Bridging the Gap
Returning to San Francisco and to Collaging
I arrived at San Francisco International Airport 4 days ago. At Immigration, a dense snaking line lay before me. Five rows, I counted, before reaching the glass-enclosed kiosks where the officers were stationed. I estimated it would take 30 minutes to clear. When my turn came, the officer signaled with his index finger to approach the counter. I handed over my passport and lowered my mask. She adjusted the web camera and took my photo. Afterward, I glanced at my iPhone—just in time. Tina texted. She was on her way to pick me up. Roughly 10 minutes later, my luggage slid down the ramp and onto the conveyor belt at Carousel 18.
The crisp evening breeze was such a welcome respite from Manila’s humid weather. I stood near Door 3 at Arrivals trying to savor the moment but a police SUV circled numerous times honking and instructing drivers over a booming megaphone to move their parked vehicles from the curb. A young man in his mid-20s fumbled for keys in his pocket as he closed the doors and slammed the trunk of his Acura before driving off. The others ahead of him followed suit. This went on for another 20 minutes before Tina pulled in. We swiftly packed my luggage in the trunk of our Smart car before the roving police SUV appeared again. Finally, we were on the ramp toward 101 North.
The next few days, my attention was focused on pressing errands, cooking meals, and unpacking my luggage. Intermittently, I napped for an hour or two during the day to shake off some of the fatigue from jetlag. I must confess, dear readers, that I haven’t had a moment to compose my thoughts for something meaningful to share with you today. Instead, collaging drew me in. When words are bottled up, making art bridges the gap. For me, the process is unhindered and intuitive paving the way for ideas to emerge more fluidly than staring at a blank page. An image prompt usually does the trick. My go-to is the weekly creative challenge from the Paris Collage Collective. I’ve missed several weeks in a row so today’s post is an opportunity for me to catch up.
also has a newsletter called Collage Spamouflage. If you are curious about this art practice, do take a moment to check it out.
Let me know if you have any thoughts or feedback on these collages. As always, let’s meet each other in the comments section below.
See you all next Sunday!
These are so creative! It's wonderful to let your eye wander and your mind drift through all the thoughts sparked by the various elements. I particularly liked the fern draped across the newsboy - ferns feature prominently in our Maine woods and they look so soft and comfortable, though I've never personally wrapped one around me like a scarf :) Welcome back, and wishing you peace and comfort as you readjust!
I always love your collages! They are all great, but I'm especially fond of the second one with the surfboard and the bubbles. Your collages always make me eager to go and make my own!