A Messy Table Makes For Good Collage

The Dining Room Table This Morning

“We have to clean up,” Jon said last night.  It was after 11 and we just finished working on some collage cards.  “No,” I told him, “this is why artists have studios so they can work without having to worry about cleaning up.”

Well it’s one of the reasons anyway.

This morning after looking at the cards we made last night, I was glad for the messy table.

It’s probably over a month ago that Emily came to the farm and gave Jon a collage class. Since then we haven’t touched the box of supplies that Emily left with us.

But last night, after coming in from my studio where I was making some potholders, I had the urge to make something else.

I didn’t realize till I got home how whipped out I was from teaching the sewing class at Bishop Maginn.  It made me appreciate Sue Silverstein and all teachers, even more, knowing how much energy it takes to do what they do.

Making potholders is always soothing for me.  It’s a release and a way to keep my mind from flailing around.  At times it can be a meditation of sorts.  And that just what it was for me last night.

I guess I need more of that though, and that’s when I pulled out the box of supplies from Emily and the card stock that Jon bought.

As Emily showed us, I tore up a few pieces of paper and glued them onto the card stock.  Then, I stopped and looked.  Those pieces of paper could have turned into a few things, but they ended up being a bird.  And I can’t say where the words “You Cant Catch Me” came from.  They just popped into my head so I wrote them down.

The Bird, the Woman and the breakfast table

When Jon finished up the piece he was working on in his study,  he came out and joined me.  While he made his “Be Good” card I drew a woman and once again wrote the words that came into my head.

I think working on the collage loosened something up in me.  I wasn’t thinking at all about who would receive these cards.  If I was, I know I wouldn’t have written those words on them, because I can’t imagine who I would send them to.

Jon began another card and I made the “Breakfast Table”.  Looking at it now I can imagine where that came from.  I was fantasizing about a clean place to eat in the morning.

When Emily came and taught her class she opened the idea of collage up to both me and Jon.  Last night we pursued it.  The process and results were too intriguing for me not to do again.

It’s also a creative and fun thing to do with Jon.

Emily has been giving short video classes once a week on Instagram.  (Click here to see them) She usually talks about just one idea in each 5 minute(or so) video.

This week she announced she’s working on putting together a group Zoom Collage Class in January which I totally recommend if you have an interest in Collage or are looking for something creative to do in your own home, at your own dining room table. She also gives one-on-one Zoom Classes.

I have a friend who started painting after she took one of Emily’s Collage Classes. So you never know what it might lead to.

For more information about Emily’s Collage Classes you can email Emily at [email protected].

Jon’s “Be Good” Collage Card

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