Radical Layering Workshop at Tanque Verde Ranch

Radical Layering is the name I'm giving to a process of collage and sanding, with layers of paint and drawing. You can see my video post here. I taught this workshop for the first time last week at Tanque Verde Ranch in Tucson, organized by Madeline Island School of the Arts. They offer workshops at their home campus on Madeline Island (WI), and in the cooler months in Santa Fe and Tucson.

We had a FABULOUS time! What a great group of women - brave, fun, willing to work way outside their comfort zones. And they made gorgeous, surprising art. The ranch was not so shabby either. It borders the Saguaro National Park East, and offers many hiking/riding trails on its own property, as well as great food, two swimming pools and hot tubs (indoors and outdoors), beautiful views, a spa....

Here is a peek at some of the work we made (there is more on Facebook!), along with a few images of the workshop and the environment. Enjoy!

Demo piece, 11"x14"

Demon piece, 11"x14"

Using the brayer to lift paint

The dining room building at dusk, photo by Shelly Campbell

 

Eileen taking a walk, photo by Shelly Campbell

Sanding on terrace just outside our classroom, photo by Shelly Campbell

Demonstrating the sanding process, photo by Shelly Campbell

Student work in progress, 11"x14"

Student work, maybe in progress, maybe finished, 11"x14"

Student work, in progress or finished, 11"x14"

Student work, 10"x10" approx

Student work, 10"x10" approx

Student work, texture detail

Student work, 14"x11"

Student work, 10"x10" approx

Thanks for visiting. I will be back at Tanque Verde Ranch in January 2021, and also January 2022. Check MISA's website and my calendar updates.

Radical Layering

Here is a video on a process I'm calling "Radical Layering". It involves many layers of collage and paint, and then sanding down the layers with a power sander.

There are a few spaces available, due to cancellations, in my Radical Layering Workshop in Tucson next month. See details here.

First, some examples of finished pieces made with this process:

11x14

11x14

11x14

12x36

12x12

Radical Collage

I have been working on these "extreme layering" pieces, of which you can see a few examples on a previous post. Besides being just plain FUN to do, this process offers a lot of lessons in art practice. The main one is that it forces you to let go of any attachment you might have to the "pretty bits". They will inevitably be covered over or radically altered. To get the kind of depth and sense of history that characterizes the pieces, you have to layer and layer and layer.

Here is one piece at various stages of the process. It is on 11x14" cradled wood panel.

First layer of collage after a coat of gesso

Second layer of collage

Third layer of collage

Fourth layer of collage

After sanding with an orbital sander, a coat of gesso mixed with paint (the yellow-green), and then more sanding

More collage and painting and sanding

At this point you can see that the steps forward get much much less dramatic. At this point I have found the image and it's a matter of tweaking.

I quieted down the upper left quadrant.

I toned down a small section in the center. This might be done.

I am curious to know if any of you have tried a process like this. I will be teaching a workshop on this process in 2020, after I get a better handle on the variables and possibilities. For instance, I'm wondering if a dremel tool has the capacity for this kind of sanding. Anyone know?