Collages Continued

As I mentioned in my first collages post,

I was in my twenties, and I was thrilled with this new medium of creativity.

I went to the New York stationary show with copies of my work to see if there may be anyone who could be excited enough to help me peddle them.

Perhaps in the vast world of stationary vendors at the Javits center, I’d find further purpose.

The woman was smiling as I talked. Until she looked down at my pieces.

When she looked back up, she seemed to start backing away from me.

She said the rights to these magazine photos made them untouchables.

That experience became one strike against me. I was young and had no esteem.

I then sought out the pro bono advice of the lawyers at WALA, Washington Area Lawyers for Artists.

And although they liked my work a lot, their advice was, “Stay poor.”

And so, I have.

These pieces are cut with an exacto knife. There is no digital nothing.

And maybe I used spray tack which has an unfortunate way of losing its tackiness over time.

We took pictures of the collages out on a rooftop at my sister’s apartment in Providence, Rhode Island.

We even had a joint show there. The only one I’ve ever had. I sold two pieces.

And now, with digital picture snatching going on so easily with a click and drag, it makes me wonder what, if anything,

the art world and law world have done about the intellectual property and eminent domain rights.

I enjoyed this creative work. And then I moved on. There are many more pieces that I have not included here.

The moral to the story? Make as if you have all the time in the world to make.

And get three or more people’s opinions about how profitable your artistic endeavor.

And when they poo poo it, do it anyway.

Click here to see the last installment of collages. In 3-D.