What is an Experimental Artist ?

 I was recently honored by being awarded second place in the highly competitive annual online exhibition for the International Society of Experimental Artists (ISEA) , Utterly Profound 2026. The award made me stop and think about how I  had became an “award winning” experimental artist. 

Waldruhe-Triptych Second Place ISEA annual online Exhibit

The ISEA website defines an experimental artist:

“Artists who use unique processes, materials and concepts in an effort to enhance their experience through their art.”

“Experimentation lies within our willingness to play,explore and create”

 Roughly 20 years ago,when I first opened the door into the art-making world, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet a  couple  experimental artists. At the time, I did not know the difference between a traditional artist and an experimental artist. It is only in looking back over my years of art-making, that I am able to understand my journey as an experimental artist. 

Self Portrait

My first instructor in mixed media collage was Jean Deemer AWCS. Jean taught me to try new things and always ask “What if?”. What if I mixed these two different paints together? What if I used these very different brushes, what happens if I paint with a twig ?  The list goes on. The style seemed to fit my curious personality quite well. Over the next 10 years, I experimented with collage and came up with my own unique style. The style I am using today can be traced over many years of experimentation. I have often been asked, how I came up with my unique approach. I have to answer them that I really do not know. I followed a long and complicated path, always trying to be true to myself and not  following the more popular “current trends”. I  have tried to make my art for myself and for my own enjoyment.