"Water Baby"

 My return to swimming in Hawaii's lava-encrusted East Side ocean has been an unexpected delight. Swimming was an important part of my mental and physical well-being for many years. After the loss of our home in 2018 and our relocation to Volcano, many things changed.  Also I had both knees replaced with ever-lasting Titanium, and, the density changed my ability to float. However, recently, with the aid of rubber shoes, the problem was solved.  

I've been wanting to express in a collage how I feel being back in the water.  Luckily I came across a vivid poster from 1915 by Fred Spear about the sinking of the Lusitania. Although the original message was about people drowning -- to me it felt like the woman was protectively holding her child -- which is how I feel in the ocean -- held safely.

 

Collage: Perfect Tonic for Obsessive/Compulsive People!

 Another small collage -- 10x12 

While I am Waiting

 Some (older) folks may remember the famous quote from Heinlein's "Stranger In A Strange Land" -- 'waiting is, I grok."  Such understanding comes from proverbs about everything having a time and season. So it is with art, especially undertaking a big project such as this one.

So many pieces! I'll tackle it in chunks, but try not to get overwhelmed. And, in the meantime, work on other ides for new collages....like the one below.

It is hard to use a gigantic image like the moth in the center -- so it doesn't overwhelm. Turning it upside down helped as well as finding matching colors in the architectural elements that turned it into more of an abstract feature. I cut the New York City skyline in half, turning part of it, too, upside down so the blues are connected to the mirrored hall.  The subtle colors of the NYC skyline are reflected in both the ducks-at-sunset as well as the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles. Colors also blend as the body builder's stunning body glistens with the same colors of the skyscape, ceiling and chandeliers in the hall. The geometrical designs on both edges come from The Kizil Caves in China.

Behold....the "MOTHMAN"... (18x26")