I've been doing quite a bit of thinking lately about my relationship with art. One of the things I've come to realize is that my art isn't truly personal. It is more of an exercise in composition or color, or an experiment with materials or techniques. I think I approach creating this way because it is relaxing. It is easier to cope with a mistake or unexpected direction if one isn't quite sure what one is trying to say in the first place! Once I figured this out, I vowed to not always take the comfortable path. I challenged myself to make something personal.
Not ready to jump right into the complex themes of adult angst, I went back to an easier time. I started with a picture of myself holding a huge cake on my fourth Birthday. As I am confessing in this collage, Birthday cake is my favorite food. (Note the heart that says "first love"!) I also used one of my favorite colors - pink! I could have glittered it up and put a party hat on my own head, but that isn't really me. In general, I prefer matte finish to shiny. I am an avid reader and I chose to use a page from an old children's book as the base of the collage. The secondary text is from a vintage birthday cake recipe.
There is not much to this collage - it is only a personal moment in time. It was so much fun, however, I expect there will be more snaggle-toothed art in my future.
Suzanne
This is so adorable! I love that you used a picture of yourself. That cake looks pretty tasty - I am in love myself.
p.s. When I first saw the title I thought it was going to be a House Mouse card. ;-)
Posted by: shelly | June 16, 2009 at 09:07 PM
Gaaa!! I am trying to be honest with my art, but I wasn't ready to publicly "out" myself about the abnormal House Mouse obsession I used to have!
... "Hello. My name is Suzanne and I was a House Mouse addict. I used to own approximately 50 mousie stamps. They have long since been given other homes... but I still have the color catalog..."
Posted by: Suzanne M. | June 16, 2009 at 09:15 PM
Yummy sweet collage!
Love your photo, so precious.
Carol
Posted by: Carol Ryan | June 17, 2009 at 07:10 AM
Too funny! I have friends that suffer from the same HM affliction. lol
I love the feel of this piece. (and I am not normally a pink person).
Posted by: Rosemary | June 17, 2009 at 07:14 AM
Love your "first love" collage, Suzanne! You did an amazing job. My favorite color is pink too...lol.
Posted by: Debbie Kaste | June 17, 2009 at 12:15 PM
What an adorable little girl you were, pretty in pink as they say. Looking forward to seeing more "You " in your art!
Posted by: Lynn Stevens | June 19, 2009 at 09:19 PM
Oh this is great! I love your pic of you when you were little, you're so cute! I love to use some old black and whites of myself in my art occassionally...
Posted by: Marva | June 23, 2009 at 09:32 PM
great collage piece..you make it look so easy...thanks for sharing you art with me
Posted by: michelle | June 30, 2009 at 11:11 PM
I think Shelly was so funny to bring up House Mouse! I remembered that you liked them too!
What a great collage!
dot
Posted by: Dot | July 07, 2009 at 03:25 PM