Fairy Tale Forest NEW! In-Store Class
Saturday, September 13, 10:30am-2:30pm
Instructor: Liza MacKinnon
Limit: 6 students. All participants must be 15 years or older.

Class Details

“I left fairy stories lying on the floor of the nursery, and I have not found any books so sensible since.” -G. K. Chesterton, English author, philosopher, and journalist.

How enchanting it would be to spend some creative time lost in fairy tales – all those fantastical characters and magical worlds! At the mere thought, our head starts swimming with images of fairies, gnomes, pixies, unicorns, witches, wizards, and, of course, mysterious spells.

In this new class, mixed media artist Liza MacKinnon offers you the opportunity to develop a magical portal into another realm. Start by creating a fairy tale forest with acrylic paint on vintage dictionary pages using a broad selection of tree and forest stencils. Then add depth with gouache, colored pencils, markers, and pens. This painted forest is the backdrop for a gothic die cut window. Embellish your magical scene with flowers, butterflies, paper lace, jewels, other elements, and illustrations from Liza’s large collection of fairy tale picture books.

Liza circles the group to offer individual suggestions and hints about how to pull all the elements together. As you work, participate in a roundtable discussion about fairy tales and how they've been significant in your life. Compare stories, interpretations, and parallels in your favorite fairy tales. Liza always looks forward to discussing various fairy tales with her classes and to sharing some of her research.

Laugh and play as you take a break from the rest of the world for a few hours. We personally agree with one definition of fairy tale as “a term … used to describe something blessed with unusual happiness”.

An email will be sent to participants the Monday before the class. Classes with homework may receive pre-class info earlier. No email? Double check the email address you entered when you registered and your SPAM folder. Due to SPAM filters and inbox settings, we cannot guarantee you will see, read, or open these emails. Two Hands Paperie assumes no responsibility for non-attendance of a class. Contact twohandsclasses@gmail.com with any class questions and see our Class Policies page for more information.

Class Materials

Please bring the following materials:

Optional: snack, water bottle, something to eat during the short lunch break

Class Materials Include:

mat board, paper, dictionary pages, fairy tale pages, ephemera, etc
paint, stencils, pens, colored pencils, markers, etc
sponges, brushes, glue, scissors, craft knives, etc

Class Refund /Cancellation Policy

Cancellations made up to 14 days prior to the first class meeting will be refunded or, at the participant's option, used to pay for another class. Two Hands Paperie will retain a $10 processing fee for EACH class cancelled by a participant. After 14 days, there is no refund or credit. In addition, the fee for a class cancelled within this 14-day timeframe by a participant cannot be transferred to pay for another class. These policies are to ensure that teachers are compensated for their investment in materials and in time spent preparing for the class. We reserve the right to cancel a class if fewer than 3 students enroll 48 hours prior to the scheduled class time. If for any reason Two Hands Paperie cancels a class, students will be called at the phone number on file and refunded the FULL class fee.

Instructor Bio

Kansas artist Liza MacKinnon is an arts educator and a self-taught, mixed-media artist. Her specialty is designing three dimensional costumes out of paper to create in-depth studies of women throughout history. She has over 10 years experience in both teaching and free lance graphic design, and has exhibited her work nationally. It can also be found in private and permanent collections around the US.

Liza loves the challenge of telling a story and sharing her values through these historic, half scale garments. Each dress presents a beautiful silhouette when viewed from a distance. Up close, the dress reveals a complex story that Liza creates by carefully curating materials from her vast collection of recycled books, maps, letters, photos, and other ephemera. She enjoys surprising the viewer! Examples: a trompe l’oeil of paper masquerading as fabric, Hamlet’s Ophelia dressed in pages from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and a Marie Antoinette piece made from 1040 tax forms and US currency.

Each of Liza’s classes focuses on self expression, creativity, and creating take-home pieces. She views her classes as a place where students develop skills, make friends, have lively discussions, and learn how to skip the mistakes she made along the way. Her motto? “Let’s make beautiful and meaningful artwork together!”

Learn more about Liza and her art at https://www.mackomics.com and on Instagram @liza.mackinnon

Painting & Drawing

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Fairy Tale Forest NEW! In-Store Class Sept 13