Sometimes You Just Need A Kick In The Pants

Have you ever had an idea that's been rattling around in your brain for so long that you start to think you've already done it? Except, of course, you've only done it in your head? And then you see a piece of art that someone else has created and it jump starts the idea out of your head and propels it into something tangible? Well, that's what happened to me this week.

I've been collecting rejectamenta for years. Random, little bits and pieces of life that end up on the sidewalk, in hallways, stairwells, and parking lots. It's hard for me to pass over a handwritten note, bus ticket, or parking pass that I come across during the course of my day.


My friends and family bring me finds that they think I'll like. I've used rejectamenta in collage, mail art, journals and altered books. I even created an entire journal devoted to rejectamenta.


I've got loads of stuff!

There's just something that fascinates me about using what most people consider trash to create something that can be viewed as art. This concept was the inspiration for the name of my blog and the banner art I created above.

Every piece is fascinating to me in its entirety. For that reason I haven't had the courage to break the stuff down into smaller fragments--although that's the idea that's been in my head for a long time. I've been thinking about creating large collages of rejectamenta and then randomly cutting them up into multiple smaller collages. I've been thinking about it for so long but never convinced myself to actually do it.

Until this week when I opened the latest issue of Cloth, Paper, Scissors and saw the stunning "Graffiti Wall" collaboration created by Seth Apter and knew that I had to finally bring this idea to life. Seth did with handmade papers what I wanted to do with rejectamenta. And he did it beautifully! You can read about Seth's project and see the Cloth, Paper, Scissors article here.

I already knew about this particular collaboration because The Altered Page is one of my favorite blogs. I admire Seth's creative use of found objects in his artwork and his amazing generosity in sharing and showcasing the inspirational work of other artists. Although I had already seen the results of the graffiti wall project online, something about seeing it in print caused me to fly (yes, fly!) down to my studio and start slapping glue and paper together.

It was just the kick in the pants that I needed!!!


For an entire week I've been joyfully gluing and cutting up my beloved rejectamenta. The results are exactly what I imagined they would be--only better.


I'm so happy with the totally random compositions and find the fragments of rejectamenta just as intriguing as the whole. Maybe more so. I don't know yet what I'll do with these mini collages. Maybe I'll follow Seth's lead and make my own brick wall. Or maybe I'll come up with another idea, or ten, or a hundred. But for now it just feels good to have made the transition from idea to art.


Thank you Seth, for giving me the kick in the pants that I needed to finally bring an idea to fruition. And thank you to all the blog artists who generously share the ideas, projects, and finished results that inspire the rest of us to roll up our sleeves, get our hand dirty or sticky, and just make stuff. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.