Collage: featuring Julie Arkell & Peter Clark

Many moons ago when life was simpler and I was less sidetracked by the lure of blogging I would while away the odd free period by dabbling in some collage, like beading it can be very therapeutic pasting and layering. I have a huge collection of different papers being a bit of a magpie, plus my mother was good at saving the wrappings from her purchases and my sister would bundle up Chinese packaging from her previous job.
I did mention that I was hoping to sell some of my work, mostly this old collage stuff, but when I tried to book a table for a local Christmas fair it transpired they were fully booked last April, but now I know I will make sure I am first in the queue this next year.
When I went to scan these bits I realised I had far more that I previously thought so I will have to do something with them as for now I am wrapped up with painting. I have a tendency to do small batches of something before getting bored and changing focus.


I have many, many different kinds of these fans, I happen to love the shape of fans I did some small like this one and some huge A1 sizes ones.
This tiny collage is one of my personal favourites, it is so simple but seems to resonate in a way many of my others don't. My main problem is I tend to overwork them so they become to busy.



Second to fan shapes are the shapes of kimono's, I am obsessed with all things Japanese and it is my number one wish to visit Japan before I pop my clogs.

below is a collage I quite liked, but from an era I have left behind.

Whereas this was my most recent collage, unfinished it was meant to be the start of something that went unrealised. I quite like the simplicity of it now, but will at some point take it a bit further.

On Saturday I decided it was time to meander around Fitzrovia, there are some lovely small galleries and 2 seemed to feature collage, I have loved Julie Arkell's work for years but have become so wrapped up in photography that she had dropped from my radar but a visit to the always lovely Contemporary Applied Arts meant I could see some of her most recent work which did not disappoint. I just love it's quirkiness and I love how she looks like her figures too!

Julie Arkell

Julie Arkell images from here, here & here

Then around the corner at the Rebecca Hossack gallery was an exhibition of one of my other favourite contemporary collage artists Peter Clark, The dog collages have to be seen to be believed they are so very, very cleverly put together

Peter Clark

Peter Clark images from his web site & Rebecca Hossack Gallery