February 2012: Collage Bits & Bytes

It’s been a busy start to the year!  I’ve spent most of my time preparing for and giving workshops here at Collage Your World. I finally have a chance to breathe, so I thought I’d share a few notes and biz highlights with you…

"The Final Frontier", Collage, Daily Ephemera Page, February 2012

Glimpse into the Practical Guide to Journaling Workshop:

This month, I was thrilled to have Ruby and Connie in my Practical Guide to Journaling Workshop.  Both new to collaging, they did a marvelous job creating their first journal pages.  It was wonderful to see the excitement on the faces of these two long-time friends as they shared their pages with one another.  I was delighted to see Connie’s sensibilities as a quilter coming through in her choice of the layout and colour design for her pages – it’s great that we can bring those important facets of who we are to our journaling.  Ruby, hoping to come away with some ideas to fuel her desire to create a travel journal, found that daily ephemera collaging is just the form she can use to create one for her next trip! – taking up very little room in her suitcase, I might add!  After the workshop, I was pleased to receive a thoughtful message from them letting me know that my class had transformed their perspective in seeing the world through the eyes of collage – these are the moments I treasure as a teacher!

On-line Collage Your World Workshops:

Not long ago Gloria Ware, a subscriber, asked if I’m considering giving on-line workshops.  The answer is YES!  It may take some time because, at the moment, I’m only a company of one, but I’d like to find the resources to offer on-line workshops in the near future.  In fact, I’m thinking of starting with the Vision Board Workshop.  I’ve benefited so much from on-line classes and love the sense of flexibility, community and affordability they offer clients.  Next month, I’ll be looking into resources like video making to get myself started.  I’ll be sure to keep you posted.  Please let me know if there are any particular on-line collage workshops you may be interested in having me hold.

Collage by Wangechi Mutu

Celebrating the Art of Wangechi Mutu:

It’s Black history month and I’d like to introduce you to the incredible collage work of Contemporary artist Wangechi Mutu.  The work of this Kenyan-born, UK and US-educated artist first caught my eye on the cover of an art magazine.  Her human-hybrid collage creations remind me of something out of a sci-fi movie or graphic novel… there’s something other-worldly and ancient yet also techno and futuristic about them.  These collage creations were born of Mutu’s desire to re-create images of Black women, who she feels have been stereotypically portrayed by the media as being either overtly sexual or tribal.  Her eclectic array of collage materials includes: fragments from porn and fashion magazines, medical and automotive drawings, soil (from her home town), beads, glitter and inks.  It always gives me chills to hear Mutu describing her workspace as a kind of operating theatre – it’s so Frankensteinesque!  Her stunning collages are a must see!  You can hear Mutu speaking about her work and process for her “This You Call Civilization” exhibition.

A Bit of Raw Journaling on My Booklist:

I’ve been slowly reading: Quinn McDonald’s new book Raw Journaling: Making Meaning, Making Art and am really enjoying her take on what it means to journal.  I really love the way she begins with a gentle reminder that a journal is not about perfection… this is something that I feel is often lost when we feel that our own journaling must match the drop-dead gorgeous imagery we see in arts and crafts books and magazines.  Regardless of how they look, it’s what we get out of the process of journaling that counts – that’s where the true beauty lies.  I’ve always been a fan of the simple journal, never been too interested in the fancy gymnastics of adding all kind of fabulous do-dads, preferring instead to make some magic out of a few images and simple bits of writing from the heart.  So far, McDonald’s book is thoughtful, thorough and offers much practical advice.  I’m currently reading the chapter on writing and have discovered many new ways to enhance my techniques in this area.  I’ve always enjoyed reviewing McDonald’s art business commentaries in Somerset Studio magazine and, true to that spirit, her new book is just as inspiring and helpful.