I just started another collage. Here's the sketch:

I have a couple of my older works of art on display in the Del Ray Artisans' "Mixed Media Multiplied" exhibition that is running from June 26th until July 19th. Every work of art in the exhibition was created from at least three or more materials. My artwork that's up, "Fridge" and "Abstract Trees," was created during my last two years as a painting student in college. These were part of a series that I worked on where I took a stretched canvas, painted it, then painted some unstretched canvas that I cut up and stitched into the stretched canvas. I also dabbled in using different materials to create these mixed media pieces--typically using acrylic paint, oil pastels, and collaging magazine cut-outs.


Although I studied painting in college, my heart was always in collage. Now, only a little over a year out of school, I've been focusing completely on collage. These two mixed media pieces are definitely a walk down memory lane.

And it's finished...

"Hungry Hippo"
Collage on paper
24"x18"

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and that all the fathers out there had a happy Father's Day! My weekend was fairly exciting--on Saturday I went to grab a cup of coffee with an old friend. We went to a local coffee shop in Del Ray of Alexandria, Virginia (right by Blueberry Art Gallery). Right before we were about to leave, another customer in the coffee shop called out that Obama was next door getting frozen custard. I went outside, and sure enough, secret service had their black jeeps parked along the street while a few of the service men were standing around on the look out. We waited a few minutes and got to see Obama leave with his two daughters. So, needless to say, that was the highlight of my weekend.

Anyway, here's the next progress picture of my hippo collage:

I'm really liking working on this one--I think it's because I find the subject matter amusing. Hippos sticking their tongues out never fail to make me smile.

Here's the sketch for my next piece. It's going to be a black and white collage.

And I've finished it!

"Hikers"
Collage on paper
24"x18"

I'm slowly piecing this one together. I think in a couple more sit-downs it will be complete. At the moment I'm beginning work on an animal collage--I'll add progress pictures for that one soon.

Not much of a change, but it's just the beginning...

I've finished the sketch for my next piece--it's going to be more of a landscape piece with a couple of figures in the composition. Instead of doing an outright portrait, this will be somewhat of a portrait with more of a mix of the natural world.

My weekend in NYC was such a nice getaway from my work in D.C. It's all too easy for me to get wrapped up in my artwork and other work, so it was great to get away for a couple of days. I feel refreshed and my camera is filled with a few possible references for future collages.

And it's finished for the moment. Later on this year or maybe at the beginning of next year, I'll go back through these possible solo exhibition pieces and tweak them a bit.

"Chow Time"
Collage on paper
18"x24"

Here's my latest progress picture--I'm almost there but not quite....

Here's my progress thus far--I've got somewhat of a ways to go.

I've started another portrait that might be included in my solo show. Here's the sketch I did: