Mixed Media and it's process

As any of you who work in mixed media know it is a game of steps and patience and more steps! I have always loved collage, and I find myself moving more and more in that direction as I work on a daily basis. For me, most of the time I am bored with just painting, so this adding other materials thing seems to be for me. I won't say I will never just paint again as some things just seem to say I want to be painted, but I do love adding all that stuff. It is a bit like when I first began to paint...I never knew if it was going to work or not...now I am back there again and having a ball. The only thing is, even though I paint or work at my pieces every day, I don't always finish something every day.

This is my latest piece to have on the drawing board. I haven't even named it yet. I put some texture down on top of a base color and that was fun. At this stage is has the trees "blocked" in with a textured paper that I have painted on top of. Some ask me why I put paper down and sometimes paint right over it...and the answer is simply the texture makes the paint go on in a great way that just lends itself to the different types of bark I do.

I've made more paper cast aspen leaves that I will consider adding later on. But, alas, they are drying in the sun right now.