Lost II

Have you ever felt lost? I imagine that we all have, at one time or another. Sometimes there is nothing you can do with a feeling, except to express it somehow, and that was my starting place for this mixed media collage. Lost II is a very personal and special piece for me; making it helped me to come through a hard time.

First, I searched through my vintage book covers to find just the right one. I started making collages on vintage book covers several years ago because I love to recycle old things, giving them new life by using them in my art. But aside from that, I also like to use them because I think they're beautiful. Even if you do buy hardcover books nowadays, they are almost always plain and boring. Old book covers are often highly decorated, with embossed designs, metallic lettering, or marbled papers. They inspire me, and often become a part of the artwork itself. I chose the gray book cover for this mixed media collage because the color looked like a stormy sky, and it looked about the right size.

I knew I wanted to use the same boat image I had drawn for Lost I, using a piece of white cotton fabric for the torn and frayed sail as I had done before. The 'hurricane' for this piece was cut out from a discarded acrylic ink painting I'd done several years ago. A small, teal book cover became my abstract 'ocean', and a piece of old lace became the clouds in a stormy sky. I used stitching to make the raindrops that threaten to sink the little boat. Al in all, it's a pretty simple composition, which is one of the things I like about it.

Lost II is a mixed media collage measuring 10 x 15.5 inches, and is wired on the back for easy hanging. The soft colors, beautiful details, and simple composition make it a great addition to any home!