Here’s a quick journal collage using only a small pile of junk mail at the home of Mombo, before it went into her recyclables. Not everything is performance. Athletes call it training. Musicians call it practicing. I’m not sure what most visual artists typically call it — sketching? exercising? At any rate, whatever the medium, we all need to do it regularly, too!
Untitled (host nest)
journal collage by J A Dixon
7 x 9 inches
I will pause, evaluate, and “edit” a larger piece toward the end, but typically I want a miniature to be as spontaneous as possible — the less rational intrusion the better. Rather than make changes, it’s more beneficial to move on to the next one. Writing is similar but different, especially poetry, which, apparently, is often honed to a high degree. Keep in mind that there are many approaches to collage. Some artists are very methodical and labor over ingredient choices and exact placements.