9″x12”; book parts, on paper; 2019. Courtesy of the artist.
FROM KOLAJ 35
Melinda Tidwell’s Artist Portfolio
The art world bandies about abstraction, often using the word to mean nonrepresentational when the idea of abstraction has a precise history and meaning. To render the three-dimensional world onto a two-dimensional surface is an act of abstraction in and of itself, but when artists moved into abstraction at the beginning of the 20th century, their project was to free art from the constraints of reality itself. Through this lens, Melinda Tidwell’s abstract collages take on their meaning.
A portfolio of the Santa Fe, New Mexico artist’s work appears in Kolaj 35. To see the complete Artist Portfolio, SUBSCRIBE to Kolaj Magazine or Get a Copy of the Issue.
12″x9”; book parts, acrylic on panel; 2020. Courtesy of the artist.
“When I am ready to work I put a row of bins, about eight colors, on my table. I choose a color scheme and start sifting through the bins for those colors until I have a mass of elements that appeal to me laid out on the white table. This setup is my little heaven because the elements start to speak to each other, and to me, and I start combining them in the space of my paper. Sometimes I have a layout in mind, sometimes I just meander.”
A portfolio of the Santa Fe, New Mexico artist’s work appears in Kolaj 35. To see the complete Artist Portfolio, SUBSCRIBE to Kolaj Magazine or Get a Copy of the Issue.
Melinda Tidwell is a collage artist with an interest in discarded books. Originally from northern Utah, she holds an honors degree in mathematics. Her love of books and vintage materials lured her from the world of computer graphics/design and into her current work in book collage. Tidwell’s collages are shown yearly in gallery exhibitions, international art fairs, and are included in numerous private and corporate collections in the United States. Her work is currently represented by galleries in San Francisco, Seattle, Sun Valley, and Santa Fe. Melinda also teaches from her studio in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and at other venues around the country. Learn more at www.melindatidwell.com.