Guest Post from Cindy Lantier | Mixed Media May

Today, I’d like to introduce a guest post from my artist friend Cindy Lantier, she’s got a really exciting project she’s sharing with us!

From the moment Candy mentioned that I might do a guest post about my latest project, I tried to think of some clever story to tell you. I wanted you to a little bit about who I am, so that the rest of the post would be in context. I wrote a very nice vignette about a little girl who was an amazing artist (as all children are) until she realized that some people’s art was perceived as “better” than others, especially those who could create more realistic art. Because she was sorely afraid of being judged and found lacking, she put her crayons away and moved on to other creative pursuits like cooking, writing, and music. She gained a measure of confidence in each of these fields, but it never felt like enough.

Eventually, her passion for color and her love of getting her hands messy resurfaced, and she ached to express herself “more artistically” (in quotes, because the very fine line between creativity and art is one of my pet issues). She tried making jewelry. From there she moved on to beads and fabric, then fabric and paper, and (sort of) finally paper and paints. It wasn’t a linear progression, because she never fully abandoned one medium when she moved on to the next.

Have you guessed yet, that this girl is me – and that her story is my story (Or maybe she is you, and her story is your story)? I am a mixed media artist.

I love the possibilities that come to mind when I have watercolors and rubber stamps on my desk at the same time, or when I mix scrapbook papers or vintage wallpaper with acrylic paint.

For a long time, I thought I was the only one. I don’t draw, yet I was surrounded by representational artists; my vision of what an artist is was pretty narrow.  I’m not sure how I first came to realize that mixed media was a legitimate expression – and that lots of mixed media artists can’t/don’t draw beyond simple shapes! When I came to this realization, my whole creative life changed! I could make art!

As I began making  art, I began to meet creative people. Eventually, I became surrounded by talented artists of all kinds – jewelry designers, glass blowers, story tellers, quilters, painters, writers, knitters (Oh my)! I became inspired by their passion and enthusiasm.  I had to find a way to share these talented people with the world.

Okay, so I haven’t found a way to share all of the amazing artists I know with the world, but I have come up with a way to share some other mixed media artists with the blogiverse! Through a series of emails, I interviewed 28 artists. Each one was asked the same set of questions, but their answers are as diverse as their art. Each day in May, I’ll share one of those inspiring interviews – and some of their amazing art! – on a special blog set up just for this project, which I call Mixed Media May.

I hope you’ll head over to my website, Mixed Grill Favorites, to learn more about how this collaborative project came to be. Then, I hope you’ll join me each day in May as I introduce my creative friends and colleagues one-by-one.  I am so excited about this project – and humbled by their enthusiastic participation.  There really is a lot of inspiration among their words and their art.

Won’t you join us? I promise you won’t regret it!