works by title:
1. dust and bone (4x4)
2. in retrospect, this was our final goodbye
3. another playful noise
4. a patent on collapsing houses
5. in full bloom
6. this is my house
Paper Play
Last year, I felt called to play with printer paper as a medium and decided to explore a few methods. One technique I’ve always wanted to try was working with found images, creating digital collages, printing them, and digitizing the collage via scanning. With this as the foundation I then incorporated traditional mark making and mixed media techniques using a sketching paper. I wrote poems using automatic writing and scribbled them atop. And I finished the pieces by rescanning them and lightly enhanced the colors with simple contrast shifts or a texture overlay.
I really enjoyed this process for a few reasons: 1. printer paper is a relatively accessible and cost effective material, and 2. the process is super cathartic. To access the flow state requires a level of trust in the process that I am always looking to achieve in my work. It mimics the nature of life itself–being a passanger in the vehicle is just like letting the work lead you to new places you would have not expected had you forced your will upon it. Accessing this level of trust in the processes of my work allows this same sensibilty to manifest in the relationship I have with myself and with life around me.
Whats a process without diving into the pitfalls? The down sides of using printer paper seems to be perhaps the longevity and durability of the collage, the faded finish on the printer paper itself, and of course the cost of ink. Since these scans are slightly enhanced, the real life look of the prints are more faded than I like but being able to digitize the work allows me to preserve them and have them forever wherever I go.
Last year, I felt called to play with printer paper as a medium and decided to explore a few methods. One technique I’ve always wanted to try was working with found images, creating digital collages, printing them, and digitizing the collage via scanning. With this as the foundation I then incorporated traditional mark making and mixed media techniques using a sketching paper. I wrote poems using automatic writing and scribbled them atop. And I finished the pieces by rescanning them and lightly enhanced the colors with simple contrast shifts or a texture overlay.
I really enjoyed this process for a few reasons: 1. printer paper is a relatively accessible and cost effective material, and 2. the process is super cathartic. To access the flow state requires a level of trust in the process that I am always looking to achieve in my work. It mimics the nature of life itself–being a passanger in the vehicle is just like letting the work lead you to new places you would have not expected had you forced your will upon it. Accessing this level of trust in the processes of my work allows this same sensibilty to manifest in the relationship I have with myself and with life around me.
Whats a process without diving into the pitfalls? The down sides of using printer paper seems to be perhaps the longevity and durability of the collage, the faded finish on the printer paper itself, and of course the cost of ink. Since these scans are slightly enhanced, the real life look of the prints are more faded than I like but being able to digitize the work allows me to preserve them and have them forever wherever I go.