Foundlings find home at Lowry Family Health Center

In the course of my more abstract work, I sometimes find images/shapes that remind me of facial features. I throw those ripped papers into a pile and then, every once in a while, I'll turn to that collection and see what I can make from it. And that's how the “Foundling” series was born...

Now some of my Foundling collages have been installed at Denver Health’s new Lowry Family Health Center. They’ve “adopted” 32 Foundlings in all.Each collage is 7 x 5" and is composed of contemporary found and repurposed papers. For this installation, the back of each collage has a spacer block so that the artwork appears to float off the wall a little, yielding nice shadow patterns.

Hope this whimsical collection will bring a smile to many faces in the waiting room! Many thanks to Nancy Noyes of Noyes Art Designs for championing my work for this space.

Need one, want one? Get one!

I've been evaluating ways to offer some of my small collages for sale online and have decided to begin simply… featuring them here on the blog with background information and a PayPal purchase option.I am one of those people who can see faces in most everything: clouds, the woodgrain of doors, plumbing fixtures, you name it! So when I come across a piece of paper that reminds me of an eye, or has the shape of a head… I throw it in a pile on my desk.Eventually, I work with the ripped paper elements to create characters, a series I've titled Foundlings. Recently I've made some whimsical creatures, which I've called Poundlings — since they seriously need to be adopted by just the right person. Look carefully and you'll see that the nose of this guy is made from an upside-down photo of the back of a high-heeled shoe. (I can't help myself!)

Anyway, if you would like to add this collage to your art collection, just click the button below. If you should have any problems or require overseas or expedited shipping, please get in touch.

This collaged creature is composed with fragments of contemporary, re-purposed papers on a 7" x 5" x 1/8" hardboard panel. The background is tinted with acrylic paint. Edges are painted and/or covered by paper so the piece can be left unframed if desired. The collage is coated with a UV-resistant varnish.

$125.00

Collage faces in portrait exhibition

"Introspection" | © Janice McDonald | Collage on paper, 10 x 8."My work is currently included in an exhibition, "Portrait of the Artist," a collection of portraits by artists from around the world. The show was organized by assemblage artist Dale Copeland of New Zealand.I'm happy to have two collages in the show, Introspection (above), and Alter Ego/Foundling."Introspection" was created on top of a catalog page that featured a photo of a model wearing a sweatshirt. The draping of the sweatshirt's folds somehow reminded me of the lines of a face. (I know, I know... I see oddball things in everyday images, without even trying!)Once the background was established, the other elements surfaced rather quickly to complete the image. This collage remains one of my favorites — the first of many faces to follow, most of which are available for viewing in the Foundling gallery on my website.Note: Those of you who read this blog via postings on Facebook will be familiar with "Introspection" because I use it as my avatar there. If you arrived at this blog post via an alternative route, please visit and "Like" the Facebook page to get regular updates on my art work. Click here to go there! Thanks."Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter." —Oscar Wilde 

"Gone to the dogs" pet portrait collage

Above is a recent collage, more whimsical than most!Based on positive response from a recent pet portrait commission for a veterinary hospital, I've started a new series called "Poundlings," harkening back to my ongoing Foundlings series (mostly found faces).All the collages in this series will ultimately need adoption and I feel the eventual owner(s) should name these creatures so, for now, despite the fact that several "perfect" names have occurred to me, this canine is fondly referred to as Poundling 2.I'm happy to announce that Poundling 2 is included in a juried exhibit, "Gone to the Dogs 2," at Niza Knoll Gallery, opening Friday, October 15th from 5-8pm. The gallery is located at 915 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, Colorado. The show will be up through November 13th and a portion of the proceeds benefit the MaxFund.The background is made of "pet for sale" want ads, tinted with acrylic paint, while the dog is composed of elements from contemporary magazines. The collage is 14 x 11" on hardboard panel, plus framing (not shown).