Mixed Media "Creativity" by Betsy Skagen

 Some of my favorite found objects--a piece of lake glass, and old rusty wire and a rusty star--make up this new mixed media piece titled "Creativity".

To make it I first covered a box with black gesso.

Next, I covered the interior and exterior with paper that I cut to size and inked the edges with black ink.

I then added distress grit paste to the outside edges of the box and to a Chevron Frame. 

 

After it dried, I painted both with acrylic paint. I added another square of paper to the back of the frame. I then dabbed the frame with wax paste and added a bit of the vintage gold wax paste to the paper square. I then sprayed the box and square frame with a protective coat of matte polyurethane.

If you look closely, you can see I punched a small hole in the paper behind the frame. That was where I attached a rusty gear and lake glass (those of you on the coasts probably call this sea glass) that I wrapped with rusty wire.

I then attached the frame to the square of paper and added some tiny star sequins.

After determining where I was going to place the frame in the box, I dry brushed a square of black acrylic paint onto the inside back of the box to create a shadow effect. I then used adhesive foam to adhere the frame to the box. Both the foam and the painted shadow help add dimension to the piece.

Next I adhered an old rusted garden stake that I had found this summer to the back of the box.

To finish the piece, I added a rusty star and used adhesive foam to add the word "creativity" which I had torn out from some scrapbook paper.

Great Stuff

Gypsy Soul Chevron Frames
Cardboard box
Acrylic Paint
Wax paste
Decorative paper
Grit Paste
Black Soot ink
Black gesso
Rusted Wire
Rusted garden stake
Lake glass
Metal gear
Rusted star
Star sequins
Beacon Fiber-Tac
Matte medium
Matte polyurethane