Collage Thoughts on the 12th International Collage Exchange

Collage is the twentieth century's greatest innovation.
~ Robert Motherwell

I love the art of collage. My own process of making collage is always evolving. I’m constantly exploring ways to alter papers, pushing composition, and trying different ideas.

One thing that is fairly constant in my process is to trust my instinct to tell me when the elements are just so.

Of late I have been laying papers on the support, arranging and rearranging, then pondering. Often I decide to remove something from the composition.

When I think I’ve got it I lay a piece of glass on top of the collage which flattens the whole composition so I can step back and take a good long look. Sometimes I just know the work is complete and other times I run a mental check list of elements and principals of design.

For me, the enjoyment is all about the process of creating, exploring, being authentic and striving to continue to grow as an artist.

When I started to attend workshops, I first studied with Pat Dews. I learned a lot! Pat says in her book Creative Composition and Design “As important as it is to understand the elements and principals of design, there is a lot to be said about something just looking and feeling “right.” Uniqueness in personal vision can be more important than technical skill. Nurture and stimulate your imagination. Listen to your intuition and go with your gut feeling.” Good advice.

Another artist who knows the joy of bringing pieces together to make a pleasing whole is Joan Schulze.

Working…

Collect, combine, define, compose,
discard, cover and peel.
Stop,
look, mark, cut,
refine, paste and press.
Focus,
shift, touch, observe,
decide…accept beauty.

~Joan Schulze 1999

with permission of the artist, from The Art of Joan Schulze.

Following are several of the collage I received in the just completed 12th International Collage Exchange, with links when available. Enjoy!





Journey 9, by Donna Watson



New York Times Series #6, by Jeanne E. Rohen



Window Tracing, by Mary Ellen Long



Untitled, by Renea Erickson




Oak #5, by Jeanne Mankinen


Jeanne's statement: This year my collages reflect my concern for the environment - including both animals and plants. I hope that humans will make progress in appreciating and caring for other species on our beautiful planet.




Affirmation 9, by Jette Clover



In Touch 13, by Cordula Kagemann

The Copeland Collection, Part 2

I love collage so last year when my package of collages arrived in the mail from New Zealand, I was thrilled. I am going to show you a few more I received, with permission of the artists. If you are considering participating this year, the link with instructions is here. The directions are pretty clear about sending in 13 collages (or fewer or more of them), 8 inches by 10 inches, to arrive in New Zealand by March 20, 2009.

However, even though getting that many original, one of a kind collages in the mail was wonderful, the best part was the push to make 13 or more collages. (I made a few extra, one for myself, and one to share.) It really did spark my creativity, and I created collage that I might not have had I not done such a large series.

I have a few tips for you. I didn’t title any of my collage, nor did I number them. So when I got my list from Dale, I had no idea how to know which artist got which of my collages. This year I will name them, or least number them. I made the package to Dale quite nice, neat and tidy, but I wish I had enclosed each individual collage in a clear bag to protect it, such as can be purchased here. I like to work in a square format, so I made my collage smaller, and then mounted them onto 8 inch by 10 inch water color paper, which was a lovely presentation.

I found I could complete 3 resolved good collages with a full day in the studio, except when I could only get two. You know how that is. I also mailed my collage by March 1, to allow for shipping time. I am telling you this so you have some kind of idea of the time it took me.

When I received my collage from Jette Clover, Gothic Pages 10, I was thrilled to find she has a great web site. She describes her medium as art quilts, which she says is constructed like collage. She tells us her work is as much about touch as it is about vision. Believe me; I have touched the piece I received. It is rich with tactile texture; layers, stitches, and the weave of the cloth, as well as paper. I am showing you the collage I received form Jette, and the one featured in Dale’s book, The Copeland Collection. Jette’s website is rich with photos of her large and small work.

I am showing you the collage I did last year which Dale choose to keep for her collection. Of course, I was honored! It's the work with the two figures, untitled. In return I received one of Dale’s yummy collages, which I will post in the near future. Dale also choose my collage to include in her book, page 55.

Sometime next week I will do another International Collage post, and show you more from my collection, with permission of the artists.