined a new workshop experience. You can book it through VAWAA or check my workshop offers to see upcoming group events. Last but not least you may of course also message-me !
“EMBRACING THE UNEXPECTED”
I like to subtitle “Embracing the Unexpected” with a citation from Pablo Picasso :
“I do not seek. I find.”
This is what this workshop is about. There is no “goal”, we don’t look for something to produce, even less a recipient or rules to follow! This workshop is about experiencing, learning, discovering and going intuitively with the flow and let inspiration find us.
Bestseller author Elizabeth Gilbert describes in her book - “The big Magic” - creativity as “the relation between a human being and the mysteries of inspiration.” She pretends that ”Ideas are a disembodied, energetic life-form. (…) And the only way an idea can be manifest in our world is through collaboration with a human partner.”
Like Elizabeth Gilbert I believe the creative process is both magical and magic. I have learned over the past two decades to trust that inspiration will show up if I’m present. In order to create authentic art I have to give myself to the flow. In return it procures great fulfillment because it allows to connect to my truest self and learn about who I am. It makes me feel joyful and aliveness.
Pablo Picasso also said:
“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
This is what we’ll gather for in this workshop!
To allow inspiration to join, the first day is dedicated to open all our senses - feel, touch, inspire, expire - being open-minded, alive and present.
I have imagined two different way to connect with our inner self and open the door for inspiration to join:
by exploring a place : “The traveler mode”
by creating magic wand tools and making marks: “The creative mediation”
“Traveler mode”
Finding inspiration in a given space, by exploring and connecting with our surroundings through all our senses!
We will meet in a place I will choose intuitively in function of the participants. It can be a quarter / a street of Paris, the nature around my studio, the beautiful city of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Monet’s gardens …. or - (the bad weather option) - an exposition or museum.
We will explore the chosen space, live it, touch it, see it, draw it … with playful and creative exercices such as sketching (intuitively, not beautifully!), creative writing, taking photos, making marks and collect “findings”.
We will connect to the curious child we all have in us our inner artist and authentic self!
Mixed media art in the studio
Day 2 and 3 will be spent in the studio. Our “collected” materials - words, photos, marks, sketches, findings - will guide us into intuitive art making.
The slideshow below shows some examples of art made inspired by Paris and it’s suburbs:
The other option to let go is through starting making things. Let’s call it:
“Creative Mediation ”
magic tools & mark making
We’ll invente & make our own brushes (or magic wand tools), play with marks on paper and fabrics and create unique materials for intuitive mixed media art.
The journey starts by discovering a treasure of found sticks, feathers, threads, papers and fabrics. They will inspire us to intuitively create magic tools. The results are always extraordinary! More than tools, they are artful items in themselves:
Magic want tools made of sticks, feathers, fabrics, threads… will be used to engender unique art material
In a second step we’ll explore the “marks” of our handmade brushes and generate in materials for our unique mixed media (textile) art project.
The slideshow below shows fabrics and papers made with spontaneous marks and how the created unique materials inspired authentic mixed media art. All items showed up by magic, non of them I would have been able to imagine without the process!
2 days to create an intuitive mixed media (textile) art piece while the feeling alive
Whether we start the journey with exploring an area or making tools and marks, the mixed media approach on day 2 and 3 is similar. The created and collected materials will be used in an intuitive way depending on the inspirations and wishes of each participant.
If you are a fiber art lover your first step maybe to felt a wool-paper piece in a collage style, or assembly papers and/or fabrics with stitching. But if you feel more attracted to paper and metal let’s dive into intuitive painting or enamel on cooper!
Intuitive decisions
The art studio is built with spots for each technique, allowing to switch from one to the other in function of our intuition and desires.
If you come on your own (through VAWAA), all discisions are 100% yours. If you join a workshop, the intuitive process will also be influenced by the wishes and needs of a group.
Both approaches are fascinating!
These are the techniques we can do :
· Painting
· Collage
· Assemblages
· Intuitive writing
· Felting
· Stitching
· Cyanotype
· Enamel on cooper
· Transfer techniques
Wall-hanging, sculpture or installation…?
As mentioned before: this workshop is all about the creative journey - the goal is to embrace the unexpected!
This means you may or may not create a finished piece of art. Maybe you go home with a bunch of samplers, maybe with a work in progress, may be with plenty ideas in your head, probably with more joyfulness and the feeling to be more connected to yourself…
Everything is possible. If art shows up it can be 2D, 3D, wearable or decorative, abstract or figurative. Made out of paper, fabric, metal or felt. Whether you go home with a finished pieces or not, you will have lived an interesting journey, probably feel more alive and inspired!
Resumed schedule:
Day 1:
1) exploring a place with creative eyes and stimulating exercises (~4h00) + coffee break & dinner
2) or tool & mark making in the studio (5h00) + lunch & coffee break
Day 2 & 3: intuitive exercises & introduction to techniques; working on a guided personal project (~ 6h/ day)
How to sign up
The “Embracing the Unexpected”workshop is available at any time through individual booking on VAWAA. If you are interested to join a group event, please check my current workshop offer or get in contact with me.
Looking forward to meet you for some intuitive, creative mixed media fun, soon!
Love,
Ariane