Mixed Media Art and Nature

In this experimental workshop, students will explore the powerful, textured work of German artist Anselm Kiefer, whose paintings are known for their use of raw materials, symbolism, and layered surfaces. The class will begin with a guided look at selected works to understand how Kiefer incorporates unconventional materials to explore memory, landscape, and history.
Drawing inspiration from his approach, students will be guided through hands-on mixed-media exercises using non-traditional painting materials such as dirt, straw, and plant matter, combined with a variety of paint mediums. The focus of the workshop is exploration and process—learning how materials behave, how texture creates meaning, and how experimentation can drive creative expression.

Students will leave with a deeper understanding of material-driven artmaking and at least one completed mixed-media work.