Make Art With a Friend

 
Yesterday was a treat. My friend, Crystal, came over to create a scrappy collage. She had watched my DVD and decided she wanted to give the process a whirl. It was so much fun to walk her through the process. She's a talented concept cake designer and can do amazing things with frosting, so I knew she'd have no problem experimenting and getting covered in paint and matte gel medium. I made my own collage as we walked through the steps. As usual, the end result looked nothing like what I had planned, but still made me very happy. 

Along the way, I was able to share some fun supplies with Crystal. She did not know about the wonders of embossing powder or carving rubber stamps. Of course, she looks at every technique and thinks, "How can I do this on a cake?" and "Could this be edible?" It is fun to see how her mind works.

 
We laughed at how differently we create. She is a planner and uses skills that require a high level of precision and dexterity. Her creations must be perfect. I am more of a sloppy, let's-see-what-happens-when-I-do-this kind of worker. At one point during the process, I like to semi-destroy the collage with a heavy sandpaper scrubbing.

This was a difficult moment for Crystal. I think I saw real pain in her face.

But she did it. She was determined to push herself out of her comfort zone. I assured her that I would have that same pained look if I was trying to create a perfect replica of a karate uniform out of cake (yes, she has done that.)

Throughout the day, we shared stories as they came to mind. I learned some amazing things about my so-called "mild mannered" friend. Art-making can be a little bit like wine-drinking. Some interesting tidbits come out.

The whole day left me feeling so thankful for the gift of artistic expression and a sweet friend who loves to create just as much as I do.

What did I learn from this experience? Find people who will create with you and make time to create together. If you don't have a crafty collaborator, offer to teach your craft to a friend. You never know how sharing your gift might impact your friend's life or your own. Making art is more than just paint and glue. There's a little bit of magic in it too.