Almost creative!

 I am feeling a bit chuffed because I am having some creative thoughts!! 

I belong to a group of people who meet fortnightly to do paper collage. I got into it sort of accidentally because I had met the person who runs it - Anne Warren- several years ago at the Alphington Open Studios. 

Years later, we had some books to throw out and, being unable to just put them in the rubbish, I contacted her to see if she thought she could use them. The answer was yes!! 

She was just starting up a social get-together of interested people and invited me to attend. I went along, thinking I would only go the once but it has been a great social and creative meeting. We are very fortunate that the cafe that we meet at allows us to take over quite a few tables and do our thing. 

Anne has mentioned that we come from different backgrounds (artistically) and whether we could share some new ideas. I have been thinking about it and would like to contribute. Then I remembered a workshop I did with Kim Thittichai, years ago, and have been going through the notes from the class and the book that is related to what we did. (experimental textiles by Kim Thittichai). 

So this evening I have been trying some basic stuff. So far, I have used a stamp I made at the workshop and have printed with it, using acrylic paint, onto cartridge paper. 

I have then found some ink dye and gone over the background. Not great art but something to play with. I will probably tear it up into strips to make a new piece of paper. 

And I have done another piece of cartridge paper, also with acrylic paint and may try some Procyon dye on it tomorrow, when it has dried out enough. Don't want to push too hard tonight! 

I used the remains of the paint on the stamp, on the left, and it is much fainter. But I don't think it matters as I will be tearing or cutting the paper later. I think. 

Collage art

 We had a set of books that we thought we should get rid of. They were too gorgeous to just throw away and one family member had asked a second-hand bookshop if they wanted them - no. Then I thought of Anne Warren, a collage artist who lives in my local area. 

I had heard of her several years ago when she was involved in an Open Studios thing and which I attended. I had her email address. I asked her if she would like them and she said yes. Not sure she was expecting 24 books!

From that, I was invited to attend some casual sessions at a local cafe, where a group of people meet to do paper collage. (Station 9, Fairfield - so generous of them to allow this! And they have really NICE hot chocolate.)

I have been twice and have two small collages to show for it. They are not in my usual style - at all! But it has been a great learning experience so far (and social) and I am hoping to attend more in the near future. 

Thanks Anne. 

This was done on a small paint sample. 

This is bigger (believe it or not) and is about A5 size, using images from a diary from the 1980s and an NGV magazine.