By: Ara Atkinson-Skinner

As long as I can remember I have collected photos, articles, etc. and stored them in albums or boxes. It’s not until someone requests something from the past that I go on a mad search to find that special item. The process always takes hours of looking through boxes and pulling down dusty albums as photos spill out onto the floor. Of course the trip down memory lane is always fun, but soon you realize all the time passed by and you still haven’t found what you were looking for in the first place.

Usually when a person(s) is being celebrated for any numerous occasions such as a birthday, anniversary, funeral, etc. the memory boxes and albums are opened– BUT now what? You come across several photos of Aunt Marie, but there is a big scratch down the middle of her face or your favorite red bike photo has faded to pale pink. So retouching may be important–Yikes!

Selecting your items is a great start, but it is just the beginning. Next, the juxtaposition (scaling each item in its perfect place by size and transparency) is key and is one of my favorite skills when I’m creating an original collage. It requires a lot of patience, file adjustments and the ability to walk away for awhile to gain a better perspective later. Finally the finishing touches melt each image into place with just the right color accents–ooh-la-la!

The story is also important. I have had the pleasure of creating several important celebratory pieces, each one tells a unique story.

One of my favorite ways for the presentation is to print with archival inks on canvas and then gallery wrap (Imaged canvas flows over enough to wrap completely around the stretcher frame) which gives a beautiful modern appeal. The traditional option is printing on good quality archival paper with a mat and frame.

My clients have been touched deeply by my collages, because they are so personal. The business collages tell a story too, by showing the overall scope of one’s business in a single frame.

So dust off those old albums and boxes and envision your beautiful collage ready to unfold.