I had to laugh when I was asked about my collage techniques and materials. Two weeks ago I realized that I had put all of my paints into the car (along with all of my other precious items, books, clothes, journals, quilts), and sent them off with my husband to California. I noticed when I sat down to do a painting that i only had what was left on my pallete, (goache), a some old watercolor tubes (windsor newton), and a few cans of house paint (Home Hardware). It amazes me how inventive I have been with the mixing of colors, (watercolor blended with the house paint).
I prefer not to buy paper for my work, but rather to find it in the world, (though I have bought some at times, exercise books, japanese paper, vintage magagzines). I like the idea of aquiring it "in the midst of living" because it becomes more about my daily life process, (going to the mail and finding a yellow envelope, eating chinese food and saving the chopstick wrapper, being drawn to a texture in a magazine). The piece above has some dried pink flower leaves that I collected while walking through a greenhouse. The 'spririt lamp' box was my dad's when he was in college, (it was an old alcohol lamp used for a chemistry class). They all have associations for me.
But the thing I am most draw to lately is the 'offcuts', (the pieces laying on the floor after I have cut up other things). Right now I look down and find many beautiful little pieces to use. Something about them is more random, uncalculated, natural. But it might also be that they are the pieces one might throw away, the garbage. That is where the good stuff lies, digging in the dirt. The further I progress with the series the more of them you will see.
Posted by kerismith at August 12, 2005 11:16 AMI am really loving your work!
Posted by: misty eyed art on August 20, 2005 12:46 AMIf I were to imagine you coming back as another creature, I think you'd be a fairy, or a wood-nymph. (that comment is meant entirely as a compliment).
How long do your journals last? That's where you put all of these collages, right?
Posted by: Jillian on August 15, 2005 08:07 PMWhat types of adhesives do you use for your collages?
Posted by: Heather on August 15, 2005 10:14 AMMakes me think of Virginia Woolf's comment about the "diamonds in the dustheap" in her Journals.
Posted by: Amy on August 14, 2005 02:29 PMVery nice! Keep doing more.
Dede
I've noticed that you've been exploring the circular shape in a lot of recent collages. I'd love to know your thoughts on that--is it intentional? Does the circle represent something to you? It seems, from an observer's standpoint tht right now you're in the midst of a transition and are looking for wholeness, which the circle metaphorically encompasses.... And I love the scrap thing. I'm facinated with negative space in a composition, and scraps are sort of a physical embodiment of negative space.
Posted by: christina on August 13, 2005 11:09 AMi keep coming back to look at this one. these are wonderfully arranged discarded bits, and lovely indeed.
Posted by: tracy on August 12, 2005 07:39 PMI also collect bits of paper and save everything. For a maybe use in the future. I struggled with keeping track of it. Whats your method. Whats your work space like. How do you know where things are when you want them and yet still stay random?
thanks for being one of the only blogs I can stand to visit daily!
gorgeous
Posted by: Kim on August 12, 2005 07:05 PMI, too, am loving this series of collages. This post reminded me of something...it's a different dynamic, but similar in that it's about finding art in everyday things/occurrences. My boyfriend used to go mad listening to the crickets and tree frogs chirping loudly at nighttime in our former home. We kept the windows and doors open 24/7, and at night the crickets and tree frogs could get pretty noisy. I found it to be a relaxing, calming sound. But it drove him crazy if he tuned into their chirping too closely because they weren't chirping IN TIME. :) As a drummer, he hears rhythm EVERYWHERE. I recently heard a blind musician interviewed on NPR who said as a child he'd hear the rhythm of the windshield wipers or the blinker on the car. I love the idea of tuning into 'throwaway' items/sounds/occurrences and finding the beauty in them. Your offcuts collages are in that vein. Lovely.
Posted by: Marilyn on August 12, 2005 03:41 PMThat really is turning trash into treasure!
Posted by: D. on August 12, 2005 03:07 PMHi, I'm not sure how close to the bay area you'll be but you must know about the following places. Scrap in SF: http://www.scrap-sf.org/ and the East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse http://www.east-bay-depot.org/. Both are dirt cheap recycling centers that specialize in supplying artists with reuasable materials. They have everything from yarn, fabric remnants, old greeting cards, papers of every imaginable size texture and color, old buttons, traffic lights, clothespins. It's like a recycling wonderland. The materials are donated and the money earned goes to educating the public about creative reuse and sustainable living. Scrap is right by my studio, so stop bye!
Posted by: alanna on August 12, 2005 02:47 PMI agree - the recycled bits of paper are what make the collage much more interesting! For some reason your post reminded me of a dear friend of my family's whose medium was primarily embossment on paper. She made her own and I have warm thoughts of visiting her studio with the vats and presses. I loved the smells and the coolness of the room. The paper was an artform in itself!
Posted by: Shannon on August 12, 2005 01:24 PMmmmm. the discarded bits. haven't whole books been written on this subject? i keep a plastic shoebox with "trash" in it for collaging purposes. planned collage can sometimes appear contrived! i was so inspired by yesterday's collage on your site that i did my own interpretation of it. i'll put it at pinkcoyote today. LOVE to you, keri, as you transition and make the best of the hard parts.
Posted by: pixie on August 12, 2005 12:43 PMThank you, I love to know people's processes and creative materials. You collages are beautiful - they are a real treat!
Posted by: Sari on August 12, 2005 12:32 PMAmen to that! Exactly my associations...
I love using what would be thought of as "trash" and turning it into "art."
However, it does lead to a bit of a feeling that nothing can ever be discarded... that's its own challenge. :-)
I am LOVING your collages! Keep going!
Posted by: swirly on August 12, 2005 11:50 AM