October Collage Challenge #1

October Collage Challenge #1 - The Beginning

I love a monthly challenge which requires a daily art practice for a few weeks. Recently, I completed #The 100 Day Project. I enjoyed it but I'm not ready to tackle such a long distance activity again yet. Last month, I attempted #29 Faces, and am still completing them (only a few more to go). There are lots of really great challenges for October advertised on social media , but I thought, "Why not set my own challenge and then I own it completely!" Thinking of the most relaxing creative activity, I have set myself at least 20 torn paper and fabric collages for October. I am also trying to make "abstract" interpretations of things I see while walking in my neighbourhood or as in some of these, something experienced whilst on a recent trip to Nepal. I must emphasise that these are very loose interpretations and are not meant to look in the least like the photos of the real scene.

Inspired by a gymea lily .... I really love this plant, and enjoy photographing it and manipulating the images. This collage is another interpretation, taken from the sepia image with a colour focus.

Sunsets and sunrises are great subjects for collages and while I have taken liberal licence with the blues , hopefully you can see how the photo of this soft sunset informed the lines of the collaged pieces.

Another interpretation of the rich culture of Kathmandu ... I chose the colours and some simplification of the shapes rather than try to include much detail or form.

Looking in my box of "walk treasures" , I extracted some of the shapes of gumnuts and repeated them in a simpler outline form in this collage. While there were no oranges and yellows in my view, that's what I thought of rummaging through these sticks, leaves and seedpods.

I hope you can now appreciate the way I begin the process of creating these collages with torn paper and fabric and a little stitching. Watch this space please for more of these and more explanation as we proceed throughout October.

Note: I will be teaching a short collage workshop at Charlestown Library on 4 February 2020. Bookings at the library 02 4921 0792 https://library.lakemac.com.au

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