Collage is an artistic medium that I love and constantly return to. Sometimes to work through a creative block, develop a project or simply to enjoy some quiet focused time without the pressure to 'produce' something.
The majority of the workshops that I run are print based but I also offer collage sessions that focus on the calming nature of creating with no intentions, no plan and no finish line. Participants are encouraged to be led by instinct and feeling. Selecting colours, shapes and patterns that speak to them in that moment. It's amazing the effect this has on our minds and mental wellbeing. For many people who lead busy lives, moments to stop and focus in a non pressured way are extremely unusual and so often overlooked.
I myself used collage to claw back my own creativity after giving birth to my son in 2020. For 6 months I was completly immersed in a baby bubble but as I felt myself coming back up to the surface I suddenly had a strong urge to make again. With very limited time and not wanting to create any more mess in our already chaotic home I decided that 20 minutes of collage a day would be the perfect thing. Once our baby was asleep I would sit on the sofa, reach for my sketchbook and bag of paper scraps and begin to cut and paste. Some days it was colour that led my image, others it was a pattern or a cut out silhouette that became the focus. It felt incredible to be creating again and without any pressure, simply doing something for me, a type of self care I suppose. For such a simple act it felt momentous after loosing any sense of creativity post baby.
Collage isn't an expensive process and doesn't require much space. A simple sketch book, pair of scissors some glue and a collection of old magazines and scraps to riffle through will do just fine.
Whilst running workshops I have learnt a-lot about peoples conception of 'being creative' and how they feel this dictates what they can and can't do. Not having a plan or structure to follow can feel overwhelming and for those that need it you can put things in place but giving yourself a chance to let go and be led by your mood that day or simply what materials sit in front of you, is truly a powerful thing.
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