No. 2.19 by Mark Mazurczyk on Zatista.com

Artists throughout time have found inspiration and beauty in the most unlikely places. More than ever before it seems pretty much everything is fair game not only for subject matter, but choice of materials too. For every artist who explores their creativity through traditional methods and tools, there is another who chooses to utilize just about any and everything they can imagine to create a work of art.

Noble Love by Sia Aryai on Zatista.com

Mixed media, though many artists working with unconventional materials in unusual ways do not necessarily define themselves by this term, refers to any visual artwork made with more than one material, and can encompass many different types, from painting, photography and drawing to collage and textiles to sculpture and assemblage.

The Nest Where Soul Is Born... by Jennifer Ross on Zatista.com

Whatever the motivation behind mixed media pieces, the message seems to be a free spirited “why not?”  The egg in the piece above by Jennifer Ross was created using real eggshells collaged on the surface of the canvas, while the piece below by Lorrie Boydston features actual photographic slides as part of the composition.

Real Estate by Lorrie Boydston on Zatista.com

Pam Lostracco creates works using sheets of translucent mylar, photo transfer, acrylic, watercolour and pencil. The layered artwork is then backlit and photographed to merge it together into one layer, with the final image printed onto archival paper.

Maples, Panel 1 of 12 by Pam Lostracco on Zatista.com

Artists have long been known to push limits and break rules, and giving themselves the license to use anything within their reach in any style and combination fits right in with the artist’s mentality. By making us stop, look again and reflect, they challenge us to consider the world around us, and how we make use of it, in different ways. In the artistic spirit, maybe next time I’m tempted to stick to familiar choices, I’ll try mixing it up. How about you?

Brian Sylvester is a guest blogger on WallSpin, and an artist on Zatista.

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