It started out as a art piece of a blue dog covered in rug patterns and led to a group flurry of scissors and the smell of modge podge around a big table. Now it's gone virtual.

In this workshop you still will create a mixed media portrait of your furry best friend. You will submit a photo of your pet and receive a pdf that can be printed and pieced together to trace the outline on your own surface. Then you will be guided step-by-step how to collage and paint a portrait of your own pet. The workshop can be as simple or as complex as you’d like! You will receive a sheet of examples along with your sketch pdf.

Photos: please submit at least 3 clear photos of your pet in a “head and shoulders” pose. Think school picture time but only with pets. For fluffy pets, make sure you have photos that silhouette features clearly and that the eyes are visible. Only one pet per sketch please. Deadline to register and send photos to info@thechattery.org is Feb. 22 at 1pm.

The sketch will be emailed to you in a 4 page pdf that will accommodate a 16x20 surface. You can print the outline at home or send somewhere such as fedEx to print. If you are graphic design/tech savvy you can change the size. You will receive instructions on how to transfer the outlines to your surface.

Additional materials you will need:

  • A 16x20 canvas, wood cradle canvas or panel (suggested), or illustration board. These can be found at art and craft stores or ordered online.

  • A dark graphite pencil or piece of charcoal

  • Tracing paper

  • Scissors

  • Any kind of decorative paper for collage, magazines, sheet music etc. (Plan a color scheme)

  • Acrylic craft paint that goes with your color scheme

  • Modge Podge

  • 1 inch brush (a disposable foam brush works well!)

  • Black marker such as a sharpie.

  • Any other kind of medium you’d like to add (markers, crayons, colored pencils)

Check the Facebook event for extra info including past examples of student work leading up to the workshop.

About the instructor:

Lisa Denney is an artist and textile designer in Chattanooga TN. She holds a degree in studio art from the University of West Georgia in Carrollton, Georgia. She moved to the Chattanooga area for a job as an area rug designer in 2000. After traveling to India for work in 2015, she became curious about the ancient art of handweaving. In 2017 she began to explore weaving as an art form and sharing the craft with others. She was chosen for Best Fine Craft in 2019 at the Creative Arts Guild’s Festival in Dalton. You can see her woven fiber art at Area 61 Gallery in Chattanooga. Follow her on Instagram @lolarunswithscissors, “Studio 4K Design - Lisa Denney” on Facebook or at lisadenneyartanddesign.com.