Mixed Media+Collage Art Magic made easy, fun, and totally Doable!
BEGINS OCTOBER 1st, 2025 - Only $27 USD + tax
Mixed Media Art Looks Hard. We Make it Feel Like Magic.
You know that art you’ve seen online-the dreamy, layered collage that feels soulful, alive, complex?
It looks intimidating, right?
But here’s the truth: with the right guidance, it’s easier than you think.
And that’s what Fodder Challenge is all about.
Here’s a sneak peek at Fodder Challenge 2025!
What is the Fodder Challenge?
Fodder Challenge is a playful, pressure-free way to dip your toes into mixed media art—no overwhelm, no perfectionism, just a joyful month of exploration.
You’ll learn from 10 inspiring teachers who guide you step-by-step through short, approachable projects using collage fodder (a fancy name for the fun handmade materials you’ll create and use in your art).
Think of it like:
Making your own painted papers, fussy-cuts, and other textural elements from scratch for use in all of your art and craft projects
Cutting and layering like you're building a sandwich
Having a creative play-date—with an expert holding your hand
“It looked complicated. But with the Fodder School teachers showing me exactly what to do—it was shockingly easy and so much fun!” – Emilee S.
Here’s Why Fodder Challenge is so Awesome!
Low Stress: Lessons are short and non-linear—you can’t fall behind. Even though the word “challenge” is in our name, this is truly just for pleasure and there are no prizes for keeping up or finishing. Do what you can, when you can. You’ll learn a ton no matter what you do!
Use what you have: You don’t need fancy tools to get beautiful results, but if art stores are your happy place, we’ll give you lots of inspiration to add to your collection.
Hand-holding support: Every teacher gently walks you through each step.
Why Fodder Challenge is So Safe: No judgment. No pressure. You’ll be surrounded by people cheering you on, not critiquing your brushstrokes.
WHAT YOU’LL GET FOR $27 USD
(+ your local sales taxes)
Over $500 in value, yours for just $27 (+ tax):
10 NEW bite-sized lessons (each from a different teacher)
A new project drops every few days throughout October, starting October 1st, 2025
Access to the classroom through November 15, 2025
Invitations to relaxed, optional Zooms with exciting giveaways
Access to a supportive private Facebook group
Freedom to watch, create, share—or just observe quietly
“It was like adult recess—pure creative joy, no grades, no stress.” – Barbara L.
Can you take a guess which fabulous instuctors are joining us in Fodder Challenge 2025?
Meet this year’s Challenge Projects!
Join FODDER SCHOOL 5 and you’ll get:
All 10 Fodder Challenge projects (with lifetime access)
11 MORE full-length projects for the next year
A world-class community of kind, curious, creative humans
All the encouragement and clarity you need to keep going
Want the Full Year of Creative Momentum?
Who Is the Fodder Challenge for?
Anyone craving a creative outlet
Beginners who feel intimidated by “real art”
Burned-out artists who want their spark back
Anyone who wants to feel joy, flow, and confidence
Artists and Crafters who want to test out the Fodder School vibe without committing yet to the year long experience . . . yet!
“Even though I’ve never made mixed media before, I didn’t feel lost or behind. I just followed along and made beautiful things.” – Mindy
How it Works
Supply list drops August 22, 2025 (it will be in our classroom, plus you’ll get an email reminder from us with a link so that you can download it and print it if you’d like).
Starting October 1st, one new Fodder Challenge 2025 project is released every few days into our Willa Workshops Teachable Classroom. You can preview the entire' month’s schedule on the supply list, and you will get an email notification every day a new lesson goes live.
Watch lessons on your schedule—no need to complete them as soon as they come out!
Create with what you have or buy new art supplies that intrigue you—no pressure to start all of the projects or even finish everything. This is a “challenge” in name only! The experience should feel comfortable, relaxed and enjoyable for YOU!
Optional: Share your work on Instagram or in our private Facebook group, or not at all! It’s totally up to you.
Attend the totally optional, relaxed Zooms: have your questions answered live, enter incredible giveaways from our sponsors, connect with the community, and enjoy all the creative energy. None of the instructional content is delivered live on Zoom, these are bonus sessions and just for fun! They are recorded and put into the classroom for you to watch later.
Access the lesson content in Fodder Challenge 2025, all of the bonus content, and Zoom recordings until November 15, 2025. Upgrade to the full year long experience of Fodder School 5 at any time. Fodder School 5 includes “lifetime” access to both this Challenge and 11 more months of Fodder School 5’s BIG projects.
From Intimidation… to “I Did It!”
Fodder Challenge isn’t about being “good at art.” It’s about experiencing what it feels like to create freely, with joy, and without fear.
It’s about discovering:
You’re more creative than you thought
You don’t need to know what you’re doing to get started
You can make meaningful, soulful art with simple materials
Choose Your Path
Just want a taste?
Want the whole year of momentum?
We’re happy to have support from these amazing brands!
Explore colour, play with pattern, build up texture, add botanical motifs, and more!
It doesn’t matter whether you are an absolute beginner or have worked with mixed media before; this course is for anyone who wants to connect with and nourish their creativity.
Fodder Challenge is a large community event.
We love to see what you create in the challenge!
If you want to share what you make, here are some ideas:
Photograph and share in our Private FB Group.
Photograph and share on Instagram using #fodderchallenge2025 (please tag @fodder.school and the teacher).
Gift your work to friends and family.
Sell what you make.
Use your fodder challenge makes as components of other projects:
use your new fodder in your sketchbooks and art journals!
incorporate pieces/parts into collages and assemblages.
Optional! Join Us on Zoom
Many times throughout the month we will be gathering on zoom (again, totally optional!) for relaxed, unstructured, creative time together as a community. These Zooms are also when we host our giveaways from our sponsors and teachers—you have the chance to win some awesome gift cards and product bundles just by being in attendance!
Choose Your Path
Just want a taste?
Want the whole year of momentum?
Real words from real students!
I am not a mixed media artist. I am a bookbinder and am mainly used to making book cloth and paste papers for the books I make. I wanted a class that expanded beyond what I already do. I had taken Willa Wanders' Imperfect Letters class some time ago and was impressed with Wendy and her patient and informative teaching style.
I also didn't want to buy a lot of art supplies for the challenge so I did my own challenge by using what I already have, even if it meant substituting a material on the materials list for something else. Not being a mixed media artist means that I don't have a ton of things like stamps and stencils, inks and dyes on hand. I only bought a couple of things for the entire challenge.
I knew I probably wouldn't do all the projects (a couple I have already done; a couple simply didn't interest me), but the price even with those things factored in was unbeatable.
Getting to watch all the teachers, each with their individual teaching styles, was great. The challenge videos allowed me to think about whether or not to consider taking classes with them outside of the challenge or Fodder School. Even just watching the teachers teach projects I wasn't interested in doing myself was helpful in this way, if only to see what techniques they use in their work (I like to know about processes in artmaking).
It was a lot to do (or even watch) in the space of a few weeks but I figured on that going in. While I didn't have a chance to do all the projects I wanted to do before losing access to the videos, I still think the challenge was a valuable way for me to dip a toe into the waters of mixed media.
-Mindy
Even though I'm 64 years young, I am a brand newbie to the world of mixed media. By brand newbie, I mean seeing Fodder School Challenge and playing along was my VERY first foray into this world and WHAT A WAY TO START! From the incredible teachers with their creative classes to all the fun I had making something totally new and different for me was worth every moment. I found myself in a stressful time and this appealed to me and my need to find ways to relax and have fun. Each week was amazing... like: "There's more???"
I knew I HAD to join Fodder School 4 right away... and I did! The community, the teaching, the people and, well... THE FODDER is exactly what I need in my world! My family is now asking, when I just HAVE to go to Michael's or Joann's, "Is this for your class?" I'm also finding a use for many of the items I've collected over the years, which is fantastic! "Oh, hey, how about using THIS???"
I also would like to say that this has started a new addiction as far as YouTube & Social Media. I started with the teachers, subscribing and following and then that lead to other individuals and MORE ideas - HOLY COW! So. Much. Fun.
All in all, it's a blast - I love learning and this has opened up a WHOLE new world for me. I am a screen printer, by "trade" and this is another extension of art, for me!
I'll be joining more, as time and finances permit! <3 It's ALL worth every cent!
-Carrie
Meet Wendy - Your Gentle Guide
Hi, I’m Wendy Solganik—founder of Willa Workshops and Fodder School. I spent years wanting to do mixed media art but feeling overwhelmed by how complex it looked.
I created this challenge to make sure you don’t feel the way I did.
Fodder School exists to make creativity approachable, flexible, and—most of all—fun.
