My Bird Collage...A Finch I think..

When my Thursday painting group meets I usually work on a collage. This is the first time I have tried do almost the entire collage with paper. The only part painted is the flower centers. All the paper I collage with come from magazines or newspapers. I glue the papers down with acrylic gloss medium and use a brayer to make sure the papers are adhered really well. When the piece is done I brush on a final coat to varnish the work. It always seems that I get some papers that lift and ripple ....not sure why. The hardest part of doing this collage was trying to establish some value differences. I would love some comments; do you feel I need more some value differences?

Big Top Party (SOLD)

Thought while I have figured out how to post again I would show the latest collage I am working on. Still needs some more work and I took the photo in my studio so it's not the best image. Most of the piece is painted in oil, but there are collage elements included.

Blue Bird Collage ( BEST OF SHOW)

I entered this painting in the North Clackamas Art Guilds 16th annual show and to my amazement the painting won "BEST OF SHOW". There were about 250 paintings in the show and many fine works of very talented artists. It's always a wonderful show that is well attended. The judge for the show was Melinda Thorsnes who is an artist from the Portland Oregon area. You can view her art work at http://www.melindathorsnes.com/index.html . The guilds website is http://ncartsguild.com where I have my artist statement and resume.

Some people have asked me if I feel the newspaper I use on the collages will last. This collage has newspaper from 1923, so I do feel it won't yellow or deteriorate any more, plus I varnish the whole piece which will protect the paper.