Fragments and Forms - a Mixed Media one day Workshop with Charlotte Wensley

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In this workshop we will build a small mixed media piece from gelli prints, collage and paint, drawing on the shapes and textures of the natural landscape.

MEMBER: $150

NON-MEMBER: $185

Outline

The day begins with an introduction to colour harmony. Charlotte will share sketches and studies from her own practice exploring simple colour palettes based on theory.  Each participant will then choose a palette of three or four colours to work with.

Working in pairs, we will print onto wet strength tissue, deli paper and copy paper, using leaves, grasses and other found natural materials to make marks and patterns. In the afternoon these prints become collage material, layered onto primed mixed media paper and brought together with paint and drawing into new and dynamic collaged forms that reference the natural world.

By the end of the day you’ll have a finished abstract mixed media piece that evokes the landscape and a stack of your own printed papers to take home for future projects.

Suitable for total beginners and for those with some printing experience. No gelli plate needed.

Bonus

Every participant will receive access to Charlotte's online video of the project, so you can revisit each stage at home.

Who this Workshop Suits

The workshop suits adults who are curious about gelli printing and mixed media, from complete beginners to those with some experience and for those wanting a fun and playful introduction to making abstract art with a focus on enjoying the process.

Beginners need no equipment of their own, since plates, brayers and printing paints are supplied. Painters working in acrylics will find new ways to add texture and layers to their work with unique prints. Members of collage, printmaking and art journaling groups will come away with not only a finished piece but also additional printed papers for their own projects.  Anyone drawn to landscape and the natural world will enjoy working with leaves, grasses and local plant material.

Materials

Supplied by Charlotte

• Gelli plates (shared between two people) and brayers

• Acrylic paints for printing in a range of colours

• Wet strength tissue paper, deli paper and copy paper

• Acrylic primer, with a roller and tray for priming mixed media paper on arrival

Please bring

• One or two sheets of mixed media paper, heavy drawing paper or cartridge paper (A5 to A4 is ideal; A3 works but will take longer to complete, but less fiddly!)

• A water pot for rinsing brushes

• Found natural materials, such as leaves, grasses and flowers

• Preferred adhesive: Liquitex Matte Gel Medium (or other soft glue such as Elmers, PVA or Modpodge) 

• A silicone shaper tool (if you have one) or an old brush to apply the adhesive

• A pencil – charcoal or graphite

• Scissors

• Small brushes for painting to suit the size of your piece

• Paint palette

• An apron or old shirt to protect your clothes

Optional – for decoration

• Hole punch or scrapbooking paper punches

• Charcoal pencil (medium or soft), graphite pencil, coloured pencils or Posca pens

• Your favourite acrylic paints – in a limited range of colours – eg. 3 or 4 colours plus black and white – you’re welcome to use my printmaking paints but they’re not artist grade.

About Charlotte

Charlotte Wensley is a contemporary abstract mixed media artist based at Peregian Beach. Originally from the UK, she moved to Australia in 2001, and her current work explores both landscapes incorporating visual elements from both places and reflections on lived experiences in these two diverse parts of the world. 

Her process starts with details from the landscape, which she reimagines through sketches, drawings, prints and collage studies which she then brings together in her finished paintings. Her practice includes acrylic and mixed media painting, gelli plate monoprinting, collage and lino printing.

Charlotte won the Royal Queensland Art Society Members Show Abstract Category in 2024 and the Abstract Category of the Eclectica Art Awards in 2023. She was a finalist in the Queensland Regional Art Awards (Emerging Artists) 2025) and the Caloundra Regional Gallery Local Artists Local Content Art Awards (2023) and the Du Reitz art Award (2023). She is represented by Wentworth Galleries (Brisbane), Nissarana Gallery (Noosa and Bangalow). Her work has been featured in Create! Magazine and Virtues and Vocations 2025 and is held in public and private collections both in Australia and overseas. She teaches at events including the Gel Printers Summit and writes the Language of Art eBook series for artists and makers.

Website: charlottewensley.com.au

Instagram: @charlottewensleyart

Facebook: charlotte.wensley.art

Tea and coffee will be provided. Please BYO lunch. There is a fridge and microwave for your use.

create@noosaartsandcrafts.org.au

(07) 5474 1211