Richard Guest from The Future is Papier Mâche asked me to be part of a blog hop. As I understand it, the purpose is to link artists of all sorts, by sharing their work and a little about their process. The Hop consists of telling a little about the artist who nominated you, answering four questions about yourself and nominating two other artists to carry on the hop. So here we go.
Richard is a street photographer among other things. He spends time most days taking pictures of stylish and intriguing people on the streets on London. He invites us to join him and shares with us where and how he came to choose each subject. They are invariably fascinating people. I love people watching, and so for me, Richard’s creative, interesting and stunning photos permit me to wander the streets of one of my favorite cities, staring with curiosity at the people who call London home. Enjoy.
Street Portrait of and for Oli by Richard Guest 2014
About Me : Wilma Millette of Creartfuldodger
How does my process work?
My process varies quite a bit. Sometimes an idea for a collage or assemblage just pops into my head as when someone once referred to me as a magpie and The borrower came into being.
Other times the ideas come from the materials themselves as in the Stickmen. I was gifted an old yard stick and was trying to think of something to do with it and then I was looking through my collection of old photos…and the idea to make stick people was germinated.
For the most part, I strive to convey some meaning in the pieces I do. I try to give some relevance to the materials I use. I love to use ordinary, often discarded objects and paper ephemera from the past. They have a certain beauty that is often lacking in the modern world of mass reproduction. I like to think that the people who made them all those years ago would be pleased that their work is being appreciated and valued.
How does my work differ from others in the genre? ( Hard question!!!)
Well there is certainly a wide variety of styles and materials used in collage and assemblage. There are some really wonderful, creative artists in this genre. I think perhaps that the combining of text with my pieces to create a narrative is something that not many collage artists do. Perhaps also, it is the juxtaposition of objects that do not normally go together that surprises and intrigues people.
What am I working on?
Lately I have become enamored of making assemblages in shadow boxes. I am ruminating on several ideas for more of those. I am however currently setting up a dedicated studio space in my home. My husband and I are scouring the salvage shops for vintage furniture pieces to hold my materials and to display my work. We found a great old dresser today to hold my collection of old papers. I have books, papers, atlases, found objects of all sorts. I want my new space to reflect the work I do and to display my materials in an artful way. I take much pleasure in organizing and playing with all the raw materials. I also plan to hold workshops in the late winter and early spring when the studio is complete.
Why do I do what I do? ( I agree with Richard, this does sound like a song title)
Because….I want to…is the short answer.
Here is the longer answer: I believe that to be a well-rounded healthy being, a person needs to have creativity in their life. All my life I have engaged in creative endeavors. It was encouraged in my family. I have tried various other genres of visual arts including, drawing, oil pastels, watercolor, clay, yadda yadda… with mediocre success. When I discovered collage/ mixed media I fell in love with it. This medium allows me to express my creativity in a way that is completely satisfying to me. It is the silver lining that came out of difficult year of nursing a very sick child. The happy ending is that he fully recovered and I discovered a source of great pleasure.
Here is my very first collage made during that very difficult time. It is called
The four corners of the earth
Here are my nominees.
Jenny Morbey over at This Rosy Life
I always look forward to Jenny’s new work, it make me smile. She exudes positivity and we all could do with a big dollop of that! On her blog page Jenny writes: It’s my dream to add rosy cheer to your world through my happy and whimsical art! She makes lovely, quirky, colourful collages and greeting cards with a happy, rosy, uplifting attitude. She creates them from her home studio in Barcelona. Enjoy!
Veronica Cay at Drawer(n) from life
Veronica is versatile artist from Australia. Her stunning 2D and 3 D pieces are made of ceramic, textile, found objects, mixed media and more. She is a storyteller. Her multilayered work acts as a vehicle for exploring identity and human relationships. I am mesmerised by her work. Enjoy!
