Author: Eibhlin

In this collage, “where we grew up” isn’t just about place. It’s more about the happy, fantasy worlds we escaped to in our childhood. For me, that was fairy tales. I probably read every Andrew Lang fairy tale book… all the colors. And then discovered “A Wrinkle in Time,” and so on. Those are the…

This collage is about hope. It’s about moving away from the serious, black-and-white life of the past. Embracing the full spectrum of experience that awaits us in the sunlight. Choosing the pigments – the colors – we want to use in our everyday lives. Rediscovering whimsy, and fun… just for the sake of fun. It’s…

This is one of my simplest collages so far. It may also have the clearest message. We may be in the middle of a move to a new apartment. I’m not sure. It’s a distraction I’d rather not have, right now, but it seems like the season for sweeping changes. (But really, I’d rather not…

In a way, this collage is a logical extension of my work from the previous day. (Looking Forward and then A New Start) Yes, I deliberately chose images of confident women of color. There is a nod to tradition – the marble supports at the upper left – and the boundaries we’re moving beyond, represented…

Today’s collage was part of a gradual process. Suddenly, I saw more of myself – my internal messaging – in my collages. Apparently, my collages – at least some of them – are a form of art journaling. (Others are simply whimsy. Or inspiration, depending on what sparked the piece.) In this one, I see…

This is the first of two collages I created, realizing the uncertain path ahead. Living in the U.S., where we’re not sure what may happen between now and the upcoming change in government, anxiety is reasonable. For this piece, I chose images that reflect the light and dark elements of this process. Perhaps it was…

It started with the word “Dreaming,” a mixed teal rectangle, an aerial view of a New England town, and a woman’s pensive expression… mostly her eyes. This was my first collage (of three) today. Next, I found the words “A Story” and then “worth telling, worth finding.” I feel as if each has an important…

Color, unity, and contrast… those were the elements that attracted me as I created this torn-paper collage. It was my second collage of the day. Shades of blue – especially leaning towards teal – have always been my color “comfort zone.” And, as someone with auburn hair, I’ve always liked the contrast. Blue and orange/brown,…

When I saw the magazine photo of the woman walking away, and she was in a fairly empty landscape, it spoke to me about the role of women… and gender issues, in general. The sometimes-solitude of labels and compartmentalization, whether it’s by appearance, gender, age, race, accent, or whatever. From there, I built out this…

Sometimes, plans go awry. This collage… Well, it was intended as an 8″ x 10″ work, so the support I started with was 8.5″ x 11″. But, as I kept working, it grew. The collage elements include images leftover from yesterday’s piece (Resilient collage), especially the balcony photo at the far left of this piece….

As I was creating this collage, the word “resilient” seemed to leap off the page. It’s definitely the theme for this, though I won’t pretend I understand the significance of everything in this mixed media piece. (I work intuitively. If a collage element seems to make visual sense, I use it.) At the moment, we’re…