Australian nature inspired paper leaves
The very act of making your own papers from different parts and re-purposed creations and then making them into something new, a new life a new way in a new artwork is an act of artful practice.
I create watercolour papers with a loose concept and with my favoured colours and add marks of ideas, abstraction, illusions…to start a connection a conversation between the artwork and the viewer. A story that is waiting to be read and or see, to be heard, to be understood, or at least accepted, in some form. There’s room for one’s own story, one’s own connection and meaning. I enjoy using the mixed media in one artwork, it adds such life depth and a deeper story to read and learn about. It is also simply a joy for the senses.
To create my Australian native plant inspired leaves, I draw from a long experience working with them. My imagination, memory and experimentation come together. I allow them to take shape slightly intuitively not relying purely on the scientific correctness. This is the softness the joy coming to light in my artwork. It also allows space for the viewer the reader to apply their own story or interpretation.
I have a few ways I create the. First I may make the papers, or I may draw the leaves first and then paint over and through them. It purely depends on the application for the artwork I have already perceived and created in my mind before I even began to put a mark down. People often comment how quickly I create a painting. I do it’s because it has been ruminating turning over created in my mind for quite a while and them when it’s ready putting it together as an actual tangible artwork is quiet a speedy process.
Once the leaves are drawn in a flowing formation to make the most of the beautiful marks on the paper, I then cut them out.
I am often reminded of Matisse and his way of cutting and as child my favourite past-time was using a pair of scissors to cut out paper colour draw and write, to make something out of something else to begin, to tell, to show…I have several pairs of scissors and use them as needed for smaller of bigger pieces. Every cut is as important as the painting the drawing itself, it’s all a creation, a movement of the hands. One may also use their hands alone and tear these pieces…It’s all an artform and your intuitive choice, and how you feel on the day. I enjoy creating an artisan handcrafted edge and feel to my collage elements and these include the leaves that often are part of my artworks. There’s something about the way my hands have touched and held thousands of different leaves over my life and I act in a sensory way to recreate the feel the. touch of them. You may have another way that reflect your life your experiences your story to tell and to share with others. It’s as important as the one I am telling. And I would encourage you to play to experiment to explore to see what brings you peace and joy the truth of who you are and the story your want to tell artistically.
My collage papers are an act of bravery of releasing a preconceived concept to flow with the ease of creation. One needs to accept the art is an act of love of being presence and letting go at the same time in the flow of the act of making art for fun and self expression for joy and happiness. Then faith in the story that I have learned with patience will unfold will ultimately be revealed, maybe a little different than expected and yet so it will be.
I say let yourself play with these wonderful collage aspects of your mixed media, see whre they lead you where you end up, you might just stumble upon your own unique story and that will show you your own unique art style, continue to grow and keep telling your story.