Small works on paper

Abstraction is new for me. In early 2018, I was looking for a more direct way to explore colour and composition than the more representational subject matter I’ve always been drawn to. In a sense, it was like learning everything all over again. I soldiered on, like I’ve done in the past, not sure where the journey was taking me, but feeling excitement over where I was headed. I filled sketchbooks and even the walls of my little studio shed with small studies.

My collaging papers are a part of the process. I apply acrylic paint to light sketchbook paper with brushes, rollers, combs, Gelli Plates, lino stamps, acrylic markers, crayons, pastel and more. I usually begin by cutting a few shapes from the some collaging papers or looking through my pile of scraps. I arrange them on paper and proceed intuitively. Often, I cut up older studies and give them new life by incorporating them into newer ones, looping backwards, and creating a reference and richness to my process and progress.

Drawing gives energy to the collage elements. I incorporate drawing as needed, anytime during the process. I’m experimenting with the relationship between the drawn line, collaged shape and the overall visual outcome.