Welcome one and all!
This is madcollage.com. I'm glad you wish to view my artwork and learn a bit about me. You can also purchase giclee prints of your favorite collages directly from me. No middle man and no hidden costs. It would be brilliant if you did. Thank you!
So how did it all start for me? I was a sickly child. Though I loved sports, most of my time was organized around indoor creative pursuits: making things with cardboard boxes, scissors, and glue. I created televisions, puppet theaters, pinball machines, dollhouses, and loads and loads of drawings in between. I loved scented markers, clay, messy aprons and the smell of freshly sharpened pencils. I still do.
As an adult, I have dealt with chronic pain for the last seventeen years. By now I only manage to work in between pain episodes. It's frustrating not having control over my health, but I try to save all of my energy to work in the studio. It's not an exact science, but occasionally I have a good run and I work for a few days in a row. I do what I can.
What else is interesting about me? I don't really know. I am a reluctant immigrant. I love to garden. My brain is like a Vitamix on full blast mode. I am anxious and prone to melancholy. I absolutely love animals above all else. I enjoy movies from the 1930s and 1940s. I hate cheese, and I loathe beer. Living in Vermont is challenging as a result. The tick armageddon doesn't help either.
My work has its origins in my formative years in Spain. The very name of this website is a nod to my old stomping grounds. MAD is short for Madrid, and I love my city. I remember my neighborhood, my elementary school, my grandparents' home, the parks and streets that are no longer outside my door. It's all there between the layers of paper and glue. I try to blend the old with the new, but home is, and always will be, Madrid. That city defines me and my artwork more than anything else.
So my images flow from the confluence of memory and imagination. I create them with care, slowly layering paper, paint, and transfers. Sometimes there is a straight line between thought and execution, but other times the work surprises me with a magical twist. I love the process no matter what the end result and (health permitting) I make collages daily. You won't find all of them here, but I hope you like the pieces that made the cut.
I also teach collage and mixed media techniques in Burlington, Williston, and surrounding areas. Studio classes are perfect for practicing new skills and for finding inspiration in the local community. I know I derive a lot of additional benefits from collage making in a classroom setting. It's very stimulating to share ideas and work in progress. If interested, you can find all my new classes on the VT Collage Club Facebook page. I strive to make each class fun and informative. Everyone succeeds no matter their level of proficiency.