Interwoven Collage Structure: Do/Process Exhibition

Most of my collage ingredients come from materials that are fairly small in scale—magazines, mail, household packaging. I've always been most interested in the abstract portions that I can harvest from those materials, so the fragments that I actually use in my work often become quite small.

In an effort to create larger works, over the years I’ve made multiple small pieces to display as a larger piece of art. This started with my Ruminations series in 2009, works on wood panels, hung in a grid.

Detail from “Ruminations” installation which included 45 postcard-sized collages total.

I've also used scans from my Collage Diaries to digitally assemble Momentum, a larger compiled work.

Close-up of “Momentum,” a compilation of scans from one year of my collage diary, output as a single digital print, 4 x 6 feet..

In my current exhibition, "Do/Process," I returned to an idea that I'd drawn in my sketchbook way back in 2010! (BTW: who knew that Moleskine's sketchbooks would yellow so much?!)

Sketchbook idea for interweaving small collages, circa 2010, finally realized in 2026!

I’d revisited the idea occasionally and finally decided to pursue the concept of weaving together a series of collages. I’ve had a life-long affinity for quilts and weaving… and hoped to make a larger piece that would have a casual, somewhat textile-like feeling to it. It’s all fiber-based after all.

This simple structure uses ribbon or seam tape to cross behind each collage as a support. The collages were made on 7 x 5" pieces of heavy, deckle-edged watercolor paper. Then I made a slot midway along each edge. I used the slots to fasten and weave the collages together with a linen tape (not adhesive). I hoped that when it was assembled, the shadows would enhance the piece. What I hadn't imagined was how much the ventilation system in the gallery would animate the piece, That’s been fun to see.

"Collective Energy" includes 63 small abstract collages and measures roughly 49 x 45" plus the loops for hanging at top and knotted ends. I arranged the collages in my studio and hovered over them on a stepstool to photograph options to study and eventually determine the final placement.

I wove the collages together at the gallery... above is a detail of weaving together the last row plus a time-lapse video of the end of the assembly process. (Big thanks to my friend, Astrid Koch, for her spirited help.)

I refer to the compositions in “Collective Energy” as glyphs and each is influenced by the moments and issues I’ve been concerned about while making them. The linking of the collages acknowledges my belief that all beings have equal value, despite our many differences. I also wanted to highlight the importance, energy and power of collective efforts.

Another piece in the show that uses this same interwoven attachment method is "Gilded: It'd be funny if it weren't so absurd," my riff on the new interior decor elements in the Oval Office at the White House. The gold pieces are all sourced from my late Grandmother's card-making stash... born in 1898, she loved victorian elements and gold embellishments. I've never thrown them away and finally had a perfect use for some of her bits and pieces. The squares are cropped coloring book elements, for that important cartoon-like contrast!

“Gilded: It’d be funny if it wasn’t so absurd,” collage with gold embellishments on watercolor paper, 49 × 15,” ©2026, Janice McDonald. In background: “Tipping Point,” collage on watercolor paper, 30 × 22,” ©2026, Janice McDonald.

I look forward to developing this interwoven format/idea further in the future. At this writing, these pieces remain available for purchase. If you’re in the Denver area, the show continues through April 21, 2026. I’d love to see you there!

Exhibition recap: COllage, part 2 / the collage diaries

I’ve written about the other series of collage works that were shown at the Arvada Center’s COllage exhibition in a previous post… this one introduces the display of my collage diary project. I was thrilled to have all of the diaries on display except the 2025 volume that I’m currently working with. I was also able to project a video that includes scanned images of every collage from the 2024 diary, in sequence, and opens with a view of my desk as I work on a single day's collage in the 2025 diary. This video was projected continually in a custom viewing niche as part of the COllage exhibition at the Arvada Center (Arvada, Colorado) in fall 2025. The exhibition featured a sound collage nearby so this nearly 10 minute video does not have any audio... feel free to use your own soundtrack :)

Images below are of the viewing niche… and to give some context to the way the gallery was laid out. You can see glimpses of other artists’ work through the openings and in the distance.

Below is the story/statement that accompanied this work:

One year during the holidays I was given a small page-a-day diary. Somehow April 1 arrived and I noticed the little book shoved to the back of my desk, still empty. I thought it might be an interesting place to work with some of the small scraps of paper that accumulate in my studio — I work with recycled bits of everyday printed materials, including fragments of junk mail and household packaging. 

I didn’t think of it as an ongoing project when I began (in 2019), however I pretty immediately realized that working in the diary on a daily basis was fun and transformational so I've continued ever since.

The collages aren’t planned in advance — I just find an interesting paper fragment, glue it down, and then build a composition by adding one piece at a time. I often challenge myself to begin with an odd shape or color. Some compositions are better than others — I’ve realized that it’s the continuing exploration that is most important. Sometimes the least visually successful attempts actually teach me more than the collages that come together easily.

The diaries during the exhibition installation process, before the acrylic case was added.

I usually spent 15-30 minutes working on a collage during a simple, wrapping-up-the-day process. My criteria is to work on each dated page sometime during that actual day. This daily practice has become a personal ritual of sorts, a quiet and meditative time. 

Each day when I’m done, I take a photo and post the composition to my Instagram story. What you see here is a projection of all 365 collages made in 2024 and nearby all the completed diaries are also on display.

This ongoing practice provides a real sense of creative momentum that carries over into other projects in the studio. I can see a personal symbology and new visual language developing over time.

I’m also regularly reminded, by the growing girth of the diary over the course of each year, that all the little efforts we make in life really do add up when repeated over time. 

NOTE: Thanks to Jim Leggitt for help with the unwieldy diary scanning process, Collin Parson for working with me on the idea to present a year’s worth of images, Collin Sanders for editing / putting it all together, and the Arvada Center crew for their installation expertise. Video ©2025, Janice McDonald.

More information on the Collage Diary/Momentum project:

—Many who discovered my daily practice online have had questions about the book, materials, etc… I’ve written about all of that on my blog.

—I was interviewed by author Kelly McMasters about my collage diary process / project in September 2025. I’m definitely not your typical diarist, so I was particularly honored to have my visual diary featured in her “Show Me Your Diary” project.

—A January 2024 article in The Times (London) also features the collage diary.

Exhibition recap: COllage, part 1

I was honored to be invited to show my work in COllage, a celebration of Colorado artists who work with collage methodologies, this fall at the Arvada Center. It was a beautifully diverse exhibition showcasing the work of 15 artists in the main gallery…

"These artists use the act of layering to explore memory, identity, passion, and place, transforming everyday materials into powerful statements. Whether stitched, glued, painted, or constructed, each piece invites you to look closer, to uncover hidden meanings, and to rethink what collage can be. Step into a world where fragments become stories, and where the familiar is made new; this is collage as you’ve never seen it before."

Several series of my works were included… I’ve written about each and will include the Collage Diary portions of the show in a follow-up post (part 2).

ThroughLines series

These collages (seen above left on black wall) are visual riffs on all that we carry within: explorations of the processes in our minds as we manage issues of bandwidth, multitasking and overwhelm—alongside goals of simplicity, mindfulness and purpose. 

Each collage represents a moment in time, full of multi-layered and competing thoughts, hopes, fears, dreams, and memories—all moving forward and influencing each other—glimpses of the landscape of my mind. 

The collages are composed with horizontal strips of paper, to portray the layers of thought or concern. The strips are sourced from discarded magazines, newspapers, books, packaging and junk mail and “cut” by ripping them against a ruler. I apply the papers using a wet working process and the papers tighten across the wood panel as they dry, giving the overall collage a flatter and more cohesive feeling. Each of the collages start with a single strip. None are planned in advance, each one just evolves.

I was intrigued when the curator of the show, Collin Parson, felt they might be interesting to display as art objects rather than just hung. So he placed them along a shelf — I like the idea that a collector could rearrange them at will. Many of the paper strips wrap around the edges so they have a more dimensional dynamic when seen in person, rather than the thumbnail views below.

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Above works are all collage on 10x10x1” wood panels, titled (left to right): shelf installation, Wild Thing, Never Lose Heart, Deep Dive, Folly, Conundrum, Daydream, and Self-Imposed Labyrinth.

This series stems from a show of the same name, which I wrote about back in 2018, for further information check out these blog posts:
ThroughLines show prep
ThroughLines Exhibition Opening / Views
All Through(Lines)... moving on

Unboxed series 

Selections from the Unboxed series on view in COllage, with collage diary projection in niche at right.

This series of works is about exploring the edges... I had wondered what it would be like to work on more casual pieces with random edges, pushing collage beyond the boundaries of straight edged boards/supports. One day I realized I had a lot to work with in my own home!

As I deconstruct and flatten boxes for recycling, I’m often struck by the elegance of these common materials. The packages have surprising perimeters that are revealed once taken apart, and unexpected details in their construction. Each box brings its own history of purpose, content, transport and consumption. 

The unfolded boxes become platforms and integral parts of my collage compositions, where I can explore ideas of transformation and ruminate on interior spaces that are now exposed. I’m also forced to confront the incredible amount of discarded material that is generated every day. 

I’m responding to their varied shapes and scored fold lines with found and recycled papers. The hard edges of the diecut boxes provide a counterpoint to the ripped paper elements that I use in these collages. An unexpected and added bonus: I love the shadows they make when hung.

Close-up views of a few from the Unboxed series on display are shown below…

This series stems from a show of the same name, which I wrote about back in 2016, for further information check out this blog post:
Unboxed... a stealth project (until now)

A few of my recent abstract works on display in COllage, with collage diaries in case in the foreground and ThroughLines in background.

Abstract series

I also make elegant abstract collages with salvaged materials, collected from my daily life and wanderings. I'm most attracted to imagery that yields great color, texture or shape. Much of this content comes from areas that were not intended to be the subjects of a photo I may be evaluating. I think that's largely because my artist uncle taught me to draw by studying the negative spaces around a subject and I continue to incorporate that way of seeing and thinking in my collage work.

This series was inspired by the work that I've been doing in my collage diary in recent years. I wanted to explore that sensibility of dynamic composition and scale it up to create larger, more refined, collage images. 

Unlike many collage-makers, I don't use scissors. I use torn elements in my work because I like the organic edges and exposed paper fibers -- as well as the immediacy of the ripping, which has become an artistic gesture akin to drawing for me. So the only straight lines you'll see are the edges of a page that may have been incorporated or a straight line that's found within an image. 

I continue to be fascinated by how diverse fragments can be arranged and pushed into relationship with each other, creating entirely new imagery.

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Above works are all collages on watercolor paper, framed to 22x17”, titled (left to right): Essence, Empathy, and Spirit.

VOTE project: collage to campaign

Both of my grandmothers were born in 1898 before women could vote in the United States. American women finally got the right to vote with the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920. The majority of women of color were not able vote until the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

As a young girl, I listened to poignant stories about what a joy and a privilege it was for Dorothy and Mabel to finally participate in elections. They impressed upon me that I must never take the power of my vote for granted — our vote is our voice.

Photo from a Women’s March, early 1900s, photographer unknown.

I continued those “importance of voting” conversations with my daughter. In 2016, we watched the documentary Not For Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. The history of women’s fight to get the vote is rarely taught in schools—and the film is amazing. I’d seen it before, but that time around I was struck anew by how much art/craft/design went into the costumes, banners and signage that were used during the protests to gain the vote.

Shortly after watching the film, I made the “Vote” collage (shown at top) in my sketchbook in homage to the tenacity of the original suffragettes.

After witnessing the recent erosion of women’s rights, among other concerns, I wanted to find my own path to contribute by doing more than just simply voting this election season. So I’m committed to highlighting the importance of voting through my artwork and conversations. (Confirm your voting status or register to vote at vote.org.)

One of three “Vote” tee-shirt options.

In this spirit, I’ve designed several "Vote" tee shirts. Wear one to… provoke a conversation, help promote voting rights, and/or collect an evergreen tee that can be worn beyond this upcoming election. I've also created buttons if you're a quieter communicator :) All feature my original “Vote” collage and are available via the shop on my website.

Note: As of October 11, 2024 the shop has closed. Thanks to everyone who participated in the project. Now it’s time to actually get out there and VOTE!

Engaging in the election process can change attitudes from “ugh, politics” to “oh, let’s begin to build the community I want to live in.” A canvasser who focuses on getting out the vote shared an apt analogy that she uses when speaking with people who plan to sit this election out: If you need to get somewhere and there isn’t a bus going to your exact destination, you don’t just give up and stay home. Instead, you hop on the bus that takes you closest to where you’d like to go. Yes!

Let’s celebrate the freedom we have to make our choices and voices heard. If this project resonates with you, please share this post and help me spread the word. (I know my grandmothers Dorothy and Mabel would approve!)

Watch for additional vote-related collages to appear on my Instagram feed. New ideas are percolating.

Official program cover for NAWSA's 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession in Washington. (Artist unknown.)

To learn more about the banners that were used during women’s protests to win the vote, check out these articles: Crafting a Voice: The History of Suffrage Banners and The Banner Years of Mary Lowdnes (an overview with amazing original design sketches from a woman who sewed, stitched and painted banners to help promote voting rights in England) Photo below is from a march in England where some of Lowdnes handiwork was probably on display (photographer unknown).