Adventures in collage part 2 by Keren David

 This is going to be a very quick post, because the 8th has crept up on me yet again and I need to go to work imminently. And not just for the air conditioning which is very welcome.

Last time I wrote about how  -  with my writing creativity somewhat stalled -  I'd gone on a course in mixed media collage and how much I'd enjoyed it. It reminded me in certain ways of the course I did in 2008 in Writing for Children, which launched my career in children's books, but with the important difference that I was already a professional writer. With collage I have no relevant skills or experience or discernible talent.

(Or is that true? I did spend some happy years as Editor in Chief of a photographic agency, spending a lot of time looking at pictures. And I do spend quite a bit of time now working with graphic designers. So maybe I have some experience)

Anyway, what have I done since the course?  It would have been easy just to leave it there, a nice experience, but too daunting to carry on with. After all, the world (and instagram) is full of more talented artists.

But I have carried on! 

I have: 

 -  created an art supplies cupboard to store my stuff. The cupboard in our hall was one gigantic metaphor for the Covid years, stuffed with old tests and masks and hair clippers and the like. Now beautifully organised with pencils and pens and paints and paper, scissors and glue. I feel creative just looking in it and it makes it quick and easy to do some arty work.

 -  kept going. Grabbed moments. If I make one page of paper that can be cut up later to make a (not very good) collage then it is time well spent. 

 -  experimented. My absolute favourite collages of the last few weeks have been made from the newspapers that were splattered with paint from making other papers. (See below) 

 -  shared my work. I'm not sure why, but it felt important to record and share everything. Maybe to own my status as a total novice? 

And I feel that all of these things could be applied to absolute beginners in most fields-   especially writing. Commit to spending time on it. Get yourself prepared. Don't be embarrassed to share.  Experiment. And -  have fun.