Go to that art workshop

Play & experimentation are really important parts of being an artist and it can be hard to make sure that it happens. So when I see an opportunity like this plaster workshop which came up a few weeks ago I drag my art buddy along to keep me accountable. Neither of us had ever used plaster before and it was really fun, thanks Manda for coming along with me.

I love the white-on-white result even though I'm sure you could experiment with adding colour or paint after. I imagine you can create some beautiful pieces that purely embrace shadows and play with texture.

My piece was inspired by a terrarium that I purchased from Jungle Botanics, I tried to recreate elements from that interior world and I was really happy with the result. The stems were the hardest part to get right and I probably need a bit more experimentation to get them as I'd like them but still, I’m proud of this artwork and really enjoyed making it. I love playing around with new art tools and materials and it was a great excuse to bring along some palette knives that I hardly ever use (but totally want to).

I haven’t created any piece for sale from this but I’m very inspired by the texture of plaster and the possibilities that it creates.

Here are my top takeaways from attending my first plaster workshop

• Use the palette knife to ‘kneed’ the plaster for a while, it will warm up and be easier to spread

• Experiment with different tools to get different effects

• It’s a good idea to draw a picture or decide what you’d like to achieve before you start mixing. However,

• Just making a random sculpture piece of white on white is awesome, just play around and don’t worry about it

• Don’t worry about the canvas feeling loose it will tighten up as the plaster dries.

Enjoy experimentation & play. Remember to sign up when you see great workshops, they’re always worth the time and money to attend.