Contemporary Collage Art

I love an art which allows me to document my place in this mix... This is my past and my future. It has its own logic and finally, its own sense of fulfillment.

~Burton Silverman

Yesterday was a banner mail day because my exchange collage from the International Collage Exchange arrived. I got to sit down and look through my new collection, one by one. Each collage is unique and beautifully presented. They came from Germany, New Zealand, The United Kingdom, Belgium, Bulgaria and the USA. I’ll get them all scanned in and share some with you soon.

Collage artists often tend to behave like squirrels or pack rats, gathering all kinds of materials and storing them away for eventual incorporation into their art work.”

~Gerald Brommer

Does that sound like you? It certainly sounds like me!

The collage above is a new one of mine in my on-going experiment with abstracted figurative art, loosely based on my interpretations of tribal art. I have several more in process, awaiting resolution. I find it interesting to push and see just how abstract they can be and still read as a figure.

Sometimes I am asked about collage and techniques. If you are interested in collage I recommend the book Collage Techniques, A Guide for Artists and Illustrators by Gerald Brommer. It was published in 1994, and has fabulous examples from artists I admire including Katherine Chang Liu, Peggy Brown, Fred Otnes, Kurt Schwitters, Edward Betts, Alexander Nepote and many others.

Obviously, the newest techniques for digital collage are not discussed, as they hadn’t been invented yet. The topics Mr. Brommer discusses apply no matter your approach, including materials and techniques, subject matter and design. To learn more about the book go here.

Artist’s statements intrigue me. They are an important piece of graceful promotion of your art. I have discussed one of my favorite examples at my other blog, Create Your Best Life Coaching.

Have a great week everyone!

The Intimate Conversation Series: International Collage Exchange 2009

Intimate Conversation 2 will be for sale at the International Collage site on April 1, 2009. I plan to donate the proceeds to the ICE cause. It is 6 inches by 6 inches.


Saying Yes is the one I kept for myself to commemorate this series of work. This one is 5.5 inches by 5.5 inches.



Intimate Conversation 1 is the piece for the permanent exhibit for this year. This one is 5.5 inches by 5.5 inches.





This is a collage of the pieces for this years exchange. They range in size from 4 inches by 4 inches to 6 inches by 6 inches.


An Intimate Conversation: The Artist's Statement

This series created for the International Collage Exchange 2009 is inspired by my value for connecting with people, which for me, is one of the functions of art. Using gestures as symbol, textures, a limited color palette, and creating from a meditative space, these pieces were created as conversations of nuance between the viewer and the maker. With these works I extend my hand in peace and friendship to you.