Another way to "work" a collage is to apply a familiar quote to it. The other morning I woke up and was commencing my morning ritual of sipping coffee while scrolling through my FB newsfeed when I was startled by the very same quote showing up not once, but twice, each time in a different font and format, within seconds of itself. The quote: "What consumes your mind controls your life," by Alexander Alvarez. Hmmmm. Did I think that the Universe might be trying to tell me something?
You betcha. :)
The thing about being "consumed" though is that it can go both ways. Right now, I'd have to say my mind is mostly consumed by collage and writing. Which, when approached in a balanced manner can be a good thing.
But there have been times, we've all had them, when our minds, our thoughts, our lives, are consumed by less noble things. Say, the lover that had the audacity to leave us, the rumblings of a health crises, or late night niggling of financial woes. Any of these can certainly set a different space and pace to our everyday existence.
So let's take that idea, that quote and apply it to the collage, "Saving Eggs." Take a walk through the piece and tell which each character is "consumed" by. For me, I see ...
The Brawny Guy consumed by ... holding up those dang eggs.
The Russian Policeman consumed by ... duty.
Courtney Love consumed by ... needing to look cool at all costs.
The Belly-up Dog consumed by ... getting his belly tickled.
Hassidic Guy #1 consumed by ... waiting.
Hassidic Guy #2 consumed by ... holding up this dang sign.
(Notice how I have -two- "holding up" phrases? That would be significant.)
The Indigenous Girl consumed by ... not fitting in with her monkey hands.
The Indigenous Girl consumed by ... the egg that burns but is not consumed.
Next, you could take the "consumed by" phrases themselves, and use the ones that held the most emotional spark as writing prompts, asking yourself, in my case:
"What am I holding up, or what is being held up?" (notice that this prompt could be actually physically holding something up, OR emotionally holding something up)
"Where am I consumed by duty?"
"Where do I need to look cool at all costs?"
"Where am I waiting?"
Now, YOU try it. What do YOU see the characters in "Saving Eggs" as being consumed by? Share YOUR thoughts and comments below.
Extra Credit: What other quotes could we apply to this collage?
You betcha. :)
The thing about being "consumed" though is that it can go both ways. Right now, I'd have to say my mind is mostly consumed by collage and writing. Which, when approached in a balanced manner can be a good thing.
But there have been times, we've all had them, when our minds, our thoughts, our lives, are consumed by less noble things. Say, the lover that had the audacity to leave us, the rumblings of a health crises, or late night niggling of financial woes. Any of these can certainly set a different space and pace to our everyday existence.
So let's take that idea, that quote and apply it to the collage, "Saving Eggs." Take a walk through the piece and tell which each character is "consumed" by. For me, I see ...
The Brawny Guy consumed by ... holding up those dang eggs.
The Russian Policeman consumed by ... duty.
Courtney Love consumed by ... needing to look cool at all costs.
The Belly-up Dog consumed by ... getting his belly tickled.
Hassidic Guy #1 consumed by ... waiting.
Hassidic Guy #2 consumed by ... holding up this dang sign.
(Notice how I have -two- "holding up" phrases? That would be significant.)
The Indigenous Girl consumed by ... not fitting in with her monkey hands.
The Indigenous Girl consumed by ... the egg that burns but is not consumed.
Next, you could take the "consumed by" phrases themselves, and use the ones that held the most emotional spark as writing prompts, asking yourself, in my case:
"What am I holding up, or what is being held up?" (notice that this prompt could be actually physically holding something up, OR emotionally holding something up)
"Where am I consumed by duty?"
"Where do I need to look cool at all costs?"
"Where am I waiting?"
Now, YOU try it. What do YOU see the characters in "Saving Eggs" as being consumed by? Share YOUR thoughts and comments below.
Extra Credit: What other quotes could we apply to this collage?
"Saving Eggs" by Dante Jericho
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