From the depths of keepsake piles in my mother’s house emerged a Father’s Day card and a birthday gift that I made in the 1970’s. The inside of the Father’s Day card contained a car and some of my thoughts. The Father’s Day message became the centerpiece for a recent collage in his honor. The …
Category archives: Artwork
Frog Tree, Flower Tree, Toad and Heron Collages by Catherine
Floral River
To make the floral river, I used handmade papers, fabric flowers, ink, and paint-pens. I hope the river is a cheering river!
Empire Gown Thought Bubble
Living the Moment for David Oliver (1942-2015)
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 …
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Collage Class Freshens Perspective and Technique
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.
Elissa’s Collage by Catherine
External Validation 1987
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 …
Holiday Collages by Catherine
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.
Wispy Walker Paper Doll Clothes Repurposed
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 …
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Jenny’s Purple Tuftscape
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 …
Wistful Seal and Being Here (Collages by Catherine)
Three Collages for Spring 2014!
Frogs’ Mosiac Green Room Collage by Catherine
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). …
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Ravens Three, Collage by Catherine
Three ravens consider life among the swirling patterns.
Chinchillas and a Still Pool
Two chinchillas are spending time beside a still pool. The word “still” comes from an old letter from a friend.
Knitted Eagle Collage by Catherine
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.
Mosaic Dream Waves Exhibit and Collage Workshop at Runnymede Library
Mosaic Dream Waves appears two years after my first public art exhibit, Maps of Loss: Rivers, Ruins, and Grief. On display until July 31 at Runnymede Library, Mosaic Dream Waves has a lighter approach than my previous display. Turning from melancholy to playfulness, the artwork pictured here invites you to visit an inner landscape where …
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Corn Goddess Collage by Catherine (Plus Bookmark)
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.
New Curtains for “Waves on Stage” Collage by Catherine
“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.