Collage is the medium I work in. Its art lies in the arrangement of the pieces – in balancing shapes, sizes and colors. I find the challenge of harmonizing and combining complementary ideas, images and symbols incredibly exciting and satisfying. In collage, more than any other art form, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
We are all artists, born with a wealth of creative talent but, like many people, I thought I could never aspire to art because I have no talent for painting or drawing. Then I discovered collage – at the art table of a retreat center in the company of other ‘non-artists’. The work we produced was astounding in its emotional depth and aesthetic appeal and I learned that being an artist is my rightful heritage as a human being.
The lesson stood me in good stead and proved itself over and over in the workshops Michelle Anglin and I conducted in Nevada City, California where we offered Adventures in Collage for many years. Every single piece that came out of those sessions had beauty and integrity in abundance. Over and over we got to witness amazement and joy on the faces of people who thought they couldn’t make art.
Most of my early work consisted of pieces about 16” x 20” pieces. Once I discovered Seena Frost’s soul cards, I started working smaller. I like the small collages because they force me to condense an idea into its essence the same reason I love poetry.
I often find the inspiration for a poem in my art. For example, this is a collage from a series I created for a course I took several years ago on Spiritual Midwifery with Dana Reynolds.
