My collage work represents my mind, growth, and the way I approach any of my creative projects - whatever medium that may be.
Each of my collages are made up of a multitude of pieces, that are all carefully collected, thought through, and positioned until I feel I have enough to make a complete piece. I have always been very interested in the “pieces of a whole”; the idea that everything in this world and life is made up of infinite different puzzle pieces that come together to make a complete picture or definition.
That concept is something I apply to all of my projects. I always begin by analyzing all of the different components;
Step 1. What is the message I want to relay?
Step 2. Identify all of the different components of this idea?
Step 3. How can I represent these components?
Step 4. How can I fit these pieces together aesthetically and cohesively?
Sometimes it is simple, and sometimes it is chaotic; I’ve learned that the nature of a piece is dependent on each of the aspects listed above. Working with my hands, and with the creative processing skills I developed doing so, is where I always revert back to, no matter what medium I am working with to solve a creative (or life) project.
It has taught me patience because when working with unique, physical materials that take time and dedication to gather, you have to think ahead more-so than when working digitally. You cannot “Command-Z” or “Edit-Undo” pasting a clipping from a vintage magazine on the wrong area, cutting a piece in the wrong dimensions, or painting a brushstroke over the incorrect part of an almost finished piece. The process of this medium has taught me to be meticulous, and above all, it has conditioned me to see the bigger picture in my head before I even begin to place it together.
