Details

This is a detail from a collage that I've recently finished for my upcoming exhibition, "Composed," opening at Spark Gallery on April 1st. I've done some very neutral pieces and some intensely bright pieces (maybe the influence of the approach of spring?)... and am finalizing all the details of the show itself.

Postcards arrived from printer yesterday, email announcements go out soon -- it's a busy time in the studio. Much to complete, varnish, wire, label, organize.

In addition, last month was one of the most intense, in terms of design business commitments, in a year or so. I will definitely breath a sigh of relief when this show is on the wall! (More images to come...)

In the studio, working towards show...

Thought I'd quickly post some photos of work in progress as I prepare for my April show at Spark Gallery. I am doing a series of 10 x 10 collages... here's one nearly done, amidst the tested, but un-needed elements. The big collage got its three coats of UV varnish, making it hard to move much in our kitchen -- so: takeout, anyone?! 

Big collage detail

I'm working on a whole series of collages for a show at Spark Gallery in Denver that opens April 1st... and the "big one" I've been blogging about is very nearly done. Thought I'd post another detail however, before showing you the whole thing... since I need to get some professional lighting to shoot the final image of it! I've been using pages from books, wrappings, utility papers, reinforcements, magazine/newspaper clippings, shopping bags, envelopes... a little bit of everything comes together in this collage.

Collage faces in portrait exhibition

"Introspection" | © Janice McDonald | Collage on paper, 10 x 8."My work is currently included in an exhibition, "Portrait of the Artist," a collection of portraits by artists from around the world. The show was organized by assemblage artist Dale Copeland of New Zealand.I'm happy to have two collages in the show, Introspection (above), and Alter Ego/Foundling."Introspection" was created on top of a catalog page that featured a photo of a model wearing a sweatshirt. The draping of the sweatshirt's folds somehow reminded me of the lines of a face. (I know, I know... I see oddball things in everyday images, without even trying!)Once the background was established, the other elements surfaced rather quickly to complete the image. This collage remains one of my favorites — the first of many faces to follow, most of which are available for viewing in the Foundling gallery on my website.Note: Those of you who read this blog via postings on Facebook will be familiar with "Introspection" because I use it as my avatar there. If you arrived at this blog post via an alternative route, please visit and "Like" the Facebook page to get regular updates on my art work. Click here to go there! Thanks."Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter." —Oscar Wilde