Collage

"Everyone is an artist."

I've heard this forever. Surrounded by pithy reinforcements of my untapped ability to draw an apple I've long wondered how so many people can be so sure of something they've never had any proof of. Then I'm reminded of most perspectives...

But I digress. Back to the thin line of logic I'm desperately trying to clarify in support of one word, collage. Let's give it form: collage is derived from a 20th century French word that literally means "gluing". Confirming much, if not all, of what I know about collage (glue and stuff) I'm thrilled to confirm my expertise and broad understanding of the word "collage". Not to be confused with the word "college". If this was another blog post (or better yet another site) I'd offer my experience of substituting the former for the latter.

Yet maybe it is that post. Yup...executive decision...it is a post about how collage can be substituted for college. In my case I've been gluing things together for a long time. Experience, perspective, curiosity and the like. As I look back over my collage I'm reminded how things often change over time. What made no sense in the moment looks like perfection in motion from a future, reflective perch. All those parts, pieces and movement that once made me anxious, now appear as a perfectly placed assortment of tiles glued together into a fresco. A masterpiece of indecision, anxiety, concern, wonder, excitement, attempts, process, forgiveness and gratitude. Each piece randomly (or so I thought) placed next to another...

...and glued. Semi-permanently placed. To be admired from a few steps back. Looking at the whole and no longer just the pieces. Time for more glue...