Below is a collage I did this summer, I am experimenting with a technigue that I have used and taught, and applying it now to someone I know and potentially do these for gifting.
It’s a way to create something from all the magazines and catalogs I get, recycle if you will, but more importantly to take my affection for color, texture, shapes and imagery and turn it into something meaningful.
The technigue I learned was through my work with a group of woman and the book Right to Write
by Julie Cameron. Interestingly this book was the beginning of my current writing journey
In high school my creative writing was squelched as being too personal. In truth it was very personal, but who were my parents or teachers to say that it couldn’t be an expression for me. I had to burn all my journals. Because of that, I didn’t think I had validity as a writer and didn’t write again until I was in my late 30′s.
The basic collage technigue involves a structured time frame, a thought or something you’d care to collage about and then a trust that the universe will provide not only the imagery, but the will to put it together into a cohesive and arty expression
For this collage I thought of Margaret. She is an inspiration to me and someone I admire tremendously. The butterfly to her is symbolic of the loss of her first husband and very meaningful. Thus the butterfly image was how this piece began. She is also a woman trying to balance a wellness business, a non-profit org for starving children in Haiti, a remarkable marriage and motherhood. She speaks to balance, being grounded and she always speaks to vision. I wanted her to know I support all that she is up to.
I took 20 minutes and looked for images, the butterfly’s I had, the rest showed up in my timed search.
Take another 20 minutes and assembled. This part of the process you have to let go of making perfect and let the piece become. Unfailingly something magical always occurs.
Thus this piece for Margaret unfolded
I made it on a large file folder. Pasting images on with of all things a glue stick. If I were to actually give it to her the paper would not survive, so I lamenated it. The lamenation made all the colors totally pop. Yet in trying to have it be something organic — well the plastic just doesn’t fit. I then decided to try and tone it down by adding the stitching around the edges. I am really lame at stitchery yet really enjoyed doing it and it took away the plastic edge feeling
I am pleased with the result. Scanning it was a challenge in that it was too long, and when you try and upload the file it’s just HUGE. So I recently figured out how to manage that. Gotta love the learning curve.
More so I am very please at the piece and how it expresses Margaret – I especially love the bottom and how grounded it is, the bowl overflows with energy and colors that are unexpectedly earthy, yet a hint of blue showed up and blue is all her. All the faces are contemplating and I see her as a deep thinker.
Very Cool.
I have an 8 1/2 by 11 version/copy – I will tuck that in at the bottom to compare and see how it translates – that piece is not stitched.
I was thinking in the bottom corner of adding a personal signature with beads — have to develop that still.
In case you didn’t know I am a “closet” artist, a becoming one. I feel like this could potentially be my medium.
Here it is as a full piece. What do you think??
K a r e n H a n r a h a n
Wellness Educator/Nutritional Consultant
Mentoring YOU to Health Success
708.482.0678
Websites:
Nutrition
Weight Loss
Member of BNI – West Suburban BNI: “Chapter Mentor”
Member of West Suburban Women Entrepreneurs www.wswe.org
WSWE Board Member and Programming Chair
60% of affiliate funds earned from this site are donated to cause –
currently to the what if foundation and the american forests campaign
The other 40% are donated to Mother Earth’s feet…in the form of shoes, after all I am human.
