Tag: collage

Longhaired Dachshund Calendar: July

Darby:July by Moira McLaughlin

The July collage of Darby for my Longhaired Dachshund Calendar didn't start out this way. The original concept was a nod to Magritte. This was the sketch I made last year…

original sketch

Son of a Man by René Magritte, 1964

I was going to make the apple a tomato. The leaves in the corner were going to be basil. The stripes in the background were going to be red and white, and Darby's tag was going to be blue with a white star. Get it? July 4th. I was inspired by this Georgia O'Keeffe painting…

Cow's Skull: Red, White, and Blue by Georgia O'Keeffe, 1931

But, I wasn't thrilled with this idea. It's kind of kitschy. And Darby wasn't kitschy or overly patriotic. He didn't really like tomatoes that much either.

Then, I saw this painting by Helen Frankenthaler…

Untitled, 1995 by Helen Frankenthaler

"That's July," I thought. I see those colors in my garden and windowsill in the summer…

July Flowers

Then, last month I had this book on Tantra on my table…

Tantra: The Indian Cult of Ecstacy by Philip Rawson

I kept thinking it looked familiar…

Darby: Hope by Moira McLaughlin, 2008

Would that be weird to make a collage of my dog inspired by an Indian sex cult?

I did a little research and found out that Tantra is not a religion or a "way of thought." In fact, according to Philip Rawson, "Tantra sees thought as one of the chief causes for people gradually becoming disillusioned and miserable in what they believe to be their world."

Well, that spoke to me in my misery, still grieving Darby's death, and worried that the tears weren't stopping. Also, the word tantra means "to weave" or "web" and that "all is one and interconnected." Tantra is all about action and intrinsic goodness, not just sex. So, I thought, it wouldn't be so creepy to make a Tantric Darby.

I gathered some ideas…

my studio

I'm not going to lie. Tantirc Darby was creepy at first…

Tantric Darby

I didn't know what to do with it. So I shut the door to my studio and didn't look at it for about three weeks. Then, this Monday I woke up, went into the studio, and reworked it. I did it all, except for a few green leaves.

Here it is again…

I think Darby looks a little bit like Frida Kahlo, too…

Frida Kahlo

Next up, August. I'm thinking sunflowers…

I started my Longhaired Dachshund Calendar in January 2011. I am hoping to publish it by September 2012. Prints of each month will be available too. It is inspired by my muse, Darby, who passed away at age 17 on December 3, 2011. See the Darby collages I have already finished here.

March 9, 2012
Fitacola: Fulano 47 Mixtape

Fulano 47 Mixtape

Fitacola is a handmade collage project by Graça Santos and Carlos Quitério. Fitacola is the Portuguese word for adhesive tape. Visit their new website.

January 6, 2012
Longhaired Dachshund Calendar: June Final

Darby Calendar: June by Moira McLaughlin

I finished the June college of my Longhaired Dachshund calendar this morning. I have lots to tell you about how it came together, but not today.

Wishing you all the best in 2012.

December 30, 2011
Longhaired Dachshund Calendar: February Collage

Here is my Darby calendar collage for the month of February. This one was less of a struggle than January's collage. It helped to sketch an idea first…

It also helped to look at a masterpiece. I printed out Van Gogh's Bedroom in Arles, 1888, and referred to it often…

I also discovered that Van Gogh was much more methodical than is often assumed. Here are two sketches of Bedroom in Arles. One sent to his brother Theo…

And this one sent to his friend and fellow artist Paul Gaugin…

The other piece I printed out was this Romare Bearden collage. I don't know the name of it. I kept coming back to his blocks of color…

Now, on to March. I think it's going to be about Darby in the miner's lettuce…

March 8, 2011
Done…almost

My January collage of Darby is almost finished. I'm stepping away from it today and tomorrow I will disassemble it and glue it back together, the trickiest part, imo. As you can see, I scrapped everything from my first iteration except for the idea of Darby sleeping in the nest and the speckled paper.

This has been the most challenging collage I have ever worked on. I don't know if that's because I haven't made one in a while or if I am too close to the subject. I think the pressure I put on myself to memorialize my dog undid me a bit. Maybe I should just spend time with my dog. Enjoy his reality instead of trying to capture his essence. I still don't know. I might do some "throw away" pieces before I begin on February. Stay tuned.

P.S. The nest includes strips of the Peaceful Valley seed catalog. The bird brings another strip in his beak. Graphic designer Milton Glaser says it's ok to explain one's work.

P.P.S. Thanks, Rebecca Collins of ArtPaw, for sending me this link to images of The Eight Dog Chronicles, 18th century Japanese books that fired my imagination in a new way.

February 11, 2011
My Collage Process

Actually, I am still discovering my collage process. Especially since, as I’ve mentioned, this year I am creating a series of Darby collages to include in a 2012 Longhaired Dachshund calendar. I’ve never worked on a series before. These are some photos of my first steps.

I spent a significant amount of time cutting out silhouettes of Darby sleeping. Then, decided I wanted to use the actual photograph instead. This is an important decision for a collage artist. Are you going to use the photo or deconstruct the photo and build the shape out of other materials? I wanted to use natural and/or Japanese paper in each collage and I liked the idea of Darby made out of the speckled paper, like an eggshell in the nest. And I wanted to use the feather paper beneath the nest. But both didn’t feel right. So I’ve put these attempts aside. For now.

Every time we go for a walk, I spend time looking at the colors I see, and the natural world my dog interacts with. Brown, green, and a hint of purple are January this year. Here are some images I intend to work with, including photos I took of succulents in my yard.

Here’s my work table. Yes, those are real deer antlers hanging on my fence…

One of the challenges I discovered was that I kept finding images I wanted to use for other months. I considered buying another table, but knew I would lose the saved images under piles of more saved images. So I decided to put everything up on the wall. I used Scotch Reusable Tabs. They work well, secure but easy to remove without damaging the paper.

I’ve also been working on compositions for future months and posted them on the wall too…

Here’s the direction I’m headed. I placed a lighter version of speckled paper behind the nest…

P.S. When I was finishing up yesterday, I noticed a scrap of paper on the window sill. I put some pine cones behind it (I’ve become obsessed with the artistic and engineering genius of the pine cone since I moved here — I used to think they were corny) and took a picture. It was a nice reminder about simplicity and the happy accidents that occur in the studio.

I’m so glad to be back.

January 28, 2011
Goodbye, Dudley

Fabulous Lounging Beardie by Moira McLaughlin, 2005

My sister Kathleen lost her dog Dudley last weekend. He was 15. That is quite old for a Bearded Collie, especially since he was diagnosed with cancer four years ago. At the time, Kathleen thought that he might not make it for much longer, so she looks at his later years as "extra time." But it's never enough is it? Dudley had a long life, but it is still shocking that he is gone. He was part of the family and we are devastated.

Every dog lives a full life if they are loved, but Dudley's was exceptionally large. He was raised in Hollywood by parents who were "in the Industry." He adored hanging out on Larchmont Blvd., the chic Hancock Park main street where every shopkeeper, banker, and cafe owner knew his name. And he had his share of celebrity admirers, too. Once, Lily Tomlin stopped by Kathleen's office and Dudley bounded up to greet the actress who is herself larger than life. He gave her a big, joyful, glad to meet you hello and she was immediately charmed, exclaiming, "Dudley, you are fabulous!"

I am not surprised. "Fabulous" is the exact word I used to describe him in a collage I made in 2005. I called it Fabulous Lounging Beardie. When I heard the news that he was gone, I looked back to see what I had written about him then. It was spot on:

Quite possibly the most fabulous
Beardie in Hollywood. Days are filled
with lunches, boutique shopping, and
exclusive parties. It takes tremendous
energy to be an L.A. dog. A nap on a
designer chaise is not a luxury, it's a
must.

Dudley was an awesome dog and he was a star. But that is not to imply he was spoiled or haughty. He was simply the life of the party, and he made you feel like it was a party just because you were there. He will be deeply missed by everyone who knew him. Rest in peace, sweet boy.

April 27, 2010
Micheal Dickinson Faces Jail for His Dog Art

Good Boy by Micheal Dickinson

I first reported on British ex-pat in Istanbul, Michael Dickinson, in September of 2008. At that time he had just been acquitted for violating Article 301 of the Turkish constitution, which makes it a
crime to insult the "Turkish identity" or state institutions, including
the armed forces, through his collages of the Turkish Prime Minister as a dog (above). I had no idea that the Turkish legal system then quashed that ruling and brought Dickinson to trial again. Now, he has been convicted of this charge and is refusing to pay the fine in protest of the attack on his freedom of speech. The judge has given him one month to reconsider his decision or face up to two years in a Turkish prison. Unbelievable. Read more at BBC News and Dickinson's website.

Art matters.

January 29, 2010
Dog Collage Artist Sam Price

Blues

Collage is my favorite medium. But dog-centric collage artists are rare. From my own experience I know how many hours it takes to find the right images for a collage that can then appear deceivingly simple, so I am not surprised that collage artists usually price themselves out of the pet portrait business. But not Sam Price. After ten years of experimentation, he’s figured it out. Yes, it still takes hours. And yes, he does it all by hand. But, using a grid system, similar to the technique of Chuck Close, Sam has created a unique style that allows him to work with the recycled materials he loves on the subjects he adores. Turning paper waste into dog art — brilliant!

Sam is offering Dog Art Today readers a 20% discount if you order a portrait before the end of the year. Gift certificates are available here. Visit his website for more information.

English Bulldog

Pug Lee

Portland

Redwood Beagle

Saluki

Sam Price’s work will be on display at Wag Hotel in Sacramento until the end of the year.

November 17, 2009
Romare Bearden’s Dogs

Close up of The Block by Romare Bearden, 1971

Whenever I begin a new collage, I always pull the book The Art of Romare Bearden off my shelf and take another look at his work. I think Bearden (1911 – 1988) is one of the greatest collage artists of all time and I always discover something new in his work. This time I found some dogs. They were right there in his masterpiece The Block, a 6 panel collage that spans 18 feet (longer than a city bus) and depicts life on a block in Harlem, NY in 1971.

First half of The Block, 1971

Second half of The Block, 1971

I also discovered an excellent interactive experience from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It's a guided tour of The Block geared towards children, but just as enjoyable for anyone interested in Bearden's work. I have watched it several times.

Order the book The Art of Romare Bearden here. And order the CD Romare Bearden Revealed
from the Branford Marsalis Quartet, a compilation of the Jazz that inspired Bearden's work.

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March 6, 2009