General about the artist: Symbolism, feminism, pattern, collage, guardian angels and old picture frames collide to provide a window to the soul of an artist.

For over 10 years I have been creating this unique form of collage. It all started when I wanted to make a really big (4’ x 4’) collage, but when I went to the frame shop, my jaw dropped at the expense. I decided I would come up with an alternative way to frame it. A friend had an old window frame sitting on the side of the house that happened to fit perfectly! The rest as they say is history. People saw my work and offered me their old windows, I found them at garage sales and dumps.

The window that started it all:

My favorite part of working on windows, is the stain glass effect they have when light is cast behind them. Because of this I have really become more and more fascinated by stain glass and hope to take some classes this summer. Over the years my work and identity as an artist has solidified to what I believe is a cohesive body of work and a definitive style.

My collage and mixed media work is a perspective of the female form, by a female. By reducing existing images to an elemental point, the resultant collages are sensual and colorful constructs that suggest redefinition of the cultural views of women. My work continues to be an exploration of my own femininity and my place in the world.

A little history:

1992

1994

1996

1998

2002

Sometimes I like to think I am painting with paper. My pieces end up as combinations of found images, handmade papers and my own philosophy. The textures and dimensions achieved by multiple layers of paper are as important to me as color. Because texture is a dominant feature, I tear rather than cut. On some pieces, I have physically separated layers of the image to create more depth.

More of my work can be found on my website http://www.sheba-kitty-productions.com

How do I get my inspiration?

Usually from trauma/ depression/ break-ups. In the past I have tended to do less art when I am happy. Or different kinds of art. Lately I have been pretty happy so I have been doing ATCs, fabric collages/ purses and stamps more than the big collages.

How long does it take to finish one of these?

(NOTE: I taught a workshop on how to do this technique on a smaller scale, some of the images of this process are from this workshop and NOT my artwork, but they show the process.)

The windows are a long PROCESS.

• I start with a theme, "faces" was the last one and now I am on to "hands"
• Then I take pictures of live models.

Photo from a modeling session for the faces series...

...and the piece that came directly from this photo

• Next I do sketches to the size of what I want the final collage to be, usually based on a window I have lying around.
• I will sketch directly onto the window with dry erase markers.
• I will then select my papers. I use handmade papers, books, maps among many others, usually to match the theme or message of the piece.
• I then use the paper sketch as a pattern to cut out the paper (those that sew...I use it just like a sewing pattern, I pin the sketch to the handmade papers and cut out the lines and sections of the image.) Everything is paper, I do not use any paint.

Cutting paper from the pattern.

• I glue the paper onto the back of the glass, I work backwards starting with the very top layer. Those that do collage know this is a very backwards way to work a collage. I use acrylic gloss or flat medium as my adhesive.

Gluing from the backside

• I put on text and the image outlines first, then fill in with torn papers.

This shows a piece with just the outline completed in black paper. This pattern was adapted from a ‘stain-glass’ coloring book, easily found in crafts stores and is a great way to get patterns for smaller pieces.

• Finally, I wash off the sketch from the front of the glass, that was used as a guideline of where to place the paper lines. and it is done.

Cindi’s Frida

For my larger pieces, the whole process will take months, as I will work with the theme in a group. doing pictures and sketches of the whole series together. But an actual window collage I can do in about 2 solid days if I get inspired. But usually they sit in parts, waiting for inspiration for the next phase. In the workshop, we worked for about 3 hours and most people did have to complete their piece at home.

I will take a few questions now about the paper collage and then go on to the fabric!

I have done a number of different types of fabric collage.

The fabric collage started when I took a class at ARTFEST several years ago. (ARTFEST is an annual arts conference put on by Teesha Moore http://teeshamoore.com/ )

These pieces are all fabric and the method is to use the patterns in the fabric to create faces and other images in new combinations:

Cat Rat

I also create fabric pieces in the more traditional collage manner of layering different images and then appliquéing them together.

This piece will become part of a larger quilt, eventually.

Lately I have done a ton of small ATCs (Artist Trading Cards) in fabric.

These include a combination of iron on transfer images, unique fabrics and quilting/ appliqué techniques. For these, I have some great little kits with tons of detailed instruction available from my site.

I am also doing a lot of fun purses combining a number of these techniques as well.

Right now I am attempting to do the same images and theme in fabric as I am on glass. This is a new challenge. I hope to display them together, but currently don’t have any planned shows. L I usually need to schedule a gallery show in order to get inspired, I work better under pressure of deadlines! So I have no finished or even partially finished piece to show in this series yet.