Creating Mixed Media Collages

Anjuli Johnson is constantly trying to push through her fears to discover and develop her talents, meet new people, and learn from those around her. It’s been an evolutionary process ever since she began her career as a scrapbooker. She is fascinated by collage; the fact that it can be found everywhere- in elementary classrooms, photo albums, crafting and fine art. It is used for many reasons- practicing motor skills, preserving memories, home décor, etc.

The term collage comes from the French word “college”, meaning “to glue”. Though it had been a technique for many years, the first mention of the term was around 1913 when Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque drew serious attention to collage as an art form. Collage is such a versatile medium with infinite possibilities. In fine art, collage can be used to express different ideas through the different materials used- newspaper and magazine clippings to make political statements, blocks of color to suggest violence or the randomness of life, or even sections of old paintings and drawings cut up and reformed into something new.

We all have things that we try to hide from other people- weaknesses and vices that are embarrassing or compromising, or even accomplishments that we are anxious or unsure of for some reason- talents we hold back because of fear. The idea of hidden things has lately fascinated Anjuli especially those lurking just below the surface and whatever the nature of our hidden parts, they affect our outward natures, as well.