Black Paper, White Snow

Lynne Perrella always starts her workshops with a "black paper" exercise. She has her students study a copy of an engraving by Albrecht Dürer, Melencolia I (1514). Lynne tells the students to pick one element from the engraving and cut it out of the black paper. Using a blank wall (or in this case, a window with a lovely snow scape outside) the students tape their contributions up , working together to create a cohesive whole. And then Lynne has the students bring up all (and I do mean all) the left over bits of black paper and tape them up as well. The result, as you can see here, is stunning. I've done this many times now in Lynne's workshops and I've never failed to be amazed at the beautiful pictures and designs this exercise creates. (To see the black paper exercise on a white wall scroll down to Feb. 7th entry - Lynne at ArtFest 2007).