Marquitta Holtsclaw

Decoupage Plates

My decoupage plates use images from the book, The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree, as their central focus. These images are decoupaged to the back of a clear glass plate, then embellished with handmade papers, gauze, ribbons, yarns, gold leaf foils and whatever else I can find to visually enhance my art work. I like to call them “decoupage collages”. My creations are not traditional decoupage by any means. Each plate is a unique interpretation of Barbara Cooney’s artistry.

I have been involved with various crafts for thirty years, working in many different mediums. However, when I started decoupage and began to realize the potential for extreme variations in one medium, I knew I had found a distinctive creative expression. Thankfully, I am self-taught. You see, I am a rules follower. If I had known the rules to decoupage before I started, I doubt I would have had the audacity to combine so many different elements in my designs. If I know the rules, I follow them; if not, well… I can create anything I want without limitations. People’s first response to my work is, “I’ve never seen anything like it.” That’s exactly what I like to hear. The Lord has blessed me with imagination and creativity, and I’m only now beginning to realize and use it.

My desire is to produce the highest quality of work possible, and I am continually researching new techniques and products to achieve this goal. I want my work to have unique beauty as well as functionality. Customers may use my plates for serving desserts, appetizers or light foods, but they are not dishwasher-safe. They are hand wash only. Whether my plates are used, or just looked at, the delight is mine.

Marquitta Holtsclaw lives in Spruce Pine, North Carolina with her husband Keith and son Sam. Marquitta has been creating decoupage plates for years as gifts for friends and family. She says she owes her newfound role as a licensed artist to the encouragement of a friend at the Mitchell County Chamber of Commerce.