Collage Alchemy

Alchemy is the process of transforming a metal, such as lead, into 'gold'. The ancient alchemists put base metals into a container, fired it up and buried it for a period of time until it was 'cooked' and transformed into gold. Symbolically, alchemy is the process of taking a pattern or an attitude or an emotion, and through insight, often kicking-and-screaming episodes of resistance to change, having life step in and offer the opportunity of transforming that pattern or attitude or emotion from its unconscious state, the lead, into one of consciousness, awareness and change, the gold.

In May of 2014, I experienced a seizure and discovered I had a brain tumor that required immediate attention. This propelled me onto a healing journey that involved confronting hidden aspects of myself. Dealing with the reality of the tumor "threw me off a cliff" and had me spinning as I took a giant leap into that mysterious abyss. I am forever grateful for this experience, and if I had a "do-over" option, I would not change a moment of this revealing and transforming journey.

After the brain surgery, I couldn't drive or work for three months. My life as I knew it came to a roaring halt. I began working with collage as an expressive art medium many decades ago, using it mainly as a 'vision board' tool, that enabled me to create a focus in my life. With time on my hands, I plunged into creating collages. 

The name, 'Collage Alchemy' describes an alchemical process that I journeyed through, enabling insight and healing to occur. My process: I would tear out pages from various magazines. The cutout images, like puzzle pieces, came together into a magical larger whole, allowing me to access parts of my unconscious becoming conscious. 

I gained insight into elusive aspects of myself, similar to the transformation of lead, the puzzle pieces, into gold, the final image that told a far greater story and represented so much more than I could have conceived of at the beginning of the journey. 

Contact me if interested in purchasing a watercolor print of one of the collages.