Before I truly became an independent artist, the word "mod podge" was almost absent from my vocabulary. Perhaps, when I was younger, my mom occasionally used the material for art projects such as paper mâché, however, it certainly wasn't a product at the forefront of my mind.
When I found my niche within the art world, this glue-like substance became as essential as my paintbrushes. Since, I incorporated fall leaves in the majority of my pieces, I needed a method for preserving them and retaining their vibrant hues.
Two additional conundrums I faced were how to prevent the leaves from becoming wrinkled and brittle, as well as, how to adhere them to canvas without them falling off or bubbling up from underneath.
As I stood, trying to conjure up a solution, an idea suddenly dawned upon me: why not try mod podging the leaves, since the product is sticky and dries clear!
I gently applied the "goop" with a paintbrush on the topside of a leaf, let it dry, and watched the leaf transform into a vibrant, sturdy specimen! Next, I coated its underside and pressed it carefully on to my newly painted canvas. The end product was beautiful, and ever since, I have used mod podge as both a preserver and adherent for dried leaves, flowers and a variety of other embellishments in my artwork.