Welcome to my latest project.

In 2017 I took on making a collage each and every day. Come November I entered a call for art and put to thought how would one highlight 375 pieces of collage art. I came up with quite a few rather fun ideas! I loved the challenge. While the reality of that large of an instillation remains to be seen, I decided that I would retrospectively dive in to see what I had created. I sat with all 5 journals multiple times, and have defined 15 larger themes, and some rather specific "subconscious reveal" stories. A subconscious reveal is basically my creative process.  It involves a search for images, allowing imagery to choose me and then an assembly. Over time, I've added technique like image pairing or typography or tearing vs scissor work but even with techniques for making - my work is very autobiographical. True journaling in a very personal way. The uncanny part of my collage work is often the finished piece reflects my reality.

I have decided to undertake taking all of my journals apart and reveal the patterns, themes and stories they tell. It's a much larger undertaking than I expected, but it's also a great way to create smaller examples of my work that could be useful for art calls or future installations. I feel excited to bring words to these visual expressions and to share them with you.

Project 2017 :: Cry For Help

As the story goes, my cars brakes failed. The repair was rust related at an epic level. One mechanic called it a cancer. The advice confirmed by multiple mechanics was to sell the car for parts. I was NOT prepared financially to purchase a car, I lived out in the middle of nowhere, and it was winter. 

THIS collage was a cry for help. When I created it, I just burst into tears. I thought I can't do this by myself - I need to ask for help. and there was my cry beautifully captured in collage form. My first patron - a very generous one, stepped forward because of this collage. That persons name is written on the back of the collage.  WoW. 

All told I was without a vehicle for about 6 weeks. I had an interim vehicle, but it was a car that had not been driven for sometime, it had some challenges - like stalling in the middle of country roads, it was not winter worthy and we got some serious snow dumps those weeks, and the day I returned it, the car actually blew a gasket. ( just my luck - right?? ) The owner sold it. 

When I left IL in 2015 - the car had already hinted to rust related decline. I had a solid plan when moving west, and had the car to a place where I felt I was safe to travel 3500 miles. Just get me there "Betty Blue". and she did. However when arriving west, the home space I thought I was coming to didn't pan out. A big fail in the plan. Instead of rebuilding, I survived, pinched and struggled. 

My friends, my wonderful wonderful friends started a Go Fund Me Campaign to help fund a car.  In 30 days, and because of that campaign, funding was gifted to me to purchase a vehicle. A profoundly humbling experience. The car that I let go of was a compact. The car that I purchased is an SUV - and is more car than I have ever had. I feel like a queen every single time I drive it. 

Notes from the back of each piece:

1. call for help. wow. ( patrons name is on the back ) 

2. whimsy, making light of my circumstance, unexpected 

3. thanksgiving day - time capsule, tone, scape, vertical. alone.

4. herd, things in order, standing on my own two feet, gestures of giving, blue

5. talk of the car, lean on us, we are there for you