COLLAGE-A-THON

What fortunate beings we are to be human, we get to create!

The challenges we face, walking this earth in a human body that experiences such a diversity of emotional and physical sensation, is no small feat. Thank Goodness we have an aptitude for creativity! I can’t imagine going through life without being able to channel my experiences into a dance, a song, a story, a photo, a painting or … well you get it, the list of creative things humans can conjure up is never ending.

Collaging has become a great escape for me. Whatever is happening within, can be expressed outwardly through the art and craft of collage. I love spending an afternoon or evening absorbed in what I call, a Collage-A-Thon. The rest of the world gets locked out as I submerge myself into a world of magazines, cardboard, scissors, glue, markers, decorative paper and whatever else I have handy.

Usually, a collage-a-thon will occur when something deep down inside is itching to come out, I have a goal or intention that I want to set, or I just see an inspiring word or picture that flares up my artistic side. Sometimes, it's as simple as making a card for a friend or a cover for a journal or book. Whatever the reason, the result is usually me returning to life with something tangible that I have created, a better attitude, a fresh perspective and a sense of peace … I guess you could call that happiness.

Having a background in dance, meditation and other holistic practices, has added another dimension to my collage experience. I use these modalities to set the tone, get grounded, quiet my mind and connect to what wants to be expressed through me. This is a very important aspect of the process, guiding oneself to become present in the moment, allows for deeper access into our inner world.

The first step for a successful collage-a-thon is to prepare the space. To begin, I like to energetically cleanse the area by smudging with sage or sweetgrass. Essential oils in the diffuser will also cleanse the air and make the room smell great. I then create a simple altar with a candle, crystals and a few personal items that are related to what I am focusing on. Yep, collaging brings out my inner goddess.

Once the space is cleansed, I begin preparing my supplies. Having everything accessible and ready to go is helpful when in the midst of a creative surge. I begin with an organized space; markers and pencils in cups, separate piles of magazines and pictures that I have collected over time, containers for glue sticks, erasers and other miscellaneous items, and a couple good pairs of scissors … this, of course, ends in a frenzied wonderful mess!

Once the space is ready, it is time to prepare myself. Depending on my mood and how the day went, I choose a practice that best suits my energy level. If I am anxious or stressed, starting out with some movement or stretching to one of my favorite playlists is helpful. Singing (where no one can hear me, let's face it I am no Celine Dion) or playing my guitar is another great way I can calm my energy down. Then, most importantly, is meditation. Slow breaths, sitting, stillness … staring into nothingness really does do amazing things for the psyche.

And so I begin, with a blank cardboard slate before me. I really do enjoy the process of sorting through the piles of magazines. Finding just the right picture, color or word is amazingly gratifying, as visions of how they will be artistically placed together start to come to mind. By the time I start cutting, I have a pretty strong idea of where this is all going. The excitement builds as I transform magazine pages into different shapes and sizes, my inner “Edward Scissor Hands” emerges.

At this point, I pause in a moment of silence, as I contemplate the blank cardboard square in front of me. I take the first cutout and place it, then the second, and the third. Then I move the first one and place it next to the third one, nope, it was better before, I put it back. A fifth and sixth piece get placed on the board, then a seventh and eighth and so forth. Suddenly, as if by magic, a coherent piece of art work emerges and I have simultaneously found a positive outlet for my mild OCD. I look around and see, that indeed, a frenzied wonderful mess has occurred, mission accomplished.

Feeling elated and quite proud of myself, I glue all the pieces in place and set my new collage where I can view it. It is something from me, for me. It’s not for show, and in this world of sharing everything we do, there is something special in doing a task simply for one’s own self. I clean up the cut pieces of paper, re-stack the magazines and put them back into their box, place the pencils, markers, glue sticks, scissors and other miscellaneous items into containers, and return them all to their home on my art shelf. See you next time.

I think, one of the reasons why we love the creative process so much, is because it accesses so many parts of ourselves. Through collaging, I access my inner artist, story teller and dancer, my depth, pain and joy, my spirit and wisdom, my impatience and obsession with detail and my inner goddess gets to make an appearance too! They all get to play a part in the show, and through this, all have been acknowledged. My whole self is involved and therefore I am left with a feeling of wholeness. How fortunate we are to be human, we get to create!

* Quote by: Richard Wagner