Next Steps

Creating meaning through collage is a lot like figuring out how you see/understand yourself or what you want to bring to your life. Sometimes you may have a picture of your future goals and experience anticipation or excitement. At other times you may be convinced that you “know all there is to know” and find yourself tired, bored or frustrated. In these difficult economically uncertain times, it is common to feel stressed, overwhelmed and uncertain about how “everything will come together”. There may be more questions that solutions and it can seem hard to even find a place to begin the next step.

Here are a few possibilities to get you started. Take a few minutes and gaze at your materials. If you know your focus or theme, lay the image(s) that represent them before you. If that seems like “too much” or you’re uncertain of the next step, use your container or envelopes for organization and select images a few at a time. Notice your interest in each possibility. Choose several images that intrigue you. If the idea of picture doesn’t come, don’t despair. Choose an element to play with. Elements are building blocks in your collage vocabulary. Colors are an element. Assemble complementary (similar) or contrasting colors without a picture. Size is another element. Let yourself play with shapes in various sizes. Try nature scenes interspersed with textured or solid papers. See you if you can let your curiosity of the unknown guide you.

Now see if a picture or a theme comes to mind. This might be a goal such as finding a new job or be an emotional state you seek like peacefulness. Let yourself assemble the “primary” language” of this collage in your images, words, colors and shapes. Ask yourself, “What needs to be added?” The addition may be a re-arrangement of shapes or the addition or subtraction of a few details. Above all, notice if there is a critical voice that surfaces during this phase. Do your best to observe that this is simply one voice amongst others. Creating art is a process, that like living, flourishes with patience.

If possible, allow about an hour for this process. At the finish, see if you’re ready to “commit” to your collage. If so, use a glue stick or matte material to paste and save your creation. If you’re not finished, can you find a spot where your images can remain assembled until your next opportunity? What did you learn about yourself today? Were you able to find any new perspectives on your theme? Can you imagine what the next step might be?