Collage Paintings Inspired by Nature
Wild Gardens
Wild places draw us in. As our streets become more manicured and green spaces are mowed and pruned to make way for car parks, we find ourselves longing for landscapes that resist control.
Wild gardens hold part of the answer. They exist in a space between restraint and wildness, shaped by human hands but still alive with the unpredictable force of nature and the elements. Wild gardens remind us of the ability to break through cracks, to spill beyond borders and thrive in unexpected ways.
Wild places call to something deep within us. As our streets become more manicured and green It is a place where we cultivate and nurture, yet one that constantly reminds us of nature’s own will, its ability to break through cracks, to spill beyond borders, to thrive in unexpected ways.
In many ways, painting with collage mirrors this delicate balance: the interplay of structure and spontaneity, the careful arrangement of fragments that still leave room for the unexpected.
These acrylic and collage landscape paintings are an invitation to step into that space, to find a moment of stillness within the wild, and perhaps, to glimpse something new within ourselves.
Collage Paintings for Sale
Why Painting With Paper?
I chose to explore a more mixed media style due to the imperfect, fragile nature of the subjects I am painting.
Like the delicate, tiny squares of fabric and torn scraps of tissue paper, seedlings are fragile. Petals and stems can be bent, warped and twisted by the wind or humidity. Imperfections exist, individuality is everywhere and nature is better at this than any of us.
Through a process of layering, I start with an underpainting in acrylic. This will be almost completely covered, but gives me a chance to explore some shapes, colours and just get myself warmed up. The next step is placing the first larger shapes of collage, often without much of a plan except for the colour choices. Then it's a slow process of building, constructing, then subtracting, refining, pulling back some layers and building on top of others with acrylic paint, pastels, mixed media - you name it - to draw out my focal points.
The Collage Process - Painting with Paper
