Collage Capers

A Flutter of Feathers, a concertina folded book inserted into an old book cover. Inspired by my morning walk around Lake Wendouree, Ballarat.

A week or so ago I headed to Ballarat for my first retreat in two years due to the cancellations and restrictions imposed by Covid. It has been my habit to go to a class or week long retreat with Fibre Arts Australia, a fabulous opportunity to do an extended and intensive course but just as importantly to bond ‘with my tribe’  This time  I opted for a collage class. My original class selection was cancelled due to family and health issues with the tutor and replaced with a splendid class, Collage Capers taken by Peta Lloyd. 

There were lots of warm up, quick and structured exercises such as this simple postcard. Based on using papers that you swapped we were required to use at least one of the papers plus anything in our stash. The blue printed paper and feather were from my stash.

Another fun  activity was this postcard icebreaker or get to know you activity. PETA had a collection of postcards with quotes, each participant was asked to select a postcard that appealed to them. It could be either the card, the quote or both and then introduce themselves and explain why they had chosen the card. I think my coffee habit dictated my choice and the quote sort of mirrored my own philosophy of just do something.

Lots of altered papers and mark making to create our own papers

A layered paper technique that created an interesting surface by peeling through the layers, I really enjoyed this activity.

A couple of pages of Momigami, a Japanese technique of altering paper by repeated scrunching with lightly oiled hands.

Working in a series. 

The same piece of mixed media fabric cut into panels and made into a concertina inserted into an old book cover.

A book in a box. Jupiter and it’s many moons. A large matchbox covered with wallpaper, painted and a concertina book made from the layered paper for Jupiter and scraps of printed papers from the stash for the moons.

Another concertina book of collages

I thought this book, Bird Life in Cornwall was perfect for my altered old book.

Old cover, lined with some of printed papers

Fitting the concertina with the individual collage panels

Collage coaster on a paper cup stand, a group activity to decorate the ‘top table’

I made this small collage to go into a small concertina book that the class was presenting to Peta. Made from a selection of fabrics and papers that I had printed and combined with stitch and ricrac braid.

A medical emergency prompted an unexpected visit from my grandson who embraced the collage concept

And at night after I had returned to my room. I am a night owl and always have a little project to work on when my fellow boarders are sleeping. A series of small collages using only a small bag of scraps gathered from my table and the end of each day. These are for another project and another post.