To challenge myself in 2018 I decided to make one large 18x24 collage per week. i have always collaged in an 8.5x11 format, very occasionally in 9x12. The dynamic of working larger has been interesting for me. 

Not quite sure of an exact making pattern. some seem to begin in the middle and work themselves to each side. many are morphing faces, and i am actually enjoying that process, especially the sitting and cutting all the faces out. who knew! 

One recently became part of a group show in May. 

All need a written narrative. Some are clear as to what they are speaking to, others are not.

Here is one:

this week's 18 x 24. a ton of narrative in this one. in my past there were people who did not reveal themselves truthfully - they would give you that stone face, and or offer lip service. placate you. sometimes they were one person in certain circumstances - another person in another - even the horse has that stone face look. these people were miserable beings. i could have had the wrangler running off into the other direction i suppose but i sense it's purpose was to put these artificial beings out of their emotional misery. at least symbolically. the rush of color and the force of it's paint strokes show a sense of power/ a get it done-ness, and that small blast of blue is to me like the other side of something. the color blue is a very important part of my life. the original three images chosen for this piece began with the stone faces, the colorful rider and the texture of the mountain scape - it evolved and came together by the morph of that man and the brown of and the stare of that horse. for those following my work - these stories or subconscious reveal are not planned - they arrive as I make. it's part of why I collage, and why I teach collage to others. a tool for emotional sorting and expression.

Not all of this 18x24 work resonates with me, there are even a few of these collages that I don't like very much.  I am glad for the not so good pieces. I can learn from them. Presenting art immediately challenges my budget. 

Hopefully I will find creative ways to share and show these.

An image like this does not actually convey size.