Jane Chipp on Vintage Collage, Mixed Media Art and textiles

Mixed media artist Jane Chipp has a remarkable gift for transforming forgotten objects into works of art that honor the stories of the past. Using vintage photographs, worn papers, found objects, stitch, collage, assemblage, and encaustic wax, Jane creates richly layered pieces that celebrate everyday lives and treasured memories.

What draws Jane to these materials is more than their texture or age. She is fascinated by the lives of ordinary people and the history hidden within the objects they left behind.

"I'm fascinated by the lives of 'ordinary' people…how they lived day to day, the minutiae of everyday life. Found materials intrigue me but also bring a sense of sadness and poignancy that they were discarded."

Rather than beginning with a detailed plan, Jane lets each collection of vintage materials guide the creative process. As she explains:

"My pieces rarely start with a plan; I'm usually drawn to the vintage materials and decide what is needed to tell their story."

That intuitive, story-driven approach is one of the many reasons we're thrilled to welcome Jane back as one of the talented instructors for Fodder School 5 after previously teaching in Fodder School 2.

Fodder School is an online mixed media art school where artists of every experience level explore collage, art journaling, handmade books, printmaking, and creative experimentation alongside an incredible team of professional instructors. One of the things that makes Fodder School so special is learning a wide variety of techniques while discovering each instructor's unique artistic voice.

For Fodder Challenge 2025, Jane will teach you how to create beautifully antiqued lace-printed medallions. The process is approachable, relaxing, and incredibly versatile. Once you've made a collection, you'll find yourself adding them to journals, tags, artist books, collage clusters, greeting cards, and just about any mixed media project you can imagine.

Jane's Fodder School 5 lessons build naturally on those techniques. Using lace as a starting point, you'll learn some of her favorite methods for working with vintage photographs while creating a beautifully altered photo tin filled with handmade collage clusters.

Along the way, you'll explore techniques including artificial aging, photo transfers, hand embroidery, improvised stenciling, plaster textures, and layered collage. Each lesson is designed to help you create meaningful artwork while giving new life to vintage materials and treasured photographs.

Whether you've worked with vintage ephemera for years or you're just beginning your mixed media journey, Jane's thoughtful approach will inspire you to slow down, experiment, and discover the stories waiting to be told through your own creative practice.

If you've ever looked at artwork like Jane's and thought, "I could never make something like that," we'd love to prove you wrong. That's exactly what Fodder School is all about. We break complex techniques into approachable lessons, encourage experimentation over perfection, and make mixed media art accessible, inspiring, and incredibly fun.