My Mixed Media Class

 Earlier this month I taught a mixed media class in conjunction with our local art association's annual juried show.  I taught a method, but each student worked on her own project.  This was mine.

During the first session I worked on the background and glued down the drawings.  In preparation for the second session, I had torn out some magazine and catalog pages and had them sitting on the left side of the piece, ready to go, when I somehow managed to tip over my Diet Pepsi onto the piece.  I wiped it up, or so I thought.  But when I got to class and went to lift the torn pages, I discovered that the Diet Pepsi had partially "glued" the pages to the piece - right over my drawing of this sweet ermine.  I was so upset!  I didn't know what to do about it.  I used a wet paper towel to try to wipe away the transferred ink, but it began to lift portions of the drawing, so I stopped immediately.  Not knowing what else to try, I decided to just go ahead and work on other parts of the piece.

In the end, I touched up the ermine's eyes, and left the rest of the damage alone.  And I'm OK with it.

So, I learned two lessons.  Protect my piece - no spillables near the piece.  And, two, in mixed media, at least, go with serendipity!