Found paper, graphite, and acrylic paint on paper, 12 x 9 in
In her work, Sarah Z Short revitalizes vintage materials, crafting intricate collages that weave the unique character of each piece into new narratives. This creative preservation captures life's everyday moments, offering them a second existence. Through her layered compositions, Short invites viewers into a reflective space.
Mixed media on paper, 16 x 15 in
I am a collage artist and printmaker working with vintage materials. My compositions result from how my materials respond to being salvaged and repurposed. The paper tears, bleeds, or wrinkles and I have to decide if I want to leave it or cover it with something else. My pieces are about creating a new narrative for these materials that would otherwise end up in the trash.
Found paper and acyrlic paint on paper, 9 x 6 in
Through collecting pieces of our past, I keep a narrative alive. The writing on a milk bill or forgotten song lyrics on a piece of player piano roll are getting a second chance. I’m capturing the mundane moments of our everyday life in a piece of art.
Found paper, acrylic paint on paper, 9.25 x 7.5 in
Found paper, acrylic paint on paper, 9 x 6 in
I start by selecting a handful of papers based on the colors. I compose and glue as I go, layering the papers until the composition works. I usually don't stop until I think the piece is almost done. Then I let it rest for a bit before coming back for final revisions.
Found paper and fabric acrylic paint, on paper, 13 x 10 in
Melinda Tidwell taught me about composition and that vintage books could be used as collage fodder.
Found paper, acrylic paint on wood, 20 x 16 x 1.5 in
Sarah Z Short was born in 1979 in Massachusetts. She is currently based in Rhode Island, USA.
For Your Viewing Pleasure
Bill Noir (b. 1981) resides and creates in Strasbourg, France. Noir views collage as a product of wanderings—an alchemy of accumulating and repurposing found items, amassing illustrations and antiquarian texts, alongside the meticulous endeavors of sorting, purging, and structuring the chaos that defines the creative realm. His work embodies a journey through the tactile and the temporal, transforming discarded fragments into cohesive wholes that narrate new stories.
Jesse Willems (b. 1984) delves into the minutiae of daily life through photography, drawing, and collection. His work, utilizing aged paper, roadside flowers, and fleeting sunbeams, highlights the unnoticed beauty in the mundane. Willems advocates for a mindful observation to uncover such hidden splendors. Transitioning from dense early works, his style now embraces abstraction, characterized by soft hues and a serene simplicity, distilling memories to their essence.
Paola Dcroz, a Colombian-born artist residing in Madrid since 1995, combines her graphic design and advertising background with painting and printmaking skills. Her engagement with collage, intensified during lockdown, has become her main expression. Working from a home studio with a horizon-view window, Dcroz finds in collage a reflection of her essence and a source of transformative joy.
Wouter Tjeenk Willink, known as Mr. Nelson, is a Dutch graphic designer and illustrator. Transitioning from perfectionism to embracing semi-imperfection, he melds analogue and digital methods in his experimental work, which features collage and hand lettering. His creations, intuitively crafted, emphasize the human touch, standing out through their unique imperfections in a digitalized world.
Bob Voigts is a largely self-taught artist skilled in acrylics, mixed media, and digital arts. He founded Wordsworth Design in 1986, focusing on graphic design. Influenced heavily by his experiments with collage, art history studies, and the landscapes of Illinois and Missouri, Voigts admires American artists like Joseph Cornell and Robert Rauschenberg, which reflects in his work.
Out and About
What to watch, read, and experience, as curated by the Collé team.
READ
Joe Rudko - Scrapbook
PDX Contemporary Art is excited to unveil Joe Rudko's latest exhibition, running from February 1st to March 2nd, 2024. Rudko crafts his work by merging found photographs from various sources with his own images and drawings, creating unique photo collages and sculptures. This process accumulates fragments from countless images, which Rudko skillfully assembles into complex collages that weave together vibrant colors, mental maps, and fragmented memories.
WATCH
Aperture 235 - Summer 2019
This issue of Aperture, guest-edited by Tilda Swinton, draws upon the themes of Virginia Woolf’s prescient 1928 novel Orlando, revolutionary in both form and spirit, to offer original images and writings that celebrate openness, curiosity, and human possibility
LISTEN
La Sécurité - Stay Safe!
La Sécurité from Montréal/Tiohtià:ke delivers art punk with jumpy beats, unique arrangements, and simple tunes, echoing the city's neon nightlife. Their tracks suit dancefloors and carry Riot Grrrl-inspired messages about women's empowerment and the value of friendship and kindness. Artwork & Layout by Melissa Di Menna.
