My first large scale collage

I find collage is truly a dream like medium, and an amazing personal meditation.  

Instead of feeling preoccupied by wanting to create a certain image (as with drawing, painting etc) and having various degrees of success or failure in getting what is on my mind onto paper, I found that collage allows me to find images and recreate and compose them in a way that captures the ideas and emotions that I want to convey.  It doesn't feel like a cerebral process; it is a tactile and emotional curation that I find very calming for my mind and spirit.  

---

---

Above you can see my first large scale collage project.  My employer had a large stash of National Geographic magazines, which I gladly put to use.  I bought a bulk pack of glue stick, two pair of scissors at the thrift store and set to work.  About 4 days later, this was my completed project.  

---

---

When I first started clipping up the magazine, I was not sure what theme or message I was trying to express,  I was simply choosing images I found appealing.  Sometimes it was a face, other times it was a special texture or shape.  I didn't know how they would come together, but it was fun following the instinctive curation flow.  

---

---

As I started to glue the clippings together, distinct themes started to emerge.  Life and death, the spark of spirit, stardust, ephemeral nature of physicality, the vastness of space, technology, aliens, human passion.  

I found it particularly interesting how strong juxtapositions or even paradoxes could be seen in relationship through this medium of creation.  

---

---

This first collage was an absolute pleasure to create.  I was completely absorbed in the process for about four days with no stress or external thoughts or distractions.  I was meditating through art!  

---