I am very excited to be taking part in a collaborative art challenge with my fellow artists at the Thursday Art Club. Together we are filling a collaborative sketchbook. The process is that an artist (in this case me) starts the sketch book with a two page spread, the book is then passed on to …
In a recent life drawing session at Hush life drawing in Clitheroe I tried something a bit different to my usual pencil sketches. In preparation for this session I made a rudimentary accordion sketchbook using mixed media paper. I then collaged the paper using pages from a vintage nurses dictionary. To help with drawing onto …
Continue reading Life Drawing: collage and watercolour pencil sketches
For one of the Fodder School 1 projects I undertook this year the challenge was to make an accordion style sketchbook. This gave me the perfect excuse to continue my exploration into symbolism and create another sketchbook, but also combining it with the techniques I've learned during fodder school. The Fodder school lessons to create …
As mentioned in a previous post this year I have been experimenting with the idea of building up my own symbolic language to use in my art practice and as a way to explore psychological aspects of my Self. The symbol of a "vessel" has come up repeatedly in my explorations and during one of …
At the beginning of 2025 I set myself a few challenges that I've called my 25 in 2025 challenges. These challenges ranged from "read 25 books" to "write 25 blog posts". One of the challenges I set out for myself was to complete 25 finished, individual paintings in 2025. I'm pleased to say that I …
BRIGHT BOTANICALS 2 BY RACHEL CRAWSHAW BRIGHT BOTANICALS 1 BY RACHEL CRAWSHAW Recently I have had fun experimenting with combining negative space, mixed media and semi-abstract botanicals. I created these botanical pieces by firstly starting with a collaged base. I glued the collage elements in place with matte medium. I then added bright layers of …
Recently I have been drawn to the symbolism surrounding Vessels and have been experimenting with the motif of various types of vessels in my sketchbook and art journals. I have been playing with mono printing techniques, negative space painting, making my own stamps and stencils and with collage in my sketchbook to further explore and …
Collage—the art of assembling different materials like paper, photographs, fabric, and found objects into a composition—is a powerful medium for self-expression. Its layered nature mirrors the complexity of identity, memory, and emotion. By combining disparate elements, collage allows artists to tell stories, evoke feelings, and explore inner landscapes in ways that are intuitive, symbolic, and …
Continue reading 100 days of Collage: Days 59 & 60 “Exploring Culture and Identity”
My Red and Green Digital Kit, is now available to download for FREE! This kit is full of bold elements in classic red and green tones. While it could work beautifully for Christmas and holiday crafts, I wanted to show just how versatile it can be year-round. So, I used it to create a set …
Continue reading Freebie! Red & Green paper kit with ephemera
This year I’ve been dipping into the treasure trove that is Fodder School One. This is an inspiring online mixed media art course that runs over eleven months. Fodder School is a collaborative workshop featuring a different teacher each month, focusing on both "making fodder" (the raw materials of collage) and "using fodder" (turning those …
Continue reading Fodder School One: February Assemblage Magic
Mushroom Moon Designs 