Comments on: The making of “Madonna & Child OR Re-parenting My Inner Child”, series 3. by Mary Bogdan. http://mixedmedia.us/mbogdan/collage/the-making-of-madonna-child-or-re-parenting-my-inner-child-series-3-by-mary-bogdan/ Mixing Up the Visual Arts Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:14:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: mbogdan http://mixedmedia.us/mbogdan/collage/the-making-of-madonna-child-or-re-parenting-my-inner-child-series-3-by-mary-bogdan/#comment-4 mbogdan Tue, 03 Apr 2007 19:18:24 +0000 http://mixedmedia.us/mbogdan/uncategorized/the-making-of-madonna-child-or-re-parenting-my-inner-child-series-3-by-mary-bogdan/#comment-4 wow! yes, I see that about being parent to my creations, and that it can be very hard to "let-go" of them. It certainly is for me. And I guess, I feel like holding on to them, instead of sending them off into the world because they are a part of me, my child-like quality, or my innocence, or vulnerability... it can become very deep. Hardware? well, we (my husband and I), own a graphic design firm, crayon design & communication, and the hardware is a part of our work life as well as our "art" life, so, I do have at my disposal, the best and latest software and equipment... and that's just one of my many tools. Yes, series one and series two are very different, as they were created quite a few months apart... different times, different person. Someone did bring to my attention at my last exhibition, that series one shows an inside or open book in each case, and series two shows the outside or cover of the books. I found this very surprising, as I had not noticed it before... and it just means that I work intuitively, and that the observer often brings something to the table and is a participant in my creative process... We are all connected. Iron: yes, this was the first time I used an iron in this way, a creative tool... that's the way I see it. Yes, everything is illuminated is a great, great movie and I just loved it. It hit home for me! Yes, I'm very much like the main character in the movie, I collect bits from my life and then through my art, I illuminate parts of my life, and discover myself, and in the process I move through things, release and heal... Art is cathartic! wow! yes, I see that about being parent to my creations, and that it can be very hard to “let-go” of them. It certainly is for me. And I guess, I feel like holding on to them, instead of sending them off into the world because they are a part of me, my child-like quality, or my innocence, or vulnerability… it can become very deep.

Hardware? well, we (my husband and I), own a graphic design firm, crayon design & communication, and the hardware is a part of our work life as well as our “art” life, so, I do have at my disposal, the best and latest software and equipment… and that’s just one of my many tools.

Yes, series one and series two are very different, as they were created quite a few months apart… different times, different person. Someone did bring to my attention at my last exhibition, that series one shows an inside or open book in each case, and series two shows the outside or cover of the books. I found this very surprising, as I had not noticed it before… and it just means that I work intuitively, and that the observer often brings something to the table and is a participant in my creative process… We are all connected.

Iron: yes, this was the first time I used an iron in this way, a creative tool… that’s the way I see it.

Yes, everything is illuminated is a great, great movie and I just loved it. It hit home for me! Yes, I’m very much like the main character in the movie, I collect bits from my life and then through my art, I illuminate parts of my life, and discover myself, and in the process I move through things, release and heal… Art is cathartic!

]]> By: lhtorres http://mixedmedia.us/mbogdan/collage/the-making-of-madonna-child-or-re-parenting-my-inner-child-series-3-by-mary-bogdan/#comment-3 lhtorres Mon, 02 Apr 2007 13:58:10 +0000 http://mixedmedia.us/mbogdan/uncategorized/the-making-of-madonna-child-or-re-parenting-my-inner-child-series-3-by-mary-bogdan/#comment-3 Wonderful to read your story behind the work, Mary! I have so much - where to start - okay, at the beginning - I was reflecting how your experience of "sending" off these collages to be exchanged is in itself a parental act - as well as one we all encounter when we realize that we have left behind our childhood forever. There can be alot of pain in that, as well as relief. Creating artwork that we love and sending it out can have its... challenges, depending on how we see ourselves as artists. Not unlike the question of how we see ourselves as parents - nature vs. nurture is one such dynamic... Also, I was wondering about the hardware you have to use to work on such large collages - 17in x 70in at, perhaps 600dpi? On my machine that would be quite unwieldy! I was struck by the difference in color between Series No 1 and Series No. 2: series one seems to breathe more, and makes use of brighter colors - almost neons. Series 2 seems darker, more dense. Is there a reason for this? Love the imagery of these collages being pressed beneath the heal of an iron, as well as beneath the stout bindings of great artists. I work on wood panel, and often use a sander to even out surfaces. I'll have to try the pressing technique some time! Finally, each time you use the words "glean," "gleaner" and "gleaning" I am reminded of the character in Jonathan Safran Foer's <a href="http://www.whoisaugustine.com/who_are_you.htm" rel="nofollow">Everything is Illuminated</a>, who obsessively collected bits from his life and kept them stored in little plastic bags. The film did a nice job recreating his little shrine to the history he was living. Cant wait to read more! Wonderful to read your story behind the work, Mary! I have so much – where to start – okay, at the beginning – I was reflecting how your experience of “sending” off these collages to be exchanged is in itself a parental act – as well as one we all encounter when we realize that we have left behind our childhood forever. There can be alot of pain in that, as well as relief. Creating artwork that we love and sending it out can have its… challenges, depending on how we see ourselves as artists. Not unlike the question of how we see ourselves as parents – nature vs. nurture is one such dynamic…

Also, I was wondering about the hardware you have to use to work on such large collages – 17in x 70in at, perhaps 600dpi? On my machine that would be quite unwieldy!

I was struck by the difference in color between Series No 1 and Series No. 2: series one seems to breathe more, and makes use of brighter colors – almost neons. Series 2 seems darker, more dense. Is there a reason for this?

Love the imagery of these collages being pressed beneath the heal of an iron, as well as beneath the stout bindings of great artists. I work on wood panel, and often use a sander to even out surfaces. I’ll have to try the pressing technique some time!

Finally, each time you use the words “glean,” “gleaner” and “gleaning” I am reminded of the character in Jonathan Safran Foer’s Everything is Illuminated, who obsessively collected bits from his life and kept them stored in little plastic bags. The film did a nice job recreating his little shrine to the history he was living.

Cant wait to read more!

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