karena colquhoun (NOTPAPER (a blog about collage))

Karena admits to a slight obsession to Kraft paper, which I also share (I think I read that somewhere on her blog). What I think is truly unique and inspiring about her work is that she using her printmaking skills as well. It just seems like the best of both worlds as far as I'm concerned, and I'd like to find more people who use this technique.

Name (Real or Screename): Karena Colquhoun, but it seems more people know me by my business name, Magic Jelly, which is fine by me.
URL (Blog, Website): www.magicjelly.com.au (currently redirects to my blog) and Etsy shop www.magicjelly.etsy.com
Location (Where are you from?): Adelaide, South Australia

Q: Describe your work in 10 words or less.
A: Lavishing love and attention on the dusty, forgotten and neglected. (Woo. Exactly 10!)

Q: What do you like to work with (magazines, photographs, vintage)? Be specific!
A: I have a dilemma when it comes to cutting up old stuff. I figure it's survived this long, who am I to attack it with scissors. So I like to use material that is totally worthless to anyone but me, or that truly has reached disintegration point, and actually, I prefer paper that is brittle, torn, yellow, faded or mouldy—not only is my conscience clear, but the beautiful, varying patination gives my work a pleasing depth and texture! I'm mainly interested in ephemera that is not intrinsically valuable, and although I use paper that is pictorial, I usually like to crop it and deconstruct it, forming new patterns and textures. I find when I cut paper into little shapes, each piece takes on a sense of mystery and a new preciousness. It's often surprising that the most successful pieces were actually pretty uninteresting when in tact, but as soon as they're taken out of context, they become something much more intriguing. I can get quite miserly with my paper shapes and hold onto all my favourite bits, not wanting to use them (but I always do end up parting with them, as heartbreaking as that can be!). I have one rule—I never cut up old photos—but I do like to use bits of old maps, book pages, flyers, programmes, ads, receipts, envelopes, end papers, etc. I mix vintage ephemera with new paper and my own screen prints, stamps, drawings and paintings. I like mixing the old and new. I worked digitally, almost exclusively, for about 6 years, and now that I'm back to messing around with scissors and glue, I still like to mix in some digital process here and there.

Q: How long have you been creating collages and what made you start?
A: Aside from the glitter-encrusted creations from my childhood, I'd say my real interest in collage began when I started to work digitally. The funny thing is, I don't make digital collages at all anymore, I prefer to only work with original material in my digital pieces rather than found images. I really got bitten by the collage bug a year ago (almost to the day) when I decided as a New Year's resolution to make a collage every day to help jump start my creativity. I started a Collage-a-Day Flickr group which is still going strong, although I have to admit, I haven't participated in a while. Anyway, I really took to collage—it fits perfectly with my love of paper and ink and old stuff—I don't know why I didn't do it sooner!

Q: Are you solely an artist, or do you work in another profession?
A: I'm self-employed as an artist/illustrator/designer. The best way I've found to survive as a self-representing artist is to diversify, so I split my workload between my artwork; merchandise that I design such as greeting cards and pocket mirrors; and illustration, design and portraiture commissions.

Q: Do you have any formal art training?
A: Although I went to art school, I'd say I'm still 99.9% self-taught—I didn't find formal education particularly useful—I'm the type of person who benefits more from learning independently. I guess that rules out brain surgery as an occupation—lucky I'm an artist!

Q: Explain your favourite techniques.
A: I like to cut paper into shapes and make patterns from them—usually geometric, but sometimes more randomly. I'm a perfectionist by nature, so I think the order-from-chaos aspect of it appeals to me. I design the more complex patterns digitally, but always cut by hand. I have to admit, diecutting sounds very appealing when you're onto your hundredth shape and have the blisters to prove it, but I like the imperfection of the handcut paper, and there's something quite soothing about the monotony of cutting them. There's usually some kind of illustrated element in my collages, whether it be my screen prints (I use a gocco), polymer stamps (that I make myself) or ink drawings and paintings. I love to layer different media, I think the depth & complexity it creates ties in nicely to the themes I like to explore relating to time and memory. It's like peeling back layers of old wallpaper, but in reverse.

Q: Describe your favourite piece ever created.
A: Well I don't know if it's my favourite of all time, but my favourite piece at the moment (well it's two pieces) is Iris No. 1 and 2. I like them because they embody the new direction my work is taking. There's a nice diversity to these pieces, but hopefully a sense of cohesion too. It's a blend of vintage ephemera and found papers assembled in these geometric patterns, gocco prints on old book pages, a bit of painting, and the edges of the canvas are decorated with a traditional egg and dart pattern that I designed in Illustrator, digitally printed onto recycled paper and then stained with tea (organic Ceylon, in case you're interested). So there's a nice spectrum of techniques and media in these pieces from pencil and paper through to the finished article. I hope to evolve this style further this year. I have some new pieces still at the sketchy stage that are in the pipeline. One is a series influenced by vintage cigar boxes and Charles Bukowski's poetry, and also some little portraits involving gocco prints and collage with some stencilled elements. Maybe they'll become my new favourites!

Q: What other artists do you admire?
A: SO many. In particular, Gary Taxali does amazing things with collage and gocco.

Thanks Karena!