Collage Art

Vintage images in the public domain are a treasure trove of inspiring images to use for collage work. There are tens if not hundrends of thousands of free images hidden away yearning to be seen again.

Addition and subtraction is a good way to form an abstract collage. Choosing the right images is essential for the piece to look cohesive and intentional. A good way to start is to choose images that have a similar color, or are within a color scheme. 

Designing a collage with a specific theme is more challenging for me. I like making collages in more of an abstraction, rather than an actualization. I convey the theme, by using images of failings in our world to mirror the idealistic world we cannot attain.

This work is an exercise in patience. Sifting through a monumental amount of archival images in an attempt to capture a fraction of the emotion that Stezaker conveys was a humbling experience. The fact that he can make his work appear almost thoughtless, yet convey so much with so little should be an aspiration for us all.

Vegemite Kid is an interpretation of the idea of facing danger. I include various motifs of danger: fire, war, pufferfish, Vegemite. The inclusion of the phrase “I’m still a Vegemite kid,” is, I feel, representative of an embracing of the fear and to be able to not let it stop you.

From Memory uses Albert Bierstadt's painting of Mount Starr King in Yosemite valley as the basis for the reimagining, incorporating elements of different artists' depictions of Yosemite to represent the different sketches he did. The roughness and noise represents the contrast between urban and natural environments, similar to the contrast Bierstadt must have felt painting in a New York studio. I reimagined the final painting as a shot of the New York skyline as a nod to Bierstadt's studio location.

These collages were crafted to embody the sentiments expressed in the accompanying phrase. While each collage is unique, they collectively convey emotions of bewilderment, inquisitiveness, and longing. Which can all be conveyed in the phrase “Please tell me what you’re doing?”