Earlier this week I was looking at some glass bottles on the windowsill next to where I sew.

They reminded me of some earlier still life collages I had created. Around 2010 I was seeking a new artmaking medium and decided to see where mixed media collage could go. I decided to take a simple image of a flower in a glass bottle and recreate it fifty times in fifty works of art. (A good friend agreed to look at them as they progressed, to keep me accountable.) The plan was to do one a week for fifty weeks. I ended up creating them much sooner. And I learned more than I could have imagined.

A few years later I did a set of six still life collages featuring glass bottles and other elements. They have all gone to collector’s homes.

So… maybe the time is right to create a new series.

I have some deep-cradle birch panels that I plan to use for mounting. (I’m all for letting “let’s-use-what-materials-and-framing-I-already-have-on-hand” be part of inspiration.) I will collage onto muslin. Above, I’m prepping the muslin: giving it a coat of watered down exterior house primer to serve as a gesso. This will stiffen up the muslin. Less puckering when collaging. Able to be stitched. Wraps the wooden board nicely.

I started with some sketches.

But, I allowed things to change as I worked my way through the composition.

Some things I especially like about still life depicting bottles:

Transparency. The points of overlap are interesting, allowing the color to change as the bottle shows other bottles or other shapes behind.

Materials: Both rice paper and sheer fabric can be monotype printed with patterns that are interesting in the interior of a bottle.

Abstraction: Creating a still life is actually an exercise in seeing shapes and creating patterns. My way of working is not so much to depict a specific collection of objects on a surface in a real space. Elements move around. This allows the shapes to suggest spaces as the work evolves. I’m working in a composition space of 12” x 24”. The work will either be tall and skinny or wide and short. This helps to keep me from getting stuck in seeing just a realistic space.

Mixed subject matter:  Along with the bottles, so far I have introduced a fish, some pitchers, little birds and a gear.  Squares and lines are also part of the pictures..

Palette exercises: I plan to print up some pieces in different palettes. My next one will be mostly greys with white and yellow. All this is great practice for when I tackle my next large work.

Here’s how this finished work will look mounted on the panel with muslin-wrapped edge.

Thank you for reading. I always enjoy questions and comments.
--Bobbi

bobbi@bobbibaughstudio.com

PS The still life collages are experimental works-in-progress, and this was my first. So… none on my website yet. But, if this image appeals to you, let me know. It’s 12”W x 24”H, ready-to-hang, for $289 (tax and shipping in continguous US included) You would make my day!

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