12″x12″; collage. Courtesy of the artist.
FROM KOLAJ 35
Sarah Cowling on Why & How She Makes Collage Outside
En plein air (French for “outdoors” or “in the open”) has a long association with painting. In Kolaj 35, Sarah Cowling from London, Ontario, Canada writes about the experience of joining fellow en plein air painters outside to make collage. “I quickly realized that collage outdoors had to be approached in a completely different way from collage indoors. In the studio, I could select and layout colours and themes on my table. Then I would sort, reject and create a layout, usually responding to a core piece. En plein air requires a response to the landscape and the careful choosing of papers. Papers have to be brought out and tried one at a time and glued down quickly to avoid wind gusts. I find that working outside forces me to abstract more and work in blocks of colour.
The full article appears in Kolaj 35. From the Scottish Highlands to the shores of Lake Ontario to Mombasa, Kenya, the printed magazine brings the wide-world of collage to your doorstep. To read the full article, SUBSCRIBE to Kolaj Magazine or Get a Copy of the Issue.
10″x10″; collage. Courtesy of the artist.
I continue to persist at en plein air collage for a number of reasons. It is a challenge, and forces a new response to my stash of papers. It makes me pay attention to shape, form and colour as I respond to my surroundings. En plein air collage also encourages abstraction of the landscape. Then there is comradeship found working within a group, the fresh air and contact with the outdoors.
The full article appears in Kolaj 35. From the Scottish Highlands to the shores of Lake Ontario to Mombasa, Kenya, the printed magazine brings the wide-world of collage to your doorstep. To read the full article, SUBSCRIBE to Kolaj Magazine or Get a Copy of the Issue.
Sarah Cowling holds degrees in history and education and has been involved in the arts since moving to London, Ontario in 1993. She is a member of the Brush and Palette Club, the Gallery Painting Group, the Lambeth Art Association and the Nine Fine Art Group. Sarah taught collage at The Arts Project in London and now teaches art at Guthrie’s Art Supplies and Framing. Her work has been featured in juried shows throughout the London area, including two solo shows at The Arts Project in 2010 and 2013 and she has been on the London Artists Studio Tour since 2016. Learn more at sarahcowling.weebly.com.