Cara R. Washburn, Somerville, MA – collage/fiber
Description of my work:
My work is a mixture of collage, assemblage and fiber. It is a sophisticated blend of old and new – a kind of visual poetry that has as its underlying themes: a tender appreciation for the small things in life and a deep sense of caring and hope.
For this work I begin by creating an original collage using painting, printmaking, hand-colored photos, vintage ephemera and found objects. When the originals are complete, I make high-resolution scans, reduce them in size and transfer the images onto art canvas. Finally, I hand sew these individually made prints onto sturdy utility canvas totes and aprons that I have hand-dyed in an array of saturated, sumptuous colors.
I also make a range of one-of-a-kind assemblage constructions, including my “Touchstones” tiles made of concrete, as well as greeting cards, “Tender Heart” greetings hearts made from recycled wool blankets and sweaters, and my “Pearls of Yankee Wisdom” magnets.
