Meet Carolina Castillo, a mixed media artist and teacher

This month’s Fodder School Muse of the Month is Carolina Castillo, a mixed media artist, high school art teacher, and creative maker currently living outside Montreal, Canada. Originally from Venezuela, Carolina’s creative journey began with scrapbooking and journaling as a child and has grown into a colorful mixed media art practice shaped by experimentation, community, and creative freedom.

Through her years in Fodder School, Carolina has discovered new collage techniques, developed her personal artistic style, and embraced imperfection as part of the creative process. You can find her sharing her artwork and inspiration on Instagram at @carolina.arts.

What part of the world do you currently live in?

I live in Lorraine, a suburb outside Montreal, Canada, although I am originally from Venezuela.

Living between different cultures and experiences has influenced both my creativity and the way I approach art making today.

When did your art or crafting journey begin?

My creative journey began when I was a little girl writing in and decorating my agendas and planners. I filled them with scrapbook elements, personal touches, and creative details. I still have some of them today—they are truly my paper treasures.

Looking back now, I can see that those early journals and scrapbook pages were the beginning of my love for paper crafting, collage, and mixed media art.

How long have you been in Fodder School and what keeps you coming back each year?

I still remember contacting Wendy around May 2022 to ask questions about one of her online art courses. She was so kind and genuine while explaining the mixed media techniques and the “stress-free” structure of the class.

I took that first course and then immediately enrolled in Fodder School 1. I completed the entire program in only four months!

What keeps me returning to Fodder School every year is the constant creative inspiration, the supportive community, and the excitement of always learning something new in mixed media art and collage.

How has Fodder School influenced your creative journey or daily art practice?

Before joining Fodder School, I honestly didn’t know very much about many mixed media art techniques. As a high school art teacher, I spent so much time helping students develop creatively that I never fully had the opportunity to develop my own artistic style.

Fodder School changed that for me.

Through the lessons, I learned how to choose a color palette, define my artistic voice, and trust my own creative process. I also learned to be more flexible with myself as an artist and to embrace imperfections instead of fighting them.

That mindset shift has been one of the most valuable parts of my creative journey.

What’s one project, technique, or lesson from FS that completely lit you up?

One of my favorite parts of Fodder School every year is exchanging handmade tags, cards, and art with other participants. There is something truly magical about sharing artwork with people who genuinely value creativity and understand the love and effort behind every piece.

Those exchanges make me feel deeply connected to the creative community and remind me why I love mixed media art so much.

How would you describe the Fodder School community in three words?

Kind, joyful, humble

One piece of encouragement for a brand-new student?

Give yourself permission to make mistakes, try new techniques, and experiment creatively without pressure.

Fodder School is filled with supportive artists who will encourage you throughout the journey. Even after completing five years of Fodder School, I am still learning, still growing, and still excited every time a new month of creative lessons begins.

There is always a new mixed media project waiting to inspire you.

At Willa Workshops, artists from around the world come together to explore mixed media art, collage, handmade books, art journaling, and creative self-expression in a supportive online community.