Collaging has been a creative release throughout my life. I've never considered it serious art but as an accessible medium for playing with colors in various combinations. Pieces I use come from many different magazines and catalogs which I acquire in various ways whether I purchase them to read, salvage them from recycling bins, or re-purpose them from friends and doctor's offices.
Inspiration for a collage grows in two ways. Usually I have a current favorite color combination that I want to play with or an idea for one. Then I browse through my file crate of sorted colors and see if anything jumps out in my selected colors and I flip through whatever magazines and catalogs I have laying about. The other method begins with a particular piece I run across that is interesting or has the potential for a good base or background. Then I begin my search for complimenting pieces.
The idea to share them online occurred after two separate, unrelated meetings with new acquaintances. The first happened after I decided to pass on my crate stacked with many years of Arizona Highways magazines. I kept them because of the incredible photography but since I don't use them to collage they were just taking up space and weight with every move. I knew someone would want them so I posted it in a web forum and before I knew it a young woman showed interest. When she came over I inquired why she wanted them and it turns out that she collages. I loved hearing that and I hope she is finding inspiration in them.
The second incident was during my first attendance at a local art guild meeting. I consider photography as my more serious art but when asked what I did I offhandedly mentioned my magazine collaging which was met with curious interest. I admit it took me by surprise because we were in a room filled with incredible photographs, paintings, sculpture and all types of beautiful and unique art. But as I was listening, talking and asking questions I realized that everyone there expressed their creativity and played with color in their own way through various mediums though experimentation -- just like me.
After encountering the collaging young woman I decided to scan my collages into JPG files. After the art guild meeting I decided to start a new blog to share my creative endeavors and experimentation, whether through photography, fashion, writing and as you will be seeing shortly, magazine collage.
Most of my collages are dated, some are not. I will begin with the earliest ones I have collected, beginning around 2001. I have not digitally altered any of the files, only cropped out white space on the edges. As I find older examples I will scan and share those too. Some of what you will see may be strange, bold, boring, silly or provocative, but every single one displays color, composition and precision.
Hey Marlene! It was so nice to meet you at the art guild meeting. Glad to see you were inspired! Collage it totally an art form. I like to do them too. :) I was impressed with your photography. Although I did enjoy your modesty. Most of the time when I meet a "photographer" they usually just own a camera and their photos are lame. You are not the case! Great eye, compositions, color, etc... I like your collages too! Come back to the art guild anytime. We have open studios, workshops and meetings on Monday and Thursday nights and Saturdays during the day. :)
ReplyDeleteJenny Shepherd