I know I've been posting a lot about the Anointing the Goddess show and truth be told, getting ready for it has occupied a lot of my time over the last few months and as the show grew closer, especially this last week. I had so much fun creating my collages for this show and a lot of people have asked me about my process. I think of it as recycled art because I use as my base a lot of imperfect photos -- photos that may be blurry or too cluttered in the background, ones where I see the potential but I just didn't quite get it right. I manipulate these in Photoshop, cutting and pasting on various layers, using blending modes etc. until I get a new picture that I like. Then I may paint or draw on the photo digitally before printing it out and doing some handpainting with pastels, adding glitter or sewing. I scan the collage back into the computer and do the finishing touches, maybe some more digital drawing or making some other adjustments before sending it off to be printed professionally. I am thus able to make multiple copies of the same print.
Affirmation, Imperfection, Creativity
It's awesome to create something you love and it's so much fun to find out others love it as well. I sold the above four collages this weekend as well as a number of pug greeting cards (I'll be showcasing those later). I had people email me today telling me how much certain collages spoke to them. One lady told me about her love of ballet and her infatuation with my pug ballerina pieces. An artist herself, she says she is working on selling a bunch of her art in order to buy mine. Photographer George Forss, known for his photos of the New York City skyline, told me how perfectly an out-of-focus image of a girl in one of my collages worked. I tell all this not to brag but to share how something wonderful can come out of something imperfect. These pictures all began as photos from the rubbish heap. In most other areas of my life I am always aiming for perfection, worrying if I don't get something right. In this area, I found a way to take something that wasn't quite right and turn it into art. I am working on ways to apply this to other things I do. In the meantime, I thank you all for sharing in my journey and enjoying my art. It is truly an affirmation to relax and enjoy being creative.