Memory and Metaphor by Joyce Vroon Opens In Display Gallery

I have recently enjoyed working in collage as a way of recycling and recombining the bits and pieces of our lives into a new form conveying new meaning. The collage artist treasures the qualities of materials, and the eye continually searches for possibilities in papers, objects, or images that can be used in unexpected ways. As we are living in a society that is striving to become paperless, some of these materials are threatened to extinction, making them even more cherished.

One becomes a collector-- finding value in both the cast off items as well as the treasures in the clutter of our lives. There is satisfaction in organizing this ephemera as well as in the delight at seeing an unexpected outcome.

Within this exhibit the work takes many forms using various metaphors. The theme “Homage Collage” provides a way to celebrate and pay tribute to loved ones through photographs and other memorabilia. Travel collages weave together souvenirs and images. Musical experiences are portrayed through tickets to events. Twigs collected on mountain walks are worked into a nature series. Newspaper snippets create a social commentary on the loss of one’s home in “Foreclosure.” Stamps and pens represent the demise of letter writing in “A Lost Art.” Images of ice cream recall the pleasures of childhood and a simpler time. Keys are used to unlock meaning, to link to the past, and to open new doors.

In creating collage one can be challenged to introduce elements of the past into a modern art form or to reflect on the experiences of the present in a deeply personal way.