A couple of weeks ago an invitation to take a class popped up on Facebook. “Tiny Tattered Houses” would be a three-night class in collaging, conducted by Jennifer Chamberlin. I thought it sounded like fun, so I signed up.

Well, after three nights of watching, splashing paint around, playing with inks and scissors and glue I was hooked! Jennifer’s approach was so loose and carefree, I quickly ran (Yes. With scissors.) and veered off the class’s intended path, creating my own old barn scenes. Honestly, I haven’t had so much fun creating in years!

I made four 7″ X 8″ boards with what I can only describe as Early American-inspired old farm scenes. I tore sheets out of old Encyclopedia Brittanicas that are crumbling into dust in my studio. What a perfect use for these beautiful pages! I cut out shapes and patterns from magazines. I painted plain old printer paper to create background textures. My studio table was a huge disaster area! And the time flew by.

This is what “art” is about. Getting lost in something, and not wanting to come up for air. I had no plan. No agenda. No idea, really, of what I wanted to create. My hands took over and I stopped worrying about what I was doing. When I finished, I stepped back, took a deep breath and opened my eyes to what I had made. 

Since then I’ve made a larger one with a foxhunt theme and I’m working on a special project that I can’t talk about yet… So. Much. Fun.

Collage. Who knew?