An Artist’s Study – Kelly Kilmer

As artists and individuals, we’re always learning. We seek guidance from our favorite artists. They inspire and spark ideas in us. How can we borrow from them to create entirely new and unique pieces?

In this class, you will learn how to glean inspiration from your favorite artists and create fresh, new, vibrant journal pages that combines their work with yours. I took the work of one of my favorite artists both collage and idea wise and melded it with my own work.

We will begin the class by making a quick, pamphlet stitch journal but I want the focus of the class to be about making the pages. I ask that students please bring a book or color copies of the work of one of their favorite artists (the images do not have to be of people, it can be an abstract artist, a photographer, a sculpture artist, a kid’s art, your art as a kid, your old art) whatever kind of art calls to you but you have to be able and willing to cut it up. I will show you how to look at their work with new eyes. You will learn how to look at their work with new eyes and how to incorporate what they have done into your own work, making new, original work in your own distinct style. Not only did I collage with bits of my favorite artist’s work but I also borrowed mark making, layouts, thoughts and other ideas. I wanted to make completely new and original pieces that looked like my work as I learned from her. You will learn how to do the same in this all day workshop.
Supply list: Bring either several different copies or an inexpensive book (to tear up) of your favorite artist’s work, OR even copies of your own artwork, a child’s artwork or anyone’s art that speaks and inspires you. If you are bringing color copies think of playing with sizes and color vs black and white on the copy machine, an apron, scissors, a selection of favorite collage ephemera (think about reading this when choosing your images), bone folder, cork back metal ruler, roll of paper towels OR an old rag, permanent black ink pad (if you have one),  1″ brush to glue and paint (I like chip or bristle brushes) and a few of your favorite smaller brushes, container to hold your paint water, a few of your favorite glue sticks (large glue sticks will last you longer), roll of waxed paper OR an old catalog or magazine to glue on (if you don’t want to use all of your waxed paper for this.)