From Complex to Minimal: When Art Takes a Right Hand Turn

Taking an online workshop is a new adventure for me. The one I'm currently taking with Jane Davies on monoprinting with the Gelli plate and collage has been extremely interesting and informative. I don't have to park myself in front of the computer at a specific time; I can watch the video for each lesson, read over the instructions, and complete the exercises whenever it suits me. Which is certainly helpful, since I seem to be spending more time at doctors appointments nowadays than I ever thought possible.

One of the exercises requires us to use only a handful of very simple shapes -- square and rectangles -- that combine collage elements plus prints made on the Gelli plate. Jane's instructions were to leave plenty of white space while adhering to a grid format for the placement of the prints and collaged papers..

Now, leaving plenty of white space is not in my nature. I subscribe to the "more is more" school of thought. I adore complexity and pattern in my art and that of everyone else. So when I was challenged by Jane to create a minimum of six of these minimalist pieces, I was a bit put off. At first, anyway.

©2016 Lynn Edwards

©2016 Lynn Edwards

©2016 Lynn Edwards

As I proceeded to complete the exercise, I was reminded once again that simplicity can be a very good thing. I actually liked the results I was getting! The three pieces above are my favorites out of the half dozen I created.

Jane had urged us to not worry about composition, but instead to concentrate on the purpose of the lesson, which was to become familiar with the effects of applying a printed shape over a piece of collage, and vice versa.

Being a longtime collage artist I was pretty well versed in those things, but it had been ages since I had deliberately chosen to work with a bare bones, pared down, totally simple design. As I began creating each small collage, I found myself appreciating the white space more and more. By the time I finished the sixth piece, I had become entranced with it. "Going Zen" was like enjoying an unexpected, sudden breath of fresh air in a stuffy, overheated room. It was liberating, exhilarating even!

Sometimes it's good to get a wakeup call. I plan to heed this one by creating work that's less complex and less complicated in the future. But I don't plan to abandon complexity altogether. Instead I'll let this lesson inform my future pieces and see where it takes them. Already I'm eager to see what new discoveries there are to be made. That's just another facet of the excitement to be found working in mixed media and collage.

Text and images ©2016 Lynn Edwards

Making Collage Papers With a Gelli Plate

Every now and then it's good for an artist to take a workshop. A workshop can introduce artists to new techniques, expand their knowledge of the medium they use, and connects them with others in the arts community.

I've had the good fortune to study with Bob Burridge and Carrie Burns Brown in workshops consisting of five solid days of immersion in abstract painting (Burridge) and in collage (Burns-Brown). Both were remarkable experiences that benefited me in countless ways. So when another of my favorite artists, Jane Davies, announced an online collage workshop on monoprinting with a popular new tool called a Gelli Plate, I jumped at the chance to enroll.

Single color collage papers made using a gelatin plate, stamps, stencils and various household items in Jane Davies' online workshop.   ©2016 Lynn Edwards

 Monoprinting is the act of creating a single print by pressing a sheet of paper onto a "plate" onto which paint or ink has been applied, then carefully lifting or "pulling" the sheet of paper away to reveal the resulting image. Plates can be made from a variety of materials, including glass and gelatin. For Jane's workshop, I'm using a commercially made plate called a Gelli Plate that, unlike home made versions, is very sturdy and does not break down or disintegrate over time.

If you've never experimented with monoprinting on a gelatin plate, you owe it to yourself to give it a try, particularly if you're into collage and making your own papers. With it you can make papers that are uniquely yours, in endless color combinations featuring designs of your own creation, until the cows come home. For a collage artist, it's Nirvana!

The photo above shows some of the papers I made in my first effort. I quickly learned that the Gelli Plate seems to require a breaking-in period; at first, the paint coverage seemed spotty and there were odd shadowy shapes of unexplained origin on the initial prints. But now that I've made well over 75 monoprints with my Gelli Plate, it has seemed to settle down and my monoprints now have a much smoother, more pleasing appearance.

What makes this cool little tool so much fun to use? The results you get are totally unpredictable. You may think you know what something is going to turn out like, but with Gelli Plate printing, it's just one surprise after another. Often, what emerges is so much more visually interesting than what you anticipated.

For example, I discovered that a technique Jane shared with us to remove dried paint from the plate resulted in a very exciting looking design when I substituted a piece of colored card stock for plain white drawing paper. This then led to the discovery that I could get yet another whole different look by pressing some of my older, textured and painted papers onto the wet plate. I'll share  these with you in my next post, just as soon as I can get them photographed. Meanwhile, here's a sampling of some very basic, two color papers I made in the workshop. Stay tuned, there are far more exciting papers yet to come!

Papers made by layering one color over another color. The surface designs were made using combs, stencils, notched scrapers, foam stamps and other tools. © 2016 Lynn Edwards

 Text and images ©2016 Lynn Edwards

Six Essential Books for Collage and Mixed Media Artists

In yesterday's blog I mentioned collage artist and workshop instructor Jane Davies and how helpful I have found her books. This led to the idea that you might find a list of good books on collage and mixed media helpful. With so many titles out there, perhaps my list of favorites will help you make your choices. Here are six books I refer to time and again. They're in no particular order:

Collage Techniques: A Guide for Artists and Illustrators by Gerald Brommer
Acrylic Revolution: New Tricks and Techniques for Working with the World's Most Versatile Medium by Nancy Reyner
Surface Treatment Workshop by Darlene Olivia McElroy and Sandra Duran-Wilson
Image Transfer Workshop: Mixed Media Techniques for Successful Transfers by Darlene Olivia McElroy and Sandra Duran-Wilson
Collage Journeys: A Practical Guide to Creating Personal Artwork by Jane Davies
Creative Collage Techniques - Nita Leland and Virginia Lee Williams

The above titles aren't the only ones I'd recommend. In my next post I'll be listing several more. If you have additional suggestions, I'd love to hear from you.

©2014 Lynn Edwards

Painting Collage Papers: A Resource to Jumpstart Your Art

Today was the day I customarily paint with my good friend Kathy. After we finished working on our respective projects (she painted a lovely abstract and I worked on my collaged mosaic pendants) we watched a DVD. Today's choice was "Scribble Collage With Handpainted Paper" by Jane Davies, from Creative Catalyst Productions.

Creative Catalyst produces videos that are top notch quality, and I've been a longtime fan of Jane Davies' work. (I highly recommend Jane's books. If you're into collage, or want to be into collage, they're an  invaluable resource.)  It was a real treat to watch Jane demonstrate her processes for making collage papers on this video. It was loaded with techniques for creating gorgeous collage papers. I came away from it resolving to include more time for making 2D fine art. And with my brain spinning with all kinds of creative ideas thanks to Jane!

Making jewelry has become a major obsession but I do not want to neglect the part of me that enjoys expressing myself on canvas.So tomorrow will be a day devoted to making more collage papers. My collage stash is running low.....time to replenish it! I can hardly wait to get out to my studio to paint!

©2014 Lynn Edwards