Cathy Watson: From Scrapbooking to Mixed Media in Fodder School’s Global Community

Host Wendy Solganik welcomes longtime Fodder Schoolparticipant Cathy Watson, an artist in Christchurch, New Zealand, to discuss Cathy’s creative journey and how the global Fodder School community supports sustained making. Cathy describes growing up with creativity, learning to sew at age 10,loving art at school, and later becoming deeply involved in scrapbooking—working in stores, teaching classes, and navigating limited product access in New Zealand, including reliance on imported supplies and delayed magazines. She explains her transition into mixed media through influences, local classes, and conventions, and shares how Fodder Schoollessons—especially Angela Kennedy’s drawing and Karen Elaine’s Wild Watercolor—build her skills through step-by-step learning. Cathy talks about retirement routines, making art in focused windows, and running a monthly “crop and craft” gathering that supports creative wellbeing. 00:00 Meet Cathy Watson01:24 Podcast Premise02:46 Zooming From New Zealand03:50 Fearless With Art06:15 Sewing And Scrapbooking Roots09:31 Life In Christchurch14:50 Supplies And Access Limits25:00 Mixed Media Enters Scrapbooking29:32 Travel Albums And Memory Keeping32:12 Trips Abroad And Family37:45 Back To Art Skills40:10 Wild Watercolor Breakdown41:53 Watercolor Control Struggles42:28 Learning Curve and Confidence42:57 Memory and School Stories44:23 What Creativity Feels Like45:49 Retail Career and Retirement50:55 Morning Routine and Cats55:50 Fodder School Habits56:37 Supply Hunting in NZ58:02 The Pen That Worked01:01:16 When Art Time Happens01:04:38 Family Reactions to Art01:06:56 NZ Friends and Immigration01:10:21 Crop and Craft Community01:15:59 Wrapping Up and Goodbye