Altered E Art

Although certain themes and containers have evolved over time, there are always those pieces that just have their own uncategorized place in my DEconstructed-Reconstructed world.

When I’m ‘in-between’ constructions or deeper ‘issue-driven’ pieces, I typically work in collage as a free-form way to dance with the energies.

About the collages

At times the collages are based on certain themes and images.  Here I will work with the placement of the images, may repeat or alter the size of the images and so on.  I may work on paper or canvas board.

At other times, I set certain structures and limits to see what comes up creatively when my own conceptualization is not the leader.  In this mode, I may pick a background base, then I go through my magazine collection and chose images as I come upon them.  My little ‘rule’ is that I must take the image and immediately place it upon the base. Then I return to the magazine and find the next image, cut, tear and paste and so on. 

This is a very interesting way to dance with the energy of the images as they come to you and watch what emerges.  I often use bits of text or bits of images as accents as well. Sometimes I also limit myself to a single magazine which heightens the ‘being in the moment’ aspect of the piece.

Another collage device I like is to take use a found book with images and have my collaged images interact with the images in the book.  I often do this in the ‘pick & paste’ mode.   I also ‘pick & paste’ from my large collection of found images.  

I use a photography textbook as a basis for a diary.  I add, merge or layer my own images to those in the book, sometimes whole  collages created separately, with my written or printed text.

I add bits and pieces from cards and notes I've received. And in these times where email is often how we communicate, I often use the torn text from emails as the signifier of information.