“Learn by little the desire for all things
which perhaps is not desire at all
but undying love which perhaps
is not love at all but gratitude
for the being of all things which
perhaps is not gratitude at all
but the maker’s joy in what is made,
the joy in which we come to rest.”
— Wendell Berry
Off La Salle
collage landscape by J A Dixon
9.75 x 7.875 inches
Les Cheneaux Series
Collage is always about the ingredients. They will provide the stimulus, the catalyst, the “muse,” if you will, that leads to an unexpected next step. They can provide a clue to follow, the suggestion of continuity, and sometimes one piece of paper is the puzzle solution that you never saw coming. Respond to ingredients intuitively, and learn to recognize a spontaneity that isn’t driven by thoughts or feelings. What seems right for the context? It is a sense that an element does or does not “belong,” whether it is a harmonious similarity or an energetic contrast.
A Tolerable Complexity
collage experiment by J A Dixon
6.875 x 9 inches
Please attend my gallery talk about the LITTER-ally KENTUCKY landscape exhibition at Art Center of the Bluegrass,
10/21, Tuesday evening, 6–7pm.
An image from a dozen years ago reminds me of how many small experiments I made to retain dexterity, to improve skill at paper manipulation, and to reinforce my confidence that intuition is worthy of trust. Over a thousand miniatures, probably more. It was necessary to counteract “The Runaway Machine,” and the practice revealed a path to my current focus as a collage artist. Talent has its limitations and is often over-rated, but creative development can be ongoing and boundless. I am grateful that it works this way.
The New Number Two
collage experiment by J A Dixon
5.5 x 3.75 inches
Most assuredly, Christ is our king.
Only the Master
collage on book cover by J A Dixon
8.875 x 11.25 inches
