Collaging with Paint
A review of past works
I recently returned to collaging larger pieces using paint and cold wax and it's been a welcome addition to my studio table these past couple of weeks. So, in lieu of any new small works or prompts to share this week (or last, apparently), I’m bringing out a selection of my painted collages from the past five years for a short materials review to inspire some experimentation. I’m starting with the piece above, my first foray into collaging with vintage papers. (Little did I know then where this diversion would take me!)
A Harmony Breathes in a Moment’s Pause
Oil paint (mostly Gamblin paints)
Cold Wax (Gamblin)
Cradled Birch Board
Hand-carved stamps (made using Speedball’s Speedy-Carve Blocks)
Hand-knit fiber collagraphs printed on Kitakata paper using a tabletop press
I continued working with these materials, which led me to a new body of work. In all these pieces, I primarily incorporated pages from a childhood birding book. The 1966 Golden Field Guide Series, Birds of North America, was a classic introduction to birding that my parents bought for me during one of our annual family camping trips on the Oregon Coast. It was a cherished childhood possession that had started falling apart. When I found a duplicate copy in a used bookstore, I finally gave myself permission to do something fun with the pages of my original copy, which inspired the series title, “Unbound.”
The following year, I continued to explore painted collages but wanted to push them further by incorporating stitches and fiber in meaningful yet unobtrusive ways.
Heartbeat
… I recorded 18 runs [in the MacDonald Forest] from October 16, 2020 to April 30, 2021, logging over 78 miles in rain, snow, fog, and even a little sunshine. Here I found the time I needed for reflection, renewal, and gratitude for the gifts of this forest wonderland.”
A Painter’s Journey - Art found in Process, Poetry, & Possibility ~ Jennifer Lommers
In addition to the oil paint, papers, and stamping processes used in the previous pieces, Heartbeat includes metallic thread hand-stitched into bookbinding paper.
Additional Materials
Arches Watercolor Paper, Cold Press, 140lb (in retrospect, I would’ve chosen the 300lb paper for my painting substrate)
White Gesso (to prep the watercolor paper for oil paint)
Acrylic Matte Medium (for adhering stitched papers to the gessoed surface)
I continued to build on these experiences, sometimes using Acrylic paints, inks, oil paints, a variety of handmade and purchased papers, and stitching techniques - from cross stitch to machine stitching.
In 2023, I was then asked to make poster art for the Salem Art Fair with the theme of “Joy.”
The Secret Life of Joy
This piece, inspired by a poem, extended my collage practice further with paper cutouts of floral shapes and blanket stitches carefully sewn directly into the substrate using a bookbinding awl to guide me.
Using oil paint, artist crayons, ink, and Yupo paper both as a substrate and to cut out painted pieces - the stitches secured the elements together while “bubbling” off the page toward an inexplicable daytime moon.
It was during this time that I was also coming into ownership of a large collection of vintage materials.
BKind Vintage Materials Collage
In 2023-2024, I finally started playing with smaller unpainted collages using a broader collection of materials, which led me to where I am today and to creating
Returning to painting with collage last week, though, was a rewarding experience - one you can read more about in my latest Artist Note: On being an artist. The two newly finished pieces below reminded me of those first bird-and-botany painted collages of 2020. I feel myself coming full circle. I’m back where I started but with a much broader grasp of the materials and a new perspective on what these marks mean and the stories they tell.
I’m looking forward to seeing where I go from here - but not too far!
Collage O will return next week with another little prompt for your next little work of art. In the meantime, I hope this short review of my material choices over the years will encourage some of your own experimentation.
Happy creating,
Jennifer
Beautiful!💕✨