Let her hopes not be diminished.
May her aspirations be magnified.
Dreams Intensified
collage artwork by J A Dixon
8 x 10 inches
(for the #findingcalmwhilewewait project)
Dreams Intensified
May 17th, 2020a ‘Mother’s Day / Collage Day’ weekend
May 10th, 2020
“And if my own children
should come to a day,
When a new Mother comes
and the old goes away,
I’d ask of them nothing
that I didn’t do.
Love both of your Mothers
as both have loved you.”
— Joann Snow Duncanson
Happy Happy to all the mothers on their day of honor!
The two 10x10s I posted yesterday on Instagram are my salute to World Collage Day, an international event contrived to celebrate and boost participation in the medium. The ingredients were generously sent to me by members of the Arizona Collage Collective. Using elements not personally selected was a rewarding exercise — an opportunity to better understand the distinction between my process of spontaneous composition and choosing qualities in the subject matter itself. For those who enjoy seeing my newest work, follow “thecollageminiaturist” at Instagram, too.
When You’re Going through Hell
collage on structured panel by J A Dixon
10 x 10 x 1.5 inches, unframed
available for purchase
When the Going Gets Tough
collage on structured panel by J A Dixon
10 x 10 x 1.5 inches, unframed
available for purchase
It’s all about the stash.
April 29th, 2020“This is a stash, not a hoarding disorder.”
— source unknown
I guess that I’ve been stashing printed scrap since I was in my teens. Not so much as a collector, but acquiring things that caught my eye in a particular way. It grew into an illustrator’s reference “morgue” for client assignments, and then it gradually became my primary source for collage ingredients. I’ve got enough stuff to last “the duration,” but I’m always looking for peculiar finds. In the interest of domestic tranquility, quantity is no longer desired nor sought.
Although the process of collage creation involves many essential things, the practice of collage is all about the stash. One must periodically reorganize and refine it. New ideas inevitably result.
The only thing an artist gets to keep . . .
April 25th, 2020“These days it is so easy to document your artistic trail. It is just a matter of organizing oneself to do it step by step, so it doesn’t get out of hand.”
— Cecil Touchon
Nobody needs me to point out that there are a lot of fellow artists exploiting cyberspace to cry, “Pay attention to me! Pay attention to me!” Contrast this with those who are truly making a mark on the history of contemporary collage. Among them are the “thought leaders” in our medium. In my opinion, Cecil Touchon is one of those individuals. (And his highly imitated artwork is extraordinary, too.)
Follow this link to read Cecil’s important recommendations about keeping a chronologic creative trail.
Fusion Series #3351
collage on paper by C Touchon
ceciltouchon.com
The Oxidation of Reduced Elasticity
April 18th, 2020“While I use titles that reveal information about the work, I also seek words and phrases that can veil or obscure. I seek titles that support work, but I also seek words and terms that challenge or engage the viewer. I tend to be most satisfied when a title has a bit of mystique or tension. Interestingly, I find that as a work is coming to conclusion, and I know it is almost finished, title ideas tend to flow forth. I write down these ideas and impressions, and then go rather methodically through a decision making process until I am satisfied with a solution.”
— Jane Nodine
The miniature featured here was selected for the permanent collection, chosen from the seven pieces that I sent to Santa Fe for exchange. If you’re scratching your head about the titles within my overall series, I don’t blame you. The odd word combinations evolved from baking terminology (the exchange theme), fused with aspects of the prevailing public health crisis, and, to a lesser degree, visual associations with the artwork itself. I rarely find naming to be an effortless process. Every once in a while, it’s just as smoothly intuitive as creating a collage.
Something that comes more easily for me than titling is color harmony, particularly after a scheme has emerged early in the collage process. And then I find myself rejecting certain ingredients for no other reason than a balance of hues. There are always exceptions, of course. Some compositions tend to demand a “maximalist” approach that accommodates a fuller spectral array. The more complicated a composition, the greater challenge it presents in my choosing a satisfactory name for it. If the process becomes a bit too rational, the task is set aside. When I come back to it, the working title is often scrapped and something more spontaneous is the permanent choice.
The Oxidation of Reduced Elasticity
collage miniature by J A Dixon
8 x 10 inches
part of a series created for the
Baker’s 1/2-Dozen Collage Exchange
— acquired for the IMCAC permanent collection
The Congestion of Microcosmic Zest
April 16th, 2020
The Congestion of Microcosmic Zest
collage miniature by J A Dixon
8 x 10 inches
part of a series created for the
Baker’s 1/2-Dozen Collage Exchange
— distributed in the exchange
The Absorption of Refracted Joss
April 14th, 2020
The Absorption of Refracted Joss
collage miniature by J A Dixon
8 x 10 inches
part of a series created for the
Baker’s 1/2-Dozen Collage Exchange
— distributed in the exchange
The Stockpiling of Expectant Mirth
April 12th, 2020
The Stockpiling of Expectant Mirth
collage miniature by J A Dixon
8 x 10 inches
part of a series created for the
Baker’s 1/2-Dozen Collage Exchange
— distributed in the exchange
The Overexposure of Stiff Peaks
April 10th, 2020
The Overexposure of Stiff Peaks
collage miniature by J A Dixon
8 x 10 inches
part of a series created for the
Baker’s 1/2-Dozen Collage Exchange
— distributed in the exchange
The Exclusion of Caramelized Preferment
April 8th, 2020
The Exclusion of Caramelized Preferment
collage miniature by J A Dixon
8 x 10 inches
part of a series created for the
Baker’s 1/2-Dozen Collage Exchange
— distributed in the exchange
The Aroma of Fermented Proximity
April 6th, 2020
The Aroma of Fermented Proximity
collage miniature by J A Dixon
8 x 10 inches
part of a series created for the
Baker’s 1/2-Dozen Collage Exchange
— distributed in the exchange