Paper Alchemy -Exhibit at Glenview Public Library

There is for sure something about a repetitive shapes and seeing that all in a row.  I decided to pick the two larger one to break the exhibit up a bit and make it more interesting.  Though I like seeing the repetitive sizes it can be boring pretty darn fast. (like a little harmless drama)  I really do like the word alchemy...a power or process that changes or transforms something in a mysterious or impressive way.  That is what I find myself creating before I even use the papers in a collage.  Things happen with out my doing and most of the time I'm in awe of how it all presented itself on the surface of the paper first then when I cut or tear the papers up and lay them over other papers creating abstract composition, what can I say but that it's Paper Alchemy.  

Over the years I've worked with many themes and series and just plan randomness of the moment.  

Here are a few close up of the pieces that are hanging in the exhibit for you to see. 

Art Studio Leftovers, 

8 x 8 on watercolor paper and matted and framed. 

When I find that I'm drawn to create something I will prepare the watercolor paper by tapping off the edges and then I sort though some of the papers I put in a big cabinet bin and see what speaks louder to me on first grab then work with it.  The blue deli paper with the white cross hatches and the orange drawing paper that I put a red orange color over and scribed into became the first pieces I was attracted to.  I work this way many times with these Weekly Tack Down Tuesdays. 

For the Love is Stacking,  

8 x 8 

Collage on Watercolor paper, 

After I made this one I created a larger one 36 x 36 see next. 

Communication R we really listening, 

36 x 36 Canvas. 

As you can see I used the small Tack Down Tuesday to guide me on the larger collage.  Using my own work as inspiration and challenging myself to do it larger was a wonderful experience. Not always easy.  I look to it as a growth step for myself as an artist. As I was creating this piece I was also looking into the meaning of communication and that the most important part of this whole thing of communication is listening.  This large collage was in my last exhibit at Indian Prairie Public Library but the smaller one that I first did above is in this exhibit at Glenview Public Library. 

Bitter Waters

8 x 8 

Collage on Watercolor paper, matted and framed

This piece has me looking at the water situation and the bitterness our attitudes in this world has about it.  I created this piece some years ago before Standing Rock and the pipeline issue.  I also worked with a theme of using less papers and in a gray scale.  Black, red, white and the stripped deli paper and the book page, 5 pieces of paper.  I often work with a starting of 5 -7 pieces of paper and challenge myself to see what composition can come from it. 

 There are more beautiful "Paper Alchemy" collages there to see.  The exhibit will be up till Jan 18th and on Jan 19th I will come and take down the exhibit.  And for keeping it simple, all work has to stay up till then, 12 x 12 Framed collage are all $245.00 plus tax and the 36 x 36 pieces are $1200.00 plus tax, no gallery fees on these pieces, straight from the artist.