"Poetry and Collage" (by Laura Orem)

As a poet and mixed-media artist, I've been mulling over the connection between poetry and collage. So many poets also work in collage/mixed media (Joe Brainard, Frank O'Hara, John Ashbery, Star Black, David Lehman are just a few), and I wonder why. It can't be because all of us can't draw.

So what I would like to do is hear from poets who also work in this area. Send me a reasonably-sized JPEG image of one of your works, and a paragraph or two about why collage/mixed media, and what connections you see between the two disciplines ([email protected]). I'll collect and post your responses. (Sending the image means you are giving me permission to publish it one time here.)

I'll go first. Here's one of my mixed-media pieces:

 

"At Night, All Cats Are Gray" (2008). Subject to copyright. Do not reproduce without permission.

I'm looking forward to seeing your work and hearing what you think!

Comments

[Stacey]

Beautiful collage Laura! How big is it and what are the materials? How did you get started with collage?

[Stacey]

ps. Poet Susan Wheeler makes terrific collages.

[Laura Orem]

Thank you! It's on a 9x12 inch canvas board, and the materials are paper, acrylic paint, inks, and other odds and ends.

Tell any poets/collagists you know to send me a picture! I'll talk about my journey when I post everyone's stuff -- I want to see what everyone says.

[DL]

I love the collage and hope you will post more, LO! The current "self-portrait" issue of Didi Menendez's "Oranges and Sardines" includes drawings, collages, and photographs by several poets:
http://www.poetsandartists.com/
I'd love to know what you think of it.

[Laura Orem]

Thanks, DL - and I love the latest issue of "Oranges and Sardines"!

[Jim Cummins]

Laura, let me join the chorus: I love it! I have been wanting so much to follow DL's and JA's and now your footsteps in this; I want to go to collage! A Mind is a veritable thing to Paste!

[Laura Orem]

Go for it, Jim! It's terrific fun. And I want to see them, too!

[Susie DeFord]

Laura,

Beautiful Collage! Would you consider photography and poetry? I'm currently working on a book of photographs and poems called, "The Dogs of Brooklyn." Here's a link to some of the pieces:
http://www.susiedeford.com/Writings.html

Be well,
Susie

[Sarah White]

Dear Laura, I love your cats, and have been interested in this for quite a while. Not only am I a poet who makes collages, but I have reviewed a lovely book called "Several Gravities" by Keith Waldrop, a prolific poet-paster. It is published by Siglio Press, and my review will appear in the next issue of Big City Lit (on-line).

I would love to send you some of my work but am not quite sure how to do it. Some is on my Facebook page and there is an
album on Shutterfly.com that I can Share with you if I have your address.

Looking forward to hearing from you. It's a good project.

Yours, Sarah White

[Laura Orem]

Hi, Sarah - Thanks for the heads-up on Waldrop's book and your review. I will definitely check both out.

Send a JPEG image or two (with title!) to [email protected]
It would be great if you could tell a little about why you are drawn to collage, and what the materials are in the works you send.

Hi, Susie - for this particular piece, I'm looking specifically at collage and mixed media. If you have any examples of photo collage, that would be great.

Thanks to both of you,
Laura

[steve five]

i just graduated from new school last may - poetry. just had my first art show too - all collage works. large and small pieces, shadow boxes and terrariums.

www.flickr.com/photos/stevefive

there's definitely a psychic connection between the two mediums, they can inspire and inform each other.