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Collage Supplies
My local JoAnn’s is closing, so I was able to get this FISKARS circle punch thingy on sale!! Figured I’d start a collage supply list:
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Bananas
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After discovering Homage Year’s banana Print handbag. I tried to DIY my own denim banana skirt, like Josephine Baker. I dyed a white skirt yellow, but before I pulled out the fabric paint, I decided to paint a sample on 12×12” canvas. Then I put it to the side. One day, while I was moving…
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In the Mood for Love (& Tension)
In In the Mood for Love, Wong Kar-wai explores how masterful cinematic techniques like slow motion, tight framing, and lush cinematography come together to create a palpable sense of tension that grips the audience. The film uses slow motion to intensify subtle glances and whispered words, giving small actions great emotional weight. Tight framing further isolates…
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“Whatever You Do, Do It Carefully”—A Phantom Thread Lesson for Stuck Artists
I sat down to watch “Phantom Thread” for its use of negative space, elegant textures, and artful compositions—what I didn’t expect was to be so inspired that I had to grab an unfinished piece and start painting before the movie even ended. I found myself equally inspired by the obsessive nature of Reynolds Woodcock’s work…
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Orange You Glad? How I Use Orange for Depth, Detail & Embellishment
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Over the years, Cadmium Orange has become essential on my palette. Bold, electric, and full of life, it’s the perfect mix of warmth and energy. 🎇🎇 It sparks creativity, commands attention, and adds just the right touch of vibrancy—whether it’s buried beneath layers or making a statement on top. Here are three ways I love…
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Five Star Books where the women are also something else
1. Annie Bot: Man buys Robot lady 2. NightBitch: Stay at home Art mom becomes a dog 3. Beautyland: Neurodivergent Alien 4. Parakeet: Grandma is a Parakeet
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Here is exactly how I use texture to create movement in a mixed media piece.
This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase an item, as an Amazon associate, I may earn a small commission at no charge to you. Texture is a great way to draw a viewer into artwork because it entices the sense of touch. I like to create movement with texture and here’s two ways I…
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9 decluttering books
Here are 9 books in order of how helpful they’ve been to me personally, when it comes to making room: 1. “How to keep house while drowning,” by KC Davis (audiobook): she said she didn’t fold her clothes and I was in awe of her genius 2. “The life changing magic is tidying up,” by…
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Welcome to Crowns and Gardens
My name is Dominique Dawkins McAlister and I am a self-taught artist born, raised and based in SC. I specialize in acrylic painting, but I also do some collage and mixed media work. I created Crowns and Gardens in 2013, at the beginning of the natural hair movement, in response to the lack of representation…
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Crowns and Gardens 