The Third Attempt
Collaging my Way through Februllage 2024
The month of February is an exciting time for collage art.
Back in 2019, The Edinburgh Collage Collective and the Scandinavian Collage Museum initiated an open submissions project called Februllage encouraging artists to create one collage per day for the entire month: the founders, Rhed Fadwell and Miss.Printed, create a calendar containing a word prompt for each day of the month. Since its inception, Februllage has gained global popularity, providing word translations in nearly every language.
My first foray was in 2022. I took a non-linear approach and focused on enjoying the creative process which meant I skipped around, foregoing its completion.
The following year, I fully intended to finish it, but the onset of a full-time job and a month-long stay in Paris led to a demanding schedule, ultimately causing me to bow out on the 8th day.
This year is my third try. Crossing my fingers, I aim to create new pieces each day until I finish on the 29th. (Yes, it’s a leap year!)
Collaging was a pandemic project that has continued to this day. I take pride whenever something good comes out of my endeavor. Take for example the gentleman below catching the fish with his hands—the expression on his body, the splash of water under his cleats, and the angled, half-opened tin of sardines created an incredibly dynamic composition.
Pleased with the outcome, I’d crank a tune on Spotify, bop my head, and raise my shoulders to the beat. But, lingering behind that joy were feelings of doubt. Whispers echoed: Is it really a collage or a photo montage? For me, it’s a blurry delineation. How can you call this a collage when you didn’t cut a single piece of paper? The deluge of self-critical thoughts doesn't elude me.
Still, I persist. Why is that? I wanted to dig deeper.
Last year, I wrote that collaging taught me something about groundlessness, a Buddhist teaching I learned from Pema Chodron.
Groundlessness
I’d like to think that foregoing the glue has subconsciously helped me in my own life while I’m in a period of transition. I’ve noticed that I’m less anxious about the future, enjoying most days, and more open to possibilities than I’ve ever been in my life.
Since then, I've transitioned to digital collaging for practical reasons. The confined space in our home posed challenges in creating a workspace. I could spread my work in progress and various materials on the floor but couldn't leave them out for days. Searching for a solution, I discovered that I could replicate my glueless work process using Canva, a platform I initially began using for a previous job. I’ve stuck to it since then.
With my future still hanging in the balance, collaging continues to lift my mind from worries and concerns. When I engage in collaging, I am transported to a creative space that is freeing and expansive. The arena is so fertile that my imagination keeps bursting with ideas. With each piece, I attempt to tell a visual story filling it with humor and sometimes, absurdity. It is truly a playground of endless possibilities!
Moreover, something is soul-satisfying about weaving together vintage, discarded, and disparate elements that already exist, breathing new life into them by crafting something entirely novel. This practice not only stimulates my creative thinking but also aligns with sustainability. It eliminates the necessity for updates, upgrades, or keeping pace with the latest gear. It is truly liberating.
Finally, I’ve been experimenting with animation. I've compiled a few in the short video below. It's rudimentary but incredibly enjoyable! And, that is the whole point—savoring the joy that this medium has brought me over the last four years.
If you would like to see more as I make my way through Februllage, come with me on this journey via Instagram. I’m also sharing this year’s word prompt calendar in case any of you would like to hop in and do this with me. It’s not too late!
Depending on interest, I am considering the possibility of creating a small catalog with the finished collages. Alternatively, offering them as art prints is also under consideration. Feel free to share any thoughts you may have on this matter, and if not, that's completely fine as well.
As always, let’s meet each other in the comments section below. Let me know your thoughts on any of the collages I shared today.
See you all next Sunday!
Oh my goodness, Stella, wonderful work! I really enjoyed the animation, as well, each one was so simple and effective. The rain, the close-up typewriter, the camera flashes. Just brilliant, and best wishes on completing February's challenge!
Inspiring work! Thanks for sharing.