Catalina Cherries in my yard are starting to ripen.
Hi Friends,
Part of my neuroplasticity brain retraining is to go on “awe walks.” Rather than focusing on how fast or how far I can walk, I take my time and look for beauty.
People in other parts of the world post pictures of amazing forest scenes and exotic wildflowers. But I live in an urban area of the desert southwest, and unless I trek into the foothills, I mostly walk in the neighborhood or at a local park.
There’s often trash strewn around the park after weekend soccer games. So I decided to collect interesting bits of the trash and turn them into something beautiful.
My first “awe walk” collage piece was based on this collection:
I gave myself the challenge of using all five pieces of trash on the piece with a background and accoutrement made from pieces cut from discarded magazines. Here’s the result.
You can see these pieces in a browser and find additional information about them by clicking on the images below.
“Live Mas,” 9 x 12 inches, collage on canvas panel
Next I found a colorful Funyun bag, cut it up into mosaic pieces, and paired it with contrasting red and black and white dots from a New Yorker magazine cover.
“Funyun Mosaic,” 12 x 9 inches, collage on canvas panel
Then I found a pretty purple Boom Chicka Pop bag, and made this piece:
“Boom Chicka Pop,” 12 x 9 inches, collage on canvas panel
On a particularly successful day, I found this collection of trash:
I used the two Doritos bags to create this piece:
“Doritos,” 12 x 9 inches, collage on canvas panel
One day last week, I hit the jackpot — a broken hand mirror left in the Michael’s parking lot!
I covered it with collage and reworked the broken glass into this:
“Mirror Mirror,” 12.5 x 9 inches, collage on broken hand mirror
I’m having a lot of fun with this work, which is the whole point — to find and follow whatever brings me joy.
What brings you joy? I’d enjoy hearing your thoughts. You can share them with us in the comments section below.
With love and appreciation,
Cassandra
You are so inspiring with your passions for art and nature and ecology! Thank you for your beautiful writing. Love to you!
Awwww . . . thanks, Cinthia. You are too kind. Love to you as well, and I hope you’re enjoying this last bit of summer and making some art!
These are wonderful, especially the broken mirror! Inspiring.
Thank you, Mary. Glad you enjoyed seeing them!
Love what you created Cassandra ❤️
On my walks l keep an eye out for discarded pop or beer cans, that have been flattened
by cars…either in parking lots or on neighbourhood streets…
My Artzy brain just finds these flattened cans interesting…l don’t know as yet what l want to make with them. Some kind of mural collage. Maybe of my departed dog Rusty..
Have you ever thought of fusing your bag finds and cut them up or sew them into a collage?
I’ve been saving plastic and chip bags to fuse, then sewing them to make a grocery bag…
Love all your work…sooo inspiring ❤️
Thanks Debbie. I’ve also eyed flattened cans, but couldn’t see an immediate use for them, so left them to the trash. They have wonderful colors and texture, though. I’ll be intersted to see what you do with them. Are plastic bags strong enough to make a grocery bag?