Happy Luau

Monday, February 19, 2007

Creative Collage

I wanted to share a collage that I did several years ago when I was in a graduate program in counseling psychology. Our assignment was to make a collage of who were were and to "be creative" in how we did it. We had a long time to prepare---several weeks. So I started working on mine right away, as I had never made a collage before.

I watched a Rosie O'Donnell show in which she demonstrated making a collage with Modge Podge by cutting pictures out of magazines, so that was what I did, adding words, since I love words. As I progressed, the collage took on a life of its own. Instead of reflecting who I was by sharing it as I composed my collage, I discovered who I really was in the process of doing the collage. There really was no composition process, as I just glued down pictures and words as I went, and they stayed where I put them.

I'm sharing this not because the collage is so beautiful or exemplifies anything well per se, but as an example of how amazing it was that the creative process took me over, and how wonderful what came out of it was, as a part of my creative journey.

I decided to start by using concentric suitcases that I bought at Costco. There were three of them. The outer suitcase would represent the "me" that everyone in my graduate class saw. The middle suitcase would represent the "me" that people who knew me intimately saw. The inner suitcase would represent the "me" that only I ever saw or knew about.

I collaged all the suitcase, inside and out, top and bottom. Here is how they looked with each one inside the other:



This is how they looked if you took them out:






This is how the outer one looked, the "me" that my colleagues and friends at school were familiar with:






This is how the middle one looked, the one that my husband and close friends were familiar with:





The inner one was the "me" that I truly discovered was inside as a part of this process. The inner one was my "Hawaiian soul". I put intensely personal images inside. I also added two dolls with my Hawaiian name on them, each meaning something special to me. I really hadn't known the inner one existed until I did the collage. I know that sounds weird, but it's hard to find the words to describe it. It still gives me shivers to remember it.





I way overdid the assignment. It took me hours and hours, each one pure delight. It was my first collage. I only recently began doing collage again. This collage was kind of like a "first love"---the experience can never be duplicated again---but that's okay---there is something about the process that I love so much, that I lose myself in, and that I enjoy irregardless of the finished product.

So I wanted to share this with you, my creative sisters in Finding Water, and my other blog readers. Aloha, and mahalo!

PS. I did my morning pages again today. Third day in a row. Whoo hoo! It's been great. Next goal: goodly walk or Artist Date.

~All pictures by Hubbie Mark

8 comments:

Scott said...

Thanks for sharing Olivia! I enjoyed reading about the collage.

Anonymous said...

Hi Olivia, your link to my site came up on my dashboard so I came over to say thanks. I am delighted to see your amazing suitcase collage! This is a really wonderful project you did. I love leading others in collage work, because as you discovered, so many of the insights come through the process itself. Blessings to you, Christine

Olivia said...

Hey, Scott, you're welcome! It's good to hear from you here and via your email too :)

And Christine, I really love your blog---I'm continuing to explore the wealth of what you've collected there. I'm so glad you liked my suitcase collage. Thanks for the visit, the comment, and the blessings.

Peace to you two kind visitors!

Bette Norcross Wappner -- said...

Hi Olivia,
Beautiful collage suitcase. What a neat idea! Lovely Hawaiin look :)

I am new to Blogger and I see you have successfully uploaded icons and such. Would you mind giving me the secret to at least uploading the Finding Water icon? I have tried and it didn't work :)


Thanks so much :) -- Bette.

Olivia said...

Hi, Bette,

Yes, I'll show you in a post that I'll do right now. Check out my blog in about fifteen minutes or so,

Olivia

patti said...

This is such a wonderful idea - the three selves. I did a very rough collage once when I was doing "the artist's way" and I agree that the experience was quite amazing. I loved to keep looking at the collage, it was as if I couldn't believe that that was me mapped out in magazine cuttings. It eventually faded and became torn and I had to throw it away. You've inspired me to tackle another one - let's see who I am now!

couragetocreatewriteandlove said...

OMG!
I adore this!

Olivia said...

I'm so glad you got to see it in the Best of '07 post, Carmen! xxoo, O