Like the title says I spent the weekend with my mixed media idol: Donna Downey!!! Throughout my learning of this artistic genre Donna has been a constant guide thanks to her "Inspiration Wednesday" posts. Free instructional video every week? Where do I sign up??!! (She has since given up the insp. wed. videos and started an online course called 48 weeks.. I am excited to sign up at the end of the month!!!!)
Anyway... My LSS, Clipper Street, brought in the fab Donna Downey as well as Bill and I had a great time soaking up every minute of her. Here are some favourite moments:
Mixed Media Academy:
This is her sample. On the supply list was fabric, which totally freaked me out, but it meant we were making our own book from scratch and it was super easy!!
Thank goodness the Amy Butler fabrics I picked out matched the colour scheme! The best part of this painting process was we did it in true DD style - WITH OUR FINGERS!!
Here's one of my finished inner pages. This photo is from my wedding - we're in a cute little Irish pub. Perfect colours for this project.
The next class I took was her Painting with PanPastels. It was intense!!
Right before our eyes she took us from blobs of colour...
To a real painting!! It was amazing.
Then she made us do it! lol...
Here are my two pieces. (Our glasses matched!!)
Here are my paintings up close:
I can't tell you how excited I was after this class!!! I left the store around 11pm and went home and painted another:
I brought it by the store the next day to show her and I nearly cried and she got goosebumps! Never in a million years did I think I could do this with PanPastels!!!
Here were some other fun pics:
This is THE Inspiration Wednesday Journal!! I got to hold it, lol!! The top book is my page based on hers below. There were a few pages of hers that I copied because I loved them so much... What a trip!
And me and Donna:
I can't wait to meet up with her again. I am hoping to fly to NC to take one of her weekend courses. If this week was just a sampling of what she offers, then an entire weekend (Friday-Sunday) would blow my mind!!!
Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed my DD adventure!
10 comments
Tobi... These are fantastic!! Honestly, the blobs of color to images/sky is amazing!! Did you take the class in CA? Just wondering...recently I found out that DD's studio is down the road from me....haven't been there yet....one day!
ReplyDeleteWell Vickie, I can't believe she's down the road from you and you're not there every day!!! She actually flew here (to Vancouver) to teach a bunch of classes at my LSS.
DeleteI am considering spending a lot of money (hotel, flight) to visit her at her studio so trust me, she's amazing!!
OMGoodness ... this is awesome Tobi, you lucky thing!
ReplyDeleteToni your paintings are so amazing and beautiful!!! Looking at the pictures from your class with Donna was wonderful! I cannot wait to see more!!
ReplyDeleteWow sounds so much fun and looks so awesome
ReplyDeleteWay to go Tobes. So inspiring.
ReplyDeleteYour paintings are gorgeous!!! I attended one of her workshops last year and it was awesome, she and her family go above and beyond to make sure your visit is one to remember and your creativity is a continuous flow. You will have an incredible time!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I met Bill and he was so great with all of the ladies, I'm sure it will be incredible!
DeleteGo take an inspired weekend with Donna - the entire experience will blow your mind! It is awesomely good and they treat you like you are the most special person in the world! BTW - your PanPastel are fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI could tell she would be a good host by how she treated us in our 5 hour classes!! I can't wait to go there!
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