On Being a Collector - the perils of Being a Mixed Media Artist

Close up mixed media
collage/painting

Everyday Angel
paint, stamps,pearls on wood
2004

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I have always loved collecting things, small pebbles, bits of string, papers.  One of my first jobs was at a company called Banana republic.  I worked in the mail order department opening up orders.  I noticed that stamps came from all over the world.  They were like glittering jewels to me.  France, England, Africa, Japan, Canada, they were each like little art works.  At that time, American stamp series included one on seashells and I was in love with that as well.

Soon, it spread that I loved collecting the postmarked stamps and I received envelopes full of the most beautiful stamps from around the world.  I began collaging with them. Figuring out what patterns worked well together, flowers and portraits (the Queen was a favorite).

My House
Mixed Media
2003 

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Flash forward to now.  I still had my envelope, it moved wherever I moved.  My present day experience with collecting is expansive.  I love buttons, beads, pearls, clippings from magazines, wire, fabric, recycled soda cans.  Oh, I stumbled upon the soda cans when my son had to do a recycled art project.  He wanted to use Hansen’s soda cans to create a pyramid.  It was awesome.  Then my children were graced with Hansen’s soda to drink in many flavors for the colors of the cans.  I got some really good cutters and cut up all these cans and then cut the pieces into strips I could use to collage.  I was in heaven.  The only challenge was I couldn’t stay up all night doing art. But I did have and still have some great ideas for using the cut up cans.

Papers, there is something about looking into the window of a store with a huge variety and selection.  The Paper Source makes me salivate.  The greens, reds, blues, oranges, purples.  The patterns, the textures, all lend themselves to wanting to be used in some extremely creative way.

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So, I am a collector of stuff.  And you have to have stuff to make art.  At lease to do mixed media collages.  It’s one of my favorite things to do.  It takes time, to layer a good mixed media piece, there is the paint to dry, the layers of paper to dry before adding another thing.  I love Rauschenberg and Bettye Saar and any artist that mixes words and paint and fabric and found objects. Oh and I am unequivocally in love with the Watts Towers.  We are so lucky that this is where Simon Rodia did his thing. 

Sometimes it is frustrating to have so much stuff, I try to keep it organized, say No to stuff, but then when the ephipany hits

I have to have stuff - materials to express my ideas and hence,

I have alot of art stuff.

What is Love?
acrylic,pearls, paper on canvas
2010