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www.nwcollagesocietyorg / Volume 24 / Issue 3 / February 2013www.nwcollagesociety.org / Volume 25 / Issue 1 / September 2013Northwest Collage SocietyAf liate of the National Collage SocietyEstablished in 1984 to enhance the stature of collage as a major art mediumPresident’s MessageGENERAL MEETINGTuesday, Sept 16, 201310:00 AM: Greetings10:30 AM: MeetingSHORELINE CENTER18560 1st Ave NE, ShorelineREFRESHMENTSKathy ParkerWendy Lee LyndsSusan K. MillerCOLLAGE DRAWINGSeptember Donor:Gina MayAnnual MembershipDUES: 40.00Payable in SeptemberVisit our website for updates andphotos on events from NWCS:http://www.nwcollagesociety.org!What do you feel is the most important process that helps you artisticallycreate your work? I have been thinking about this question for the last threemonths, and my conclusion is that there are three answers, not one. I believethe first of the three is: INSPIRATION, followed by IMAGINATION, andthirdly INTUITION. Each phase builds on the one before it. Thus, let’s lookat INSPIRATION: the dictionary defines it as: “the process of being mentallystimulated to do or feel something, especially creativeness”. How does onedevelop this process? Answering this question is not easy; because each artistmust find her/his own way to feel inspiration. You will probably consider anumber of sources to help trigger your process towards creative inspiration.A small list of such sources includes:! Books! Affirmations and Self-talk! Physical Activity! Music! Internal or external deadlines! Nature! Singing in the shower (stop singing, work on being inspired!)Author Peter De Vries states: “I write when I’m inspired, and I see to it that I’minspired at 9:00 every morning”. Marketing executive Jim Conolly suggests: “Wecan choose to help ourselves become inspired, or we can be a servant to inspiration. Wecan wait for the fictitious muse to arrive, or we can take control and direct our ownmind. It starts by deliberately monitoring the things that inspire you the most. Writethem down, then incorporate them into your work flow, so that you can get into aninspired state when you need it, rather than just when it randomly occurs. Build arecipe that works for you; then use it every time you need to do creative work or finda creative answer.”NWCS Juried Fall ExhibitOctober 15 – December 6, 2013Edmonds Conference Center201 Fourth Ave N, Edmonds , WAwww.edmondsconferencecenter.comReception: Thursday, October 17,5:00 – 8:00 pmEdmonds Art WalkJuror, Tracy Kay Felixwww.tracykayfraker.net!!!!!! SuzyTracy Kay Felix“Even non-representational art should give areassuring sense of purpose. Paintings need tobe about something. It is for all of us todiscover what our art really means. As I matureand set my goals higher, it becomes moredifficult. But it is diligence that prepares us forthe moment of inspiration when it comes.”T. K. Felix, Eight/Portrait of Pioneer SquareArtwork delivery: October 14, 10:00 am – 12:00 noonShoreline Conference Center, Alumni RoomPlease check Prospectus for hanging and packaging details.

2 Northwest Collage SocietySeptember 2013 PresentationCollage from Photographsby John Schuh!!John Schuh spent most of his early years in Wisconsin, earningundergraduate and law degrees at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.He moved to Seattle in 1995, and began making collages in 1996.!His first collage was inspired by a short story by Jorge Luis Borgescalled The Zahir. Borges wrote of a painting on the walls of a jail cell. Thepainting was of an infinite tiger, a tiger composed of many tigers but alsocontaining seas and mountains and armies. John decided to make a face outof many faces, The Head, 1996, and his collage journey had begun.John Schuh, The Flower!John’s early work focused on the technical challenges of collage making.Could he make an image of a car composed of hundreds of photos of cars? Could he do the same thing with abuilding, a flower, a magazine cover? He largely uses his own photographs as collage material, striving to create themaximum diversity of images with his camera.!As John’s work has evolved, he uses the subjects of earlierpieces more freely, newer collages referring back to earlier ones. Inone example, after creating The Car, 2002, a single photo of a car in anew piece became personally meaningful. He had claimed the car aspart of a personal vocabulary of symbols. In his recent work, John hasbegun to explore the subjects of mythology and religion, often usingvintage sports cards found through antique shops and ebay. Earlierrepresentations of flowers, water, and fire have come to symbolizethe spiritual forces of creation and destruction.To view more of John’s work: http://johnschuh.net/home.htmlLeft: John Schuh, Cannon BeachThe Right Way to Wrapby Gail Larson and Teresa EttelWhen delivering art for NWCS exhibits we all want to protect our pieces. Most members bring them in protectivecarriers, which we have requested. However, for new members and others who need to be reminded, we'd like to give yousome ideas of what is acceptable packaging. This will also make it easier for the committee, who has to pack, unpack, andstore artworks.–Canvas carriers can be purchased at various art stores and at Michael's. Some of these can carry 2-3 pieces withcardboard between the artworks.–Fabric and vinyl bags (many from grocery stores, etc) are good, with cardboard between the art pieces.–Bubble wrap made into an envelope is excellent, and can be reused as well.–Homemade bags from padded materials, e.g., mattress pad covers, are also good.PLEASE – No paper wrapping with tape! This doesn't protect your artwork at all in traveling to and from shows!Remember to PRINT your name clearly and prominently on all packaging for NWCS.We hope that these suggestions are helpful, and we'll have some examples to show at the September meeting.Out in the sun, some painters are lined up.The first is copying nature, the second iscopying the first, the third is copying thesecond.you see the sequence.—Paul Gauguin!Serena Barton, Wabi-Sabi Art WorkshopGreat book for inspiration and innovation! “Find inspirationand beauty in the imperfect, impermanent and humblenature of everyday objects.wabi-sabi's abstract aesthetic,a forgiving approach that celebrates so-called mistakes andfosters an experimental spirit, encouraging you to build upand tear back with abandon.”September 2013

3 Northwest Collage SocietyJune PresentationMeeting HighlightsJune 16, 2013Suzy Keuckelhahn welcomedmembers and guests.Meg Gray, reported that incomestatements were available forreview, and that membershipdues are payable in September.Anne LaFever reported that wehave more new members, andreminded members to updatetheir bios in the Members Book.Gail Larson had applications forthe NCS juried fall show. She alsorequested materials for theShoreline Arts Festival collageactivity for the public.Suzan Fant announced that JohnSchuh would present his photocollages for September, DaveWaddell (King County) on Safetyin Art for November, and MargaretLanglois on Color theory forJanuary 2014.Nine members announced thatthey were in upcoming shows inthe summer.Gina May won the June collage.Elizabeth Halfacre, NWCSmember, presented her currentwork with photo transfers.Theme for NovemberOur June presentation featuredartist Elizabeth Halfacre sharing hercollage images that reference herpersonal history. She spoke about hervarious techniques, including her useof the photo transfer process, andpresented a number of examples thatdemonstrated these techniques.Elizabeth recommends the newestcollage magazine: kolajmagazine.com.She provided the link that she’s usedfor the photo transfer process,although she notes that she’s nevertried it with a color copy. The link WithPackaging-TapeTo see more of Elizabeth’s artwork,visit: http://www.elizabethhalfacre.comI don't see why we ever think of whatothers think of what we do, no matterwho they are. Isn't it enough just toexpress yourself?—Georgia O'KeeffeShoreline Arts FestivalNWCS members at the Festival enjoyed abusy day with many participants. Lots ofmaterials, donated by members , provideda fun collage table for all ages!Catch the Challenge!“Joyful” — Capture/Catch this emotionThe requirements are: Image to be formatted same as for the NCS Postcard Show:4"x 6" on 8"x10" White 4-ply Mat Board Entries to be UNSIGNED ON FRONT - Name on BACK Each Entry will be given a number, and members will vote. Winner receives a monetary prize, 25.00, at the end of the meeting.Details will be discussed and questions answered at the SeptemberGeneral Meeting. Bring your collage interpretation to the November 16,Saturday meeting, where we will be reminded of what the challenge was,and silently vote on the most successful solution. Attention should begiven to overall good design-cohesiveness, connection of lights and darks,and place of rest. The winner will be the members’ choice!September 2013