Hello! I’m Wendy Solganik, aka @willa.wanders on Instagram. If this is your first time here on my blog, welcome! I’m pretty excited that you found me and my little corner of the art world.

I’ve done a bazillion kinds of art in my life, and the thing that intrigues me the most today is Mixed Media Collage Art.

I’m such a passionate student of this form of art and I’m obsessed with making and using collage fodder (what the heck is collage fodder?).

I really want to learn everything I can about it. I created an entire online art school called Fodder School where anyone with an interest in Mixed Media Art collage art, handmade books and journaling can come and learn this craft from a variety of incredible instructors, even if you have never made any mixed media art before! At this point, Fodder School is about to enter its fourth year with no intention of slowing down.

If you are looking for a great place to start your mixed media art journey from scratch, can I recommend this $19 course?

In this blog series, I’m going to be introducing you to the instructors that will be joining us in Fodder School as Fodder School 4 instructors. If you want to know all about what Fodder School is, go here.

Susan Rossiter is mixed media artist inspired by the colors, shapes and patterns of the 50’s through the 70’s. In college, she studied fine art metals, printmaking, design, art history, painting, and drawing. "I incorporate all of it into making my own unique papers and collage elements. Texture, composition and color auditions play a big part in my process and I love my job- it gives me those good brain chemicals." Susan works and lives in Ohio between two studios and teaches all over the country. Her strengths are discipline, focus and an absurd sense of humor.

For Susan, layering papers under and over paint creates a beautiful history where the closer you get, the more history you see—sometimes back to the very first layers. "I have never been happy using only paint in my paintings- incorporating papers under and over paint creates a unique look you can’t achieve with paint alone. It gives the paintings texture and richness. People often ask me 'How did you do that?!'"

Susan cites her wonderful Aunt, who has been sending her interesting things found on her travels since Susan was born, as her source of artistic inspiration. "Tea towels, scarves, ornaments, decorative boxes, papers, postcards, and photos from all over the world were my biggest influence" Susan started researching some items and found textile designers from the 50s and 60s, whose use of bold colors, patterns, and shapes stayed with her and started showing up in her paintings.

For Susan's Fodder Challenge 2025 project, you'll learn the process of making these oh-so-cute mid-century floral tags. Susan will show you her secret methods of making textured painted papers which you'll cut up and assembly into flower heads and stems. Mix-and-match what you've got, and you'll end up with an abstracted floral fussycut—attach it to a tag (and maybe slather some glass bead gel on top), and you've got the perfect addition to a gift!

Susan actually has TWO Fodder School 5 projects, both similar in construction but varied in aesthetic: you'll learn how to make an effortlessly gorgeous abstract mid-century composition AND you'll learn the art of floral arrangement with an adorable abstract vase painting. Talk about bang for your buck!

The basic construction of each artwork is similar enough: curate your color palette, paint some papers (and make some acrylic skins), cut up a bunch of shapes, and prepare your floating frames. But the compositional process for each piece couldn't be more different. Follow along with Susan's expertise and you'll be a mid-century inspired creator-connoisseur in no time flat!

If you think that you aren't capable of creating incredible mixed media art like what you see here, you haven't been to Fodder School yet! We make it accessible. We make it effortless. We make it incredibly FUN!

check out fodder school 5