Border Art Biennial Collages Begun

Cynthia / Border Art Biennial, Collage /

I am creating two 12″x12″ canvas-mounted landscape collages for submission to the Border Art Biennial. These will be done in my signature style of prepared and painted papers in strong horizontals, which I favor because of the serenity the horizontal lines impart.

I began the collages today by ripping 140 lb watercolor paper into interesting shaped and edged horizontal strips. The next step is the mixing of paints and laying the color down.

I use several different shades of paint in combination for each colored area as I feel it gives a richer, deeper, and more natural look. For example, the blue strips I am using in these two related pieces are three different blues mixed together.

As the first wash of paint begins to dry I go over the strips with yet another variation of the mixture of colors, made using different proportions of each shade than I used first. Often I will build up the color by incorporating four or more layers of various mixtures.

I love using watercolors for these pieces because I am enthralled with what happens by allowing the flow of pigment and water to work together with the paper. This forms beautiful and mostly uncontrolled results, as in the image below.