The Tease, paper collage, 2023
My favorite collages are those that make me 1.) laugh or 2.) feel as if I am inhabiting another space for awhile…or, ideally, a bit of both. The first criterion is often the easier of the two to fill. Usually, when I sit down at my work table to collage, I am in the mood to play. And I’ve noticed over the years that–whether it’s collage or poetry–when I allow myself to play freely, a bit of humor seems to come naturally.
The second criterion is more challenging. It is infinitely satisfying for me to create otherworldly scenes that I feel are somehow real–or could be real. And so I often spend a great deal of time seeking out just the right pieces, even–and especially–for two-piece collages. For me, two pieces are “just right” when I feel I inhabit the space. When the aesthetic is reminiscent of a real-life experience and is, at once, much more than real.
Among my favorites here are The Tease, Free and Easy, Cosmic Gardens, and Oasis. The woman in Moonlighting was a nightmare to cut (the paper is very old), and despite my best efforts, I wasn’t able to clean up all of her edges as well as I would have liked. Lunar Drive was my “zen” collage yesterday. After spending a good 7+ hours creating, I decided to wind down with an easy collage made only of scraps. No expectations. No laboring over “just the right pieces”. Just simple, easy, and fun. Please enjoy. I have included some music for your listening pleasure as you browse this collection.
I also have some exciting news to share: Metamorphosis, which was included in the juried show, “DaVinci Selection,” in Brussels last November, has been named among the top 30 “Best of the DaVinci Selection” and will be part of an exhibition at On-Off Studio in Paris from March 16 through 19.
In addition, I recently created a small NFT collection on Opensea. I won’t pretend that I quite understand how NFTs work, but I thought it might be interesting to throw my hat in the ring, as the saying goes, and see what happens.
The Used Life 
12 responses to “The Tease & Other Art”
Congratulations, artista! 👍
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, J! 🙂🙏🏻
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congrats! Oasis is my favorite. And Fun in the Sun put a big smile on my face.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much! I love old Tabasco ads. That squirting bottle is just fantastic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congratulations on your Metamorphosis collage. That is exciting! 👏🏻 I appreciate and enjoy when you describe your creative process. Thank you for that and for including Duran Duran… my friend and I will be seeing them in Portland in June. 🙌🏻
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much! I’m happy you enjoyed the post. And have fun at Duran Duran! 🤗 I looked up their tour dates after I read your comment. Nashville is probably closest to me–something to think about.🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are welcome. 😊 I am excited about the show. Both to go and to spend time with my friend. Nashville would be fun!
LikeLiked by 1 person
For sure. It sounds great! I’ve actually not been to Nashville…may be a good opportunity to go. 👍🏻
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is a fun place! 🤠
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m sure! 🤠 🎸 🎶
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congratulations on being named top 30 “Best of the DaVinci Selection”! Well done!
And I love “Cosmic Gardens”..spring must be in the air :)…thinking about gardens and warm, starry nights 🙂 Great job on all of the collages’!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much, my friend! I was both excited and surprised to learn the news. 🙂 Cosmic Gardens feels special to me, too…and I definitely think it’s because spring is in the air! I always value your feedback. 😊
LikeLike