The stairwell project

Over the summer I worked with art consultant Hilary DePolo on a proposal to use enlargements of my collages to enliven the interior stairwell of a new office building adjacent to Denver's Union Station.

The concept was to encourage people to use the stairs by creating a welcoming and visually stimulating environment. In addition, another artist would add a motion-activated sound installation to further animate the space.

I worked with the building plans to develop a scale for the original collages that I felt would translate when enlarged and applied to an entire landing wall. The image needed to be clear from a distance and interesting graphically as a viewer climbed closer. Because I am working with images culled from magazines, printed with a dot pattern, it was critical to make some samples of what the enlargement might be like.

We eventually settled on an enlargement of approximately 900%. The lowest level had a low floor-to-ceiling height, the top level had a tall floor-to-ceiling height, and the remaining three floors had the same proportions. The original collages were done on boards that reflected those proportions. Each original panel was one foot wide but the heights would vary to accommodate the floor-to-ceiling height differences.

Just one thing in the mailbox... an inauspicious beginning

"Harvesting" the potential collage elements from the postcard.

This is the first collage created for the "Overlooked Archives" show. The only thing that arrived on March 1st, 2013 was a coupon/postcard from Bed, Bath & Beyond. It made me wonder if the concept of working with each day's mail would provide enough interest and content. My persistence paid off though and the resulting body of work and  show were strong. Thankfully!

I referenced this collage in my artist statement. Most people could imagine where the pieces came from once I pointed it out... there are common elements delivered to all our mailboxes. 

The envelope(s), please

Handwriting contributed by my Dad... nice counterpoint to the commercial mail!

The wall of envelopes in context at Spark Gallery.

As part of the "Overlooked Archives" exhibition, I incorporated a wall of envelopes as a background for my artist statement (a short explanation of the work). I wanted something textural as a counterpoint to the collages, all under glass this time.

The envelopes also served as a visual reference for where some of the collage elements originated. I love the patterns in security envelopes and wanted viewers to stop and consider them. I even included an envelope addressed to me by my Dad, in his amazing backhanded script, as an unspoken nod to him. One realization I had while working with all this mail is that very little of it is personal, most of it is commercial — so I loved it when something with actual handwriting arrived! Thanks, Dad :)

Here is the actual text from my statement about the show...

Overlooked Artifacts

An exhibition of collages made from each day’s mail during a three month period.

We are subject to such an assault of visual input that it’s no wonder the printed materials in our lives, many of them unrequested, become a blur.

Delivered... I’ve attempted to transform the remnants of discarded and unanticipated  mailed imagery into elegant little jewels. This series of 75 collages is intended to capture the incremental passage of time and encourage a fresh look at the incoming paper stream.

Dissected… Exploring the inherent beauty of salvaged color and form that’s been liberated, literally ripped, from its original context has been both a joy and a challenge. Some days the postal pickings were slim, other days potential ingredients were abundant, and on a few sad days (and Sundays), there was nothing in the mailbox. No mail, no collage.

Reimagining form… On March 1st the only item in the mailbox addressed to me was a postcard from Bed Bath & Beyond—perhaps you’ll recognize it!

Enjoy,

Janice McDonald

On a quieter note...

The first collages, from March, in far left grouping, left to right, top to bottom.

View upon entering, to left of door at Spark Gallery.

The long wall of collages...

The final few collages and the end wall with my artist statement and guestbook.

 Views of the "Overlooked Artifacts" exhibition at Spark Gallery on a quiet afternoon... There were 75 original collages, framed with UV glass and archival matting, each 12 x 9" in size and hung chronologically in a grid. This represented each day's mail from March, April, and May of 2013.

It's always great to have company in the gallery, but sometimes I look forward to a lull when I can take it all in, size it up, and think about where my work may be taking me next.