COLLAGE
Life is an artistic adventure! Artists have the gift of seeing ideas/possibilities in even the most mundane things, a blessing and a curse at times. I've finally made peace with myself with the realization that I keep doing art because I HAVE to. It's obsession, an ongoing therapy, an emotional release. Whether it's a commissioned piece or an idea willing itself to a collage, it's always been my Calm in a Storm.
Collage art/mixed assemblage art has always appealed to me. In the nineties I created pins with clock parts, then decided to do furniture - tables, chairs, dressers etc. I've always had a penchant for taking things apart - radios, clocks, typewriters. I've been creating art with metal items for 20+ years BEFORE it was labeled Steampunk. I like creating mixed media pieces for I like the feel of objects, the textures rearranging sensibilities,reflecting emotion. 3-D pieces add to the texture, making a statement. I call my latest paper collage endeavors Emotional Landscapes.
For 13 years I exhibited at a gallery in Algoma, WI called The Flying Pig, a shop that billed itself as selling "outsider/edgy art". Though they closed in 2013, I sold 400+ chairs/tables, and other obsessions I've had over the years (hats, Steampunk cuffs, etc.)
Klee, Modigliani, Miro, Picasso - all the abstract/contemporary artists inspired me with their bold lines, color and spontaneous expression. It has taken me several years to develop my own style and it's still constantly changing, though people say they can "tell" my style. I like to use old photographs (uncopyrighted of course!) in my artwork, along with freehand drawing. Though I yawned in history classes in school, I now understand the gravity of not repeating it.
I believe it's important for everyone to realize and exercise his or her creativity. You're only limited by your imagination