Recently my life has become a whirlwind of changes. In just a month I will be moving across country to Seattle, WA. This will be my first experience living anywhere other than Charlotte, NC, my hometown. In preparation for the big move all of my things have been scattered, packed, shipped, sold and all around relocated to new places that leave me with minimal resources to continue to produce artwork at the current moment. Instead of letting my artistic limitations restrict me from continuing to make things, I have embraced the limitations that have been put in front of me. Throughout the moving process I have had to downsize and reconsider all of my hoarding (I prefer collecting) tendencies. This has been a difficult process for me. Part of being a mixed media artist is collecting abundances of things that inspire as well as collecting a variety of materials to manipulate, reinvent or recycle.
In my quest to rid myself of all things unnecessary I came across a stack of old W magazines. Instead of making the logical decision to get rid of them, I have been using them to create quick “on the go” collages in my sketchbook. With just glue and scissors I have been able to create a portable project that has traveled with me as far as West Virginia and Seattle and as close as Boone and Mint Hill, North Carolina. I have found that sometimes it is rejuvenating to give yourself specific limitations in which to create. From these collages I hope to eventually make prints that can be combined into paintings.
Here is a sneak peek at a few:
Best friends ruling their separate pages, 2013
Flying 3,000 miles alone, 2013
Swimming in the belly of the deep dark sea, 2013
I also keep a tumblr for artistic inspiration and personal blogging. To view more of my sketchbook collages you can find them on my tumblr, Collector of Sorts.