Mixed Media Sculpture and the Art of Momigami - Hirst Studio, Chicago

Join me in Chicago this August!

Good morning dear friends and curious readers,

This morning I woke early, threw on my grungiest sweats over my pjs and headed directly to the studio, coffee in hand, to peruse the array of objects and parts I’ve been assembling the last few days.

I am in making mode. Time doesn’t exist when I find myself in this place. Much to the detriment of my task list and social life.

When I hit making mode, it is usually with an explosion of ideas I’ve been working over in my brain while tending to the other details of my art life. This past month, it was teaching each Tuesday afternoon, along with a hefty amount of planning future workshops, scavenging for found materials in the urban neighborhood surrounding the studio, and working out designs for art in progress on the studio table.

Yesterday I managed to clean up before I entered that space, with the full intent of going to an art opening last night. But when it was time to leave, I’d exhausted all of my energy reserves in a flurry of making. And also, I had paint on the shirt I’d planned to wear out.

I’m not disappointed I didn’t go, well maybe a little bit, but my satisfaction for the projects I’ve been working on helps smooth that over. I’ll keep an eye on the gallery page and try to catch the artist talk, which is typically more my speed then attending the party like occasion of the exhibit opening.

Meanwhile, I stand in the midst of a glorious mess, excited for what I see developing on the work tables. And excited to tell you about the newest workshop on my schedule:

Shaping Place: Mixed Media Sculpture and the Art of Momigami - Hirst Studio, Chicago

I’m going to be pulling out all the stops on this one. Now, to be honest, I tend to do that with all of my workshops. One of the most frequent comments I hear from my past participants is that I’m a generous instructor, giving more inspiration, technique, and instruction than anticipated. I can’t help it—I am an explorer, an innovator, an idea generator, and once those wheels get rolling, I want to share it all.

But with four full days in the studio together, plus a Zoom gathering prior to the workshop, to help participants prepare materials and plan for our time together, this one is going to allow me to take you down those creative rabbit holes with me.

I’ll introduce you to the traditional art of Momigami—the Japanese art of kneading paper, along with my innovative techinque for taking it beyond Momigami to the realm of sculpting with paper.

And we won’t stop there.

Once you have an understanding of how far you can push this traditional craft as an artistic explorer, I’ll teach you a number of mixed media techniques to combine and assemble into works of art that you’ll be wildly excited to show in your own home or exhibit.

I’ll teach you how to add encaustic to the mix, if that’s your jam.

Fibers, stitching, sculpting textiles? I’ll show you all that too.

We’ll explore and experiment and look at options that you can combine with paper or without, we’ll bend wire, and craft structures, and design free standing sculptures, or 3D works for the wall.

It will be a lot but it won’t be overwhelming. I promise, you’ll leave with finished works you are proud of, and plenty of samples and ideas and knowledge to equip you to continue to process, experiment, and practice on your own.

And to top it all off, we’ll be working together in the Chicago studio of artist Jeff Hirst, renowned for his printmaking and encaustic techniques that have landed him some pretty prestigious opportunities and exhibits.

Can you tell I’m excited? I’m heading back down to the studio as soon as I hit send. And I’ll be updating my Instagram with progress shots of my mess and making, so keep an eye out there.

But first, jump on over to the registration page and get yourself signed up for this one. There are only 9 spots left and I’d love to meet you there!

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With gratitude to you all,
Crystal Marie