Day One Hundred Two

"Obviously, that's why I did it."

I am thinking since I've passed the 100-day mark that I should perhaps revisit the background explanation for my collages.

I first began cutting paper when I was in my teens and my mom taught decoupage (and other paper arts) to ladies who didn't want to do their own intricate cutting...they paid me to do it and was hooked.
I have been making "Animal People" collages since the early 90's but these creatures have been a part of me for a long time and were/are frequent denizens of my dreams. I've always been a lover of fairy tales and of children's book illustrations...surely they were deep seeded inspirations. Collage works best for me because I don't have much confidence (patience?) in my drawing or painting abilities. I have a very difficult time getting what I see in my head onto paper or other surfaces.

Also, shortly after I started making the collages, I became aware of J.J. Grandville and his incredible animal headed people...I have/had no interest in the context or politics of his drawings, just the fantastical characters themselves.

I make my "Animal People" collages for Art-o-mat® with cuttings from magazines that are on the way to the recycle bin. Everything is hand cut and glued...no digital wizardry. I often wish I could alter the size of pictures and print them myself or get interested enough to take classes to learn how to do computery arts. The same chip in my brain that governs math, how to pack a suitcase efficiently or be interested in current affairs also covers the techno stuff...and it has been missing or damaged for a l-o-n-g time...LOL.

I am frequently amused by the synchronicity that occurs when the Universe asserts itself into what I am think I am doing by myself. Take today for example -- "Obviously, that's why I did it." -- was a snippet from an interview in a magazine that I was flipping through. I wasn't reading the article, it just jumped out at me. It fit because I rarely have any meaning in any of the collages I make. And when I was struggling with what to write today I decided to do all of this explaining.
When I re-read it just now before posting, the humor of it all falling together made me laugh out loud. Coincidence?... Perhaps.