Hello! I am an artist living in Lake Zurich, IL, with my 3 humans, 2 hound dogs and a 1 scrappy puppy.
For as long as I can remember, I have always been drawn to cutting (or breaking) things apart and piecing them back together. Broken ceramics, magazine clippings, vintage fabric and clothing, ancient yellowed newspapers... anything that could be repurposed has been fair game for my pallet.
The past 3 years I've been focused, or maybe obsessed, with paper collages. The technique I use has evolved over time, but it goes something like this: It begins with a photo and ends with a painting comprised entirely of magazine clippings. In between, there is a lot of cutting and trimming and gluing and searching and peeling off and layering on and squinting and sidetracking. (Can't help it. Magazine articles.)
When viewed from afar, I aim for a traditional painted portrait, and hope to capture the personality of my subject. But up close is where the magic happens. The artwork morphs into something more intricate and personal. Hundreds of tiny magazine clippings, pieced together based on color and visual texture, and a few interesting "tiny bits" come into focus. I include symbolic images or words that represent the client's interests... and I sneak in a few that are just plain fun. Heaven is in the details.
For each new piece, I start with the eyes and really try to capture the heart of my subject. From there, the project takes on a life of its own and evolves in a direction I don't always anticipate. I take lots of pictures of the work-in-progress and am happy to share them with you along the way. I enjoy getting feedback and input to make the piece personal and unique.
Please contact me if you're interested in a commission or print. And feel free to check back here for new pieces. I plan to have more to share soon!
-Donna
Thank you! It definitely is my happy place :)
What you do with a scissors, hundreds of tiny pieces of paper and some glue is truly awesome! The hours spent creating these pictures is mind boggling.....I think it is wonderful that it is something you enjoy doing so much. Your attic studio has to be a happy place.