I was recently invited to participate in an artist group whose members were sharing their individual creative journeys - how they got started, how their work has progressed and changed, what might be next on the horizon.

As I looked through 24 years of photos documenting my work, I was surprised…I really had accomplished much more than I would have thought since I made the conscious decision in 1999 to focus my time cultivating an art practice. Though I had taken some basic art classes in high school, I had no formal art training…I pretty much jumped in feet first to figure out how to create what I wanted to say while curious about where this path would take me.

My educational background in environmental issues was the source of my artistic inspiration. I remember the first Earth Day in April 1970 where we all sang the chorus of saving the earth. Though I did not pursue an environmental career as my profession, I have always wanted to live in harmony with nature…so it was no surprise that the components of recycled and vintage materials were the fodder for my art materials. Using what others have discarded, thrown away or tossed aside as no longer useful provide me with a plentiful source of supplies. Since I had no formal art instruction and had no aptitude for painting nor drawing, I didn’t see any need to buy expensive supplies not engage in elaborate techniques. Cut and paste, tear and hammer, sew and stitch…the essence of my work then…and now.

What I find most satisfying in my work is not only the use of simple materials in creation of my compositions but also the use of simple materials for my tools. Again I have found that there are plenty of useful tools available for a fraction of cost if you know where to look. Since I began my artistic journey scrounging through basements and garages for forgotten papers, old books, and rusty screws, I picked up a few gadgets and implements along the way that have become my favorite tools.

I thought I would share some of these with you…

#1. A basic bristle hair brush. I use these brushes for applying glue, especially useful when I am prepping the foundation layer of a collage. I always have a bowl of water near by so I can immediately pop the brush into the water when I am done so glue never hardens on it. You don’t need a pristine brush edge since you are just slapping glue down. I clean this brush with warm water after the day’s use. I have had this one brush for years!

#2. Lineman’s pliers. I use it to cut wire, bend wire and metal edges, pull through a needle when I’m sewing by hand in tough fabric. Picked this pair up for a quarter at a garage sale…its companion piece is my trusty needle nose pliers…same use, just a little thinner to get into tighter spaces.

#3. Awl. Great wooden handle and very sharp point…again, probably paid a dime for it at a yard sale. Punch small holes, make pilot holes for drilling, able to use the tip to lift up the tiniest bit of paper that fell into the wrong place.

#4. Small metal hammer. This hammer was my mom’s…she used it in her upholstery work. Hammer in small nails, smash the edges of rivets and brads to give it that well-loved look. Works in tandem with #7 nail sets…you use a nail set when you can’t get the hammer head in contact with the nail you want to put into place…the nail set is an extender that makes hammering in the exact place possible.

#5. Seam gauge. I would be lost without my seam gauge. It is the perfect tool for aligning images in a straight line, ensuring that margins are equal and the metal edge is ideal for tearing papers. I tend to tear my papers rather than scissor cut them when needed. This seam gauge is from my high school sewing class.

#6. Sanding block. I always have three sanding blocks loaded up with 3 different grits - 60 grit, 100 grit, 120 or 150 grit. I usually overextend my paper over the edge on whatever substrate I am working on…and then sand off the excess once everything is dry. I learned early on that if I try to cut the piece of paper to fit the space, it ALWAYS ended up too short…not with this technique. I often give a light sanding to my collages when I am done since I like that worn, aged look.

The tool I use the most though is my constant curiosity…what if I did this…or what would happen if I did that. Not every idea pans out…but since I’m not using expensive supplies nor fragile materials, if something turns out different than I expected, I’m not at a great loss…and sometimes the different outcome is better! And I find that the more I challenge myself to look at options, the more ideas that spring to mind. Similar to the adage of brainstorming…there are no bad ideas…but keeping your curiosity and your creativity keen will help you to know which ones might work out best.