Category archives: Artwork

Even though I never met David Oliver in person, his larger-than-life presence on Facebook made a deep impression on me. Through a hometown connection to his son Brad, I learned about David’s efforts to create a compassionate model of end-of-life care. I also discovered how much Brad and David loved Rush after a double-strength dose …

Continue reading “Living the Moment for David Oliver (1942-2015)”

As a mostly self-taught collage artist,  I had never studied the medium formally until I took an eight-week course this fall. I am so grateful I decided to attend Donnely Smallwood’s class at the Toronto School of Art, for it helped me look at collage through fresh eyes and taught me new techniques.    

The décollage External Validation 1987 emerged from the process of playing with the construction (and deconstruction) of identity based on artifacts of official achievement: grade reports, standardized test scores, photographs, newspaper articles, and a badge from a 1987 teen pageant. As I worked on the piece, it felt cathartic to glue down and tear back …

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Along with flip flops, sunscreen, and a hat, I did not forget to take my collage bag with me on vacation! I made the following collages on rainy days and quiet evenings in a hotel in Elliot Lake, Ontario.

As my mother clears boxes of old papers from her house, hundreds of pieces of ephemera have surfaced from previous decades, including a set of Wispy Walker paper doll clothes that I played with in the 1970’s. The pantsuits, nightgowns, and dresses were too unique to simply throw in the recycling bin, so I kept …

Continue reading “Wispy Walker Paper Doll Clothes Repurposed”

Four years ago today, I lost a childhood friend to cancer. She was only forty-one years old. To celebrate Jenny and her love of all things purple and fun, I’d like to dedicate this tufted art piece to her memory. I communed with her playful, artistic spirit as I built layers of paper with matte …

Continue reading “Jenny’s Purple Tuftscape”

Six years ago, I bought Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm’s The Druid Animal Oracle Deck  with the intention of offering collage workshops based on animal teachings. My friend Ellen Jaffe and I gave the deck a trial run at a home yoga studio, each of us selecting a card at random without looking at the illustrated …

Continue reading “Animal Spirit Guides Inspire Collage Art!”

   

 

Over the past few months, I’ve been enjoying the chance to meet with a friend and make collages in response to The Druid Animal Oracle Deck by Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm. Last week, I selected Frog, whose key words are Sensitivity, Medicine, and Hidden Beauty and Power (page 19, The Druid Animal Oracle Deck booklet). …

Continue reading “Frogs’ Mosiac Green Room Collage by Catherine”

Three ravens consider life among the swirling patterns.

Two chinchillas are spending time beside a still pool. The word “still” comes from an old letter from a friend.    

This rare species of knitted eagle is surprisingly at home in the water as well as the sky. Much less predatory than its non-textile cousins, the knitted eagle enjoys a quiet life of introspection.

When making a Corn Goddess, I recommend having a supply of thread, handmade papers, and stickers on hand. Once completed, she is ready to celebrate the summer solstice with you.    

“Waves on Stage” (2011) now has new curtains on top! The piece has been gussied up just in time for my July 2013 exhibit at Runnymede Library, Mosaic Dream Waves.

This paper doll emerged from the scraps of a previous project. Many of the various elements just seemed to want to be together! The metallic paper background is fun to photograph because it changes color depending on the location of the light source. From shiny to mysterious in two images!  

Today my in-laws celebrate fifty years of marriage. Congratulations Heather and Robin! This collage is for you!