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'Tis the Season: Winter Break Art Project

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art will be closed Monday, May 13, to prepare for the visit of Antiques Roadshow. We will return to normal hours of operation Wednesday, May 15.

Night Zag Wall showcases the awe of combining found objects with an artistic hand. The layering of organic and geometric shapes turn this wall sculpture into a conversational piece. Home projects provide a perfect segue into utilizing found objects that hide away in drawers, under the couch, and closets. Don’t wait till Spring Cleaning to find these buried treasures!

So roll up your sleeves, gather the family around the table, create memories, and have fun with this art and nature inspired project that you will all enjoy!

Art Project | Winter Wonder Assemblage

What’s great about this project is its adaptability to the seasons. The color palette can change from pastels to vivid warm colors. Due to the wintry landscape, I chose varying hues of white, blue, and gray.

materialsMaterials: 11″ x 14″ canvas panel (size can vary due to preference) Bottle caps (white and blue work best and quantity depends upon canvas panel size) Masking tape pencil Button closeupTacky glue White acrylic/tempera  paint Blue, gray, and white buttons Gems (optional)Disposable cups (cupcake liners designed for craft projects) Inexpensive student grade paintbrush Blue acrylic/ tempera paint Iridescent Medium Broad tip paintbrush Round tip paintbrush Water bowl Paper towels Newspaper or butcher paper

Steps: Prepare a table by covering the surface with either butcher paper or newspaper. Secure the paper with masking tape. Draw an outline of the canvas panel on the paper by tracing around it with a pencil.  This will be used for arrangement of the bottle caps, gems, and buttons. Pour paint, iridescent medium, and tacky glue into disposable cups.

paint cups and dogsGrab a handful of bottle caps and paint them an assortment of colors. You can cover the outside, inside, or rim of the bottle cap.

paintingWith a broad tip paintbrush, cover the canvas panel with the pearlescent, white, and/or blue paint. The darker the background, the more your white bottle caps will pop. If you want a more subdued effect, add a layer of pearlescent mixed with white or a light shade of blue. Set the canvas aside to dry.

partial collageGather the bottle caps, gems, and buttons and experiment with arranging the objects in varying compositions. Have fun layering gems and buttons inside and on top of bottle caps.

collage with paintTransfer caps and buttons over to the painted canvas panel and begin applying tacky glue with an inexpensive paintbrush. If you wish to add more splashes of color, then use a round tip brush to desired spots.

completed collageFind a spot in your home that displays your magnificent art for everyone to see.