Laura Was Often Accused of Seeing the World Through Her Groin

In June of 2013 I made a trip out to Valley Ridge Art Studio in southwestern Wisconsin to take the Sumptuous Sirens and Botanical Beauties classes with Andrea Matus deMeng.

I took this class because for a year at Valley Ridge I had been staring at this

which was a work by Andrea called Seadusa created to advertise a workshop on the East Coast.  Since I had no idea how to collage, no idea how to paint and no idea how she combined those two things to make a beautiful work of art like this, I thought I ought to take the class.

I am not sure I have ever been this nervous to take a class.  This is way out of my box.  I can honestly say that Andrea is a patience well-prepared teacher and somehow she got me to actually make one of these huge collage posters.

The basic idea behind this work is that you start with a 4’ X 2’ hunk of unstretched canvas and then prime it with gesso on one side.  Then on that you paint a base coat of color.

Then you start laying down your main collage.  Then more paint.

Then some magical special Andrea Matus deMeng techniques and the next thing you know:  you have a huge piece of art all to your own.

Once done, the whole class assembled for a critique of each student's work.  I learned so much from Andrea but also from the work of my fellow students and the critique's of their works.

So a big thank you to Andrea for working me through all my issues and helping me make this huge poster that I call "Laura Was Often Accused of Seeing the World Through Her Groin."