A couple of days ago,
a friend asked
if one of my recent collages
was available,...
"Available?
"It doesn't even exist."

That's because
a few months ago
when the wind blew
one of my creations off the canvas,
I became intrigued
with the idea 
of impermanent art.
 
Until then, I'd accumulated 
a number of pieces
that I'd shown in galleries.  
After moving them, 
storing them,
and moving them again,
I realized,
I didn't like creating 
"stuff"
in an already cluttered world.

Now, after I lay down the pieces for a collage,
instead of adhering them to a canvas,
I take a photo,
share it on facebook and this blog
then scoop the pieces
into an envelope.
 
While I don't think
Tibetan monks would agree with
saving the image,
it does allow me 
to see where I've been,
where I might be going and
allows me to make poster prints if requested.
(I know - Not very Zen!)

Rather than a studio
of large canvases,
I have a box of envelopes,
a disc of images,
and the satisfaction
that comes with creating
"public" art
which for now
hangs on facebook walls
and computer screens.... 
and 
which for now,
makes me very happy.

 *********************

Below are the four collages I made this week - 
As in previous weeks,
the fourth is made up
of all the pieces from the first three.  
Though I do these fourth collages
to learn something new
about the colors and shapes,
this week I also learned
that sad mad clowns
aren't as popular....
as couches hanging from trees
and pennies falling from the sky
into umbrella teacup strollers.

full moon
courtney snyder

pennies from heaven
courtney snyder

waiting room
courtney snyder

money, waiting rooms and full moons make sad, mad clown
courtney snyder

My fifth week challenging myself creatively to combine all the pieces from the week's 3 collages.

Nobody actually asked me, 
"Why all the collages?"
After posting twenty one collages 
this past six weeks, 
I've started to wonder.

Without a rational reason, 
I decided to simply commit 
to making at least four collages a week - 
three "solos" followed by a fourth 
where I challenge myself 
to combine all the pieces 
from that week.

As with any creative process, 
I've been trusting the "why"
will eventually answer itself - 
that I'll discover something 
I wouldn't otherwise.  

So far,
I've learned...

the creations that seemingly come 
out of no where 
and are fast and imperfect - 
they are the one's 
that others seem to connect 
to the most.

Thinking too much really can get in the way.

And I've discovered that
committing to doing something public 
is a great way to move beyond perfectionism.....
I haven't loved all of my collages and
at times I've felt silly posting so frequently.  
But, I've decided that for me, 
right now, 
this process is more important than 
avoiding failure or embarrassment.

This week,.....planes flew into my head...a tree showed up....Then other circles in circles had something to say....

Friday they all went to town.  

"eyeballs, airplanes and tree go to town"
courtney snyder


Last week
an oversize house tried to come in....pinwheels created some energy and flowers showed up to remind me to say, "Thank you"....

That Friday... they all converged on a flower shop

"last three collages converge on flower shop"
courtney snyder

Week 2....
Louisville bridges crossed over untroubled water, while beach umbrellas got washed up and some baubles ....bobbled.

That Friday, they all connected at Coney Island.

"bridges, baubles and beach umbrellas connect at Coney Island"
courtney snyder


Week 1...
invisible dancers were stuck in my head along with rings and hanging beach towels

Mary Poppins decided to scoop them all up and head off to the beach.

"mary poppins heads to the beach with the last three collages"
courtney snyder

Maybe there's something you feel compelled to do
Maybe it doesn't make sense
Maybe it doesn't have to.....
for now.

(Please excuse the excessive use of "courtney snyder"  - though it's obvious I did these pieces, labeling them as such brings more visibility on the web and my hope is to share what I'm doing with anyone who might be interested.)

I made this out of all the pieces of my last three "temporal" collages.  I'm trying to do these each Friday, not because I expect them to come out beautiful, but because they challenge me to create within limitations.