These are new collages I have in SEEDS, a group exhibition at Westobou Gallery up until January 27. If you’re local, be sure to stop buy and see the wonderful show! At the opening reception, several people commented on the unexpected, minimal direction my collages have taken, but to me it’s where I’ve been for quite some time. It drew my attention to how much I keep my art to myself, but here I am trying to remedy that.
All work is available for sale–contact me if interested.
It’s been tough not having access to my collage supplies while we’re in this strange transition period. When I found a couple inspiring science fiction book covers in Virginia I knew I had to make space, gather some supplies, and get to work. I put together this quick collage and it really helped cheer me up. The scan leaves much to be desired, but it works for now. In October I’ll be in another group show at The Book Tavern (this time the theme is Edgar Allan Poe) that will be hanging the whole month. Digging my supplies out of storage is a hassle but it’ll be worth it.
// Summer heat requires lots and lots of popsicles. It’s the perfect treat and just a few minutes from our house. Chocolate sea salt might be my new favorite.
// The dining room table is a mess but it’s worth it to be creating. More on this later.
// David and I are furiously reading Go Set a Watchman. At least once a week we end up sitting outside our favorite downtown spot to drink and read, enjoying each other’s company even in silence. It’s my preferred way to end the day.
One of my oldest friends came to town for Thanksgiving and dropped off some collages I had in a group art show in Savannah several years ago (yes, it’s been years since we’ve seen each other and that’s a real shame). He asked what I’d been making lately and there was disappointment in his voice after I said I’d made almost nothing. A similar scenario played out a few days earlier with another friend/artist in town. They both implied I should be doing more, that it was worth it. I don’t want to require praise to stay motivated, but it helps to feel connected to other artists, part of a community that supports and encourages its members. Being appreciated by the community at large is wonderful, but the respect of other artists, knowing people you admire enjoy your work and want you to succeed, that’s truly special. Their affirmation was uplifting–a push towards growth. It’s hard to naturally push myself in that direction because I struggle to see myself as an artist, whatever that means. Confidence isn’t something others can give me, but when I hear people say such nice things about what I do I wonder why I don’t have more of it.
I finally pulled out my collage supplies to work on some new pieces. It’s been nearly a year since I made anything, and that’s far too long. Part of the problem is that I don’t have a dedicated space to work anymore and no accessible storage for my supplies. That’ll all be fixed when we move into the new house, thankfully. My creative side has definitely suffered in the past few years and I’m hoping to encourage myself to find inspiration and be productive again. I can be a creature of not-so-good habits, whether it’s not creating at all for long periods of time, or getting stuck in a rut where everything I do looks the same. It’s my goal to break those tendencies next year. It’ll help to get out and search for interesting books, images, and patterns again. I recently found an intriguing book of wallpaper samples in the trash, filled with patterns and colors I wouldn’t have been interested in before. But all the possibilities, the new territory, it excites me now. It’ll be a good challenge to figure out how to use them.
The above book, like many vintage covers, speaks to me. It’s so eerie, a little off. The patterns and colors, muted and dark with that bizarre red thrown in, work perfectly together, and I find myself repeating similar groupings in my own work. Here are a few new things. These scans aren’t great but they’ll do.
