Blue and white sketchbook collage explorations

I've always loved the color blue, in all its variations, and been attracted to nearly any patterned blue and white pattern/motif (as evidenced above in a quick stroll with camera through my home.) In culling materials for collage, I rarely find blue and white patterns that are large enough in scale to use in my work... but I rip them out anyway, just in case! 

I recently decided to play with the blue and white bits in my sketchbook. I painted rough swatches of black gesso across a spread and am beginning my small-scale explorations in blue and white there. The process is already giving me new ideas and directions for future, larger, pieces. I'm especially enjoying responding to the rough-edged black patches by adding collage elements and have already started another series on paper that experiments with large gessoed areas of black as a basis for further collages. 

 

Finis: subject to interpretation

Several people have asked to see the final piece that emerged from the work I wrote about in an earlier "Chaos of collage composition" blog post.Here's a better view of the collage I eventually titled, "Subject to Interpretation." Once I cleared away the chaos, it had seemed complete.I submitted it to Spark Gallery's open show this summer, "Biennial 2010: Big Themes/Small Works," juried by Jill Crow, and was pleased to be included in the show during July.The collage is 10 x 10 x 1" and is composed of contemporary recycled papers applied to a cradled wood panel. Some collage elements continue and wrap around the 1" edges so it still appears a bit differently when hung.

New collage, "Osmosis"

Here's a new collage, entitled "Osmosis," just completed, still unvarnished and unsigned at the moment of this snapshot. Constructed on a cradled wood panel, it measures 20 x 10 x 1." 

This is a very casual photo, but it shows how I typically wrap the collage elements around the edges of the wood support so that the work can be left unframed, if desired. I'll post a final photo to the Color Constructs gallery on my website soon.

Green Spot

This is the collage that I ended up sending to the National Collage Society's Postcard / Small Works Show. Hard to capture in a photograph, but the area above the plant spiral is a piece of dull silver leaf.

It was great to hear that "Green Spot" has earned an award from juror Craig Lucas, Kent State University Emeritus Professor. The award-winning collages, all 4 x 6" format, are posted online here for your browsing pleasure. The show, consisting of about 140 pieces, continues through July 25th at the Mansfield Art Center in Mansfield, Ohio.

I especially like the look of Jaynie Crimmins' piece, "Explosion of Debt," and the thinking behind it. More detailed views of her highly textural collage and encaustic work are on her website.

Above: "Green Spot," 4 x 6," contemporary paper collage on watercolor paper. © 2010, Janice McDonald.