Daily practice featured in The Times

What a fun way to start the New Year! I’m delighted to have my collage diary project included in an article in The Times (London), written by art critic Laura Freeman.

The article explores the idea of committing to some sort of creative endeavor as a resolution, instead of (or perhaps in addition to?) adding the usual new workout or productivity habit. The daily practices of three artists are featured.

Here’s a pdf version of the article.

“...what delights me as a follower is that each acrobatic abstract seems to cartwheel on to the page with complete freedom and spontaneity.”

— Laura Freeman

About the Collage Diary

Some sort of social media phenomenon…
Amazingly, as of today, Instagram has somehow shown a video of me flipping through my completed 2022 collage diary to over half a million people and counting. It never occurred to me that it would resonate with so many people and, of course, there have been a lot of questions, which I’ll begin to address here.

The back story…
I started making small collages in an unused diary on April 1, 2019 and discovered that I really enjoyed finishing the day with some quiet collage time. Eventually I began posting the daily results in my Instagram story.

So I had the diary habit in place when the 2020 pandemic lock-downs began. All the shows I had planned on were cancelled and new opportunities evaporated. I had a 56 square foot collage commission in the works, but found it difficult to focus and felt too stressed / tight to be really creative on a large scale.

Although I didn’t always feel like making art, I did manage to keep working in the little book. One per day. Day after day. The repetition of making was a way of keeping going when I didn't have the focus to work on larger projects. This little diary was a real refuge for me after difficult days... trying to create a bit of balance, literally. At the end of 2020, I scanned all the pages and grouped the collages together in a digital file so that each horizontal row represents a month. That compilation, “Momentum 2020” (shown at end of this blog post) has been exhibited in Colorado and won an award at the National Collage Society annual juried exhibition in 2021.

I’m still enjoying this somewhat meditative daily practice, am now beginning diary five, and continue to post each day’s page to my Instagram story.

How long?
I usually spend 15-30 minutes making each collage.

Approach?
I think in a very abstract way, the collages often reflect my day… and in ways I don’t always realize until much later. But I don’t start with any idea in mind. I find one element that appeals to me, glue it down, and then a composition evolves from there as I find imagery/color that somehow connect… it’s definitely an additive process. But there is no “right way” to make a collage. Everyone has their own style and way of working.

Desktop at home studio with 2022 diary finished, 2023 ready to go.

Diary?
I’m using a pocket-size Moleskine Daily Diary, 3.5 x 5.5,” sourced from my local art supply store… but nearly anything would do. It could even be a blank book you date yourself.

Glue?
Keeping it simple, I use an acid-free glue stick so it’s easy to continue to work in the book when I’m traveling. The one I’m using now is made by Avery but there are several brands available. I have some collages in the studio that are 25 years old and are still holding together, thanks to a simple glue stick.

Burnisher?
Once each paper element is in position, I go over it gently with a burnishing tool. I use a 3M hand applicator squeegee from the art supply store, however the edge of an old credit card will work too.

Travel collage components…. everything fits in the succulent-patterned and waterproof Kavu brand pixie pouch. I usually pick up local publications as paper source. I never put this gear in a checked bag… it’s always in my carryon. Too precious to lose!

Papers?
I like to recycle things that would normally be tossed out so I use bits and pieces from old magazines, discarded books, junk mail, and packaging. I avoid anything very thick as the book will bulge over time from the added papers as it is.

Scissors?
I don’t use scissors because I like the look of torn edges and I suspect those stray paper fibers on the edges may somehow help keep paper in place with those extra appendages during the gluing process :) But that’s just personal preference. However most collage artists cut rather than tear. In my case, if there is a straight line within a collage, it’s either the edge of the paper or part of an image printed on the area I’ve elected to rip out. (Read more about this in “The no-scissor zone” blog post.)

Weight
When I’m done with a collage, I insert a clean piece of paper on top of the collage… in case glue might not yet be dry and could damage the opposite page. I then close the book and put something on top to weigh down the diary for awhile and help keep the pages as flat as possible.

Thank you for your enthusiasm…
I hope this will help anyone interested in starting a daily collage (or other kind of art) practice. If you skip a day, just get back to it when you can… over time the joys of making every day become their own reward… especially when the book begins to grow in girth and truly becomes a visual reminder of your efforts — and the passage of time.

“Momentum 2020,” compilation of all images from the collage diary… each horizontal band is work from a month.