Why Collage?

Collage opened me up to a whole new world of creativity. I've always been creative but I just could not find the right media. I loved drawing as a child but stopped sketching by adolescence, I just never felt my drawings were "good enough." I love color so I tried painting. It was more fun to play around with palettes than to actually come up with a decent composition. My creativity rested dormant for many years. I dabbled in a few different things but pursued no serious creative outlets.

AND THEN CAME COLLAGE! Finally, something just clicked inside of me and I had found my creative niche. I've often wondered what it is about collage that attracted me in the first place. I love the completely random nature of collage. For me, it has been as much about the process as the finished product. I have only a very vague sense of what I want the finished piece to look like. I leave a great deal up to "creating in the moment." That is where the magic happens. Too much forethought and my work lacks that spontaneous spark. I use only what I have within easy reach and make it work within the scope of the piece.

This collage is one I completed quickly and with delight. It began with an unclear path as so many do. Collage often creates itself as little "stories" develop as the work progresses. I call this one "Air Mail."