I am thrilled to share CUT & PASTE with you! The pieces on display celebrate a renewed interest in collage as well as my transition into motherhood!

Background:

In the winter of 2006, my husband Anthony and I purchased our first home and became residents of Stow. It was a leap into home ownership and a major renovation project. A few weeks after purchasing our home we learned that we were going to be expecting our first child! We were excited to say the least but also a bit unsure about how we would balance the renovation and the pregnancy simultaneously. With the help of our parents we were able to accomplish the majority of projects in four months and moved into our home in June 2007.

As the summer approached, it grew HOT and I just grew! I was eager to complete our daughter’s bedroom before going back to teaching in September. Everything was complete with the exception of the walls…they were blank. In the past, I would have put brush to canvas but I had limited space, time and energy and I needed a healthy alternative to paint.

Cut and torn paper was the solution! I used a variety of printed and textured papers, scissors and a glue stick and allowed myself the freedom to explore. This resulted in 3 collages that now hang in our daughter, Caterina’s bedroom!

Caterina was born September 28, 2007.

Process:

I’m unsure if my process is a result of my environment or if it is simply how I do things…but my time is often limited to short bursts…I am a mother after all! Therefore, I am simple and direct in my art making. I begin with a small amount of research about the subject followed by a brief period of sketching. I take time to reflect on and create in my mind the composition and palette to be used. Then, I sort through a tote bag of assorted papers…scraps, bits, torn pieces and leftovers from past pieces. I think half the fun comes from the search…I contemplate the possibility and potential of each scrap of paper. Surprisingly, they all find a place and have a role in creating the whole!

Thoughts and Reflections:

Each collage is a balance between realism and abstraction, adulthood and childhood as well as a means to capture the essence of the place Anthony and I call home. It is a connection to and a celebration of the day-to-day views, birds, plants, trees and animals that often go unnoticed by others. We have and continue to create a life and home that embraces and celebrates the simple things each day. My hope is to foster this appreciation in Caterina and in the process create art that becomes a record of our journey.

Enjoy!

Andrea Romano