Most successful artists have a common thread running through their work—some kind of unifying element or distinct style that gives their art its own flavor. For Colorado artist Saundra Lane Galloway, this common element is quickly becoming collage.
With a degree in art education, Saundra has taught at the middle and secondary school level, as well as adult workshops since 1996. Though she has worked in a variety of media including oil, watercolor and acrylic, recently she has been experimenting with collage that includes the combination of paper and paint. Sometimes she mixes in words to add her own visual conclusions too.
Saundra’s mixed media process begins with laying down a basic color on MDF board, which is supported on a poplar wood cradle. With careful consideration of her subject matter she selectively chooses paper with attention to color and pattern.
Paper, paint, and sometimes a modeling paste are used to ensure that her primary subject is moved forward so the viewer’s eye is guided without distraction. The final result is a combination of what Saundra loves the most: color, movement and texture. This is exactly what you see in the image below.
This final collage shown below, entitled 12 Cherries, has a whimsical irony to it. Although it seems that larger-than-life cherries are taking over their own mountain range, the image itself is very small: only 3 1/2″ tall by 16″ long.
No matter the size, though, its strong horizontal composition is very intriguing. The cloud-like banner, striped rolling landscape, and marching cherries joyfully guide your eyes from one end to the other. This is a perfect example of how Saundra likes to control the movement and texture in her compositions.
To experience more of Saundra Lane Galloway’s whimsical, vibrant collages, please visit her website, blog or Etsy shop.