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Collage and Assemblage

Collage and Assemblage by Marcia Hero

 For years I've been accumulating odds and ends of things, rusty old grinding bits, saw blades, screws, doorknobs, keys, window locks, you name it. I also started to accumulate different papers, rice paper, khadi, mulberry, tea bag paper, artist tissue papers, to name a few. At the time, there was no plan for using these things. Then I discovered Assemblage, an art genre that allowed me the freedom of putting the disparate items together to make a 2D art piece. In fact, it's possible to combine Assemblage with Collage.

The technique known as Collage is thought to have been invented either by Picasso or by Georges Braque, who both developed a very unique Cubist style in 1912 as they boldly decided to paste bits of newspapers and sheet music onto their canvases, ushering in a new era of artistic experimentation. As it turns out, I love creating collage and the elements for collage. Assemblage is a passion also, but the finished pieces can be very heavy, so the final dimensions have to be manageable.

1. "Wings and a Prayer, Collage on Canvas, 8x10, $125

2. Steampunk Fascination, Assemblage, 32x19, $625

A New Fabric Piece by Marcia L. Hochstetter

 In this piece I used leaf printing, hand and machine quilting. There a A LOT of stitches on this piece. It brings together my love of nature, sewing and painting.

It’s been a surprising summer

 As summer is winding down, so am I-i have been busy beyond measure-creating paintings, keeping up with exhibits, family, and equally frazzled friends. And as tired as I am, I don’t think that I would have done anything differently, foolish me.

I still have lots of art ideas, all types of tool I want to give a try to-however first I am in need of a nap, and a cup of tea.

Enjoy the art. Debbie 

Vacation time by Patti Belbin

This blog is late because of my vacation, but about vacation....

Everyone needs vacation time. To decompress, re-energize, disconnect and reconnect, rest, do nothing or do everything, stay home or go places, and so many other things. I've been on lots of different kinds of vacation. Driving cross country. Amusement parks, Solo European adventures. An Alaskan cruise. Staycations. Camping. None are as great as the one I've been taking for more than a few years now.

Each year I take a weeks vacation to go up north to what might be called a retreat. Several of the Martini Girls (The other Martini Girls does what she wants, too, it just isn't this week.) get together and spend some time: one on one, all three together, individually. I could speak generally for the three of us, but I'm not going to. Mostly, because even though we are a group and all of the MG's are my sisters, we are still individuals.

As an individual, this week is sacred to me. I look forward to it like nothing else. This week allows me to recharge, sleep late, complete at least 1 important to me piece of art, experiment and spend important time with my Martini Girl family. 

It starts with an almost 5 hour drive for two of us. We chat almost nonstop, sharing stories and experiences that bind us closer together each time we make the annual drive. Our arrival is a celebration of being together again. The whole week is about shared meals, sleeping in, coffee together each morning, working together in the garage turned studio, a few outings, rides on the lake, and connecting.

Outside of just being together, art is the most important part. We work in the studio, talk about ideas and wanna tries, go at least one art show/gallery. Usually, I bring a piece that needs to be completed for an upcoming show. Once in a while, my work takes a turn away from my plan. This is almost always a good thing, as it was this year.

I had big plans to complete a collage/assemblage piece where some of the elements extended beyond the cradled panel, increasing the size of the work. The plan isn't as important as the work, though. Quite a bit of the bits and pieces needed were created prior to this trip, but the assembly of the piece was finished completely within the week; no elements going beyond the edges of the panel. I thought about ways I could incorporate those bits. They just weren't needed.  My current obsession with transformed ephemera on my collage/assemblage work and love of circles merged almost magically. Some of that magic stopped it from being overdone. It was very satisfying and exciting to create this piece. With my sisters. On vacation. . 

These are always among my favorite pieces. Just a look at any one of them brings me right back to th.e week. We don't take nearly enough photos when we are together. Turns out, they really aren't needed; the weeks live in my heart and mind. 

Maybe this isn't your idea of vacation. That's okay. You need to do you and I hope you do find what can inspire you, that makes it wonderful to create your art and fills your heart. 

Patti Belbin 

Snippet of "Moonlit Garden"

A Little Sketchbook Fun by Marcia Hero

 I had a little fun playing in my sketchbook today. Transparent fluid acrylics layered on top of each other, some dark marks added for contrast, and then some Asemic writing in gold for a little bling.

Obsessions

 I was at a meeting recently and the method we used to introduce ourselves was unusual. Of course, we said our name, where we were from and then ,what our primary medium is followed by what our latest obsession is. My primary is cold wax and my obsession is collage/assemblage. What used to be flat and smooth with occasional texture changed to very textured and rarely flat. The first image below is cold wax. And the second, one of my first forays into collage. A monoprint, use of a handmade stencil, wire and foiled/painted twigs. 

 

Working smaller is easier. Exploring mediums and materials, what they do and what they can become, how they can tell a story or take the viewer places. My favorite part of collage is creating my own ephemera. Transforming materials, wire, paint, tissue paper, metal, found objects into sparkly, grungy, antiqued, molded, folded, wonderful bits. Finding new ways to transform, unusual use of products, happy accidents, awful results, but the most fun and fulfilling creative endeavors I've had in a while.

All of the Martini Girls, except for me, included collage/assemblage in their repertoire. We all watch videos and find new products, make our own secret formulas (that we promptly share), wave our artistic magic wands and viola....art. I was pretty sure I wasn't ever going to do collage and I said so. And for years, I didn't. But I learned how to make monoprints and Eco prints...before I knew it, I was off to the races. And having a grand time.

 

Go out there and experiment. Play with materials you don't normally, or have avoided on purpose. Just try something new, or just slightly different. Make a mess, have fun. Wave your artistic magical wand, see what your viola is.