Because my collage work always seems to have imperfections, I was happy to discover the Japanese concept of wabi sabi. Leonard Koren describes wabi sabi as a “beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. It is a beauty of things modest and humble. It is a beauty of things unconventional…” For example, elements in my collages are often not straight. It just happens that way.
Sometimes I keep the construction process of pieces visible. So if you turn over a collage that has stitching you will see knots and stitches that are a bit wonky. I like raw edges on fabrics so there are frayed and torn edges and loose threads. I usually stitch by hand.
I paint some of the background papers I use, but also purchase papers from other artists. I recycle fabrics from old clothes, vintage linens and from fabric sample collections.
Susan J. Erickson 