Combing through flea markets or utilizing items others give her, assemblage and collage artist, Carla Diez, enjoys following wherever her imagination leads her. Scroll down to see more of her work...
One look at the assemblage work of Carla Diez from Wayne, IL, and you’re not surprised to learn she’s big on collecting things! Her whimsical 3-D assemblage or 2-D collage makes the viewer stop and wonder about the back story.
According to Carla, her craft room is a fun place to visit brimming with a variety of interesting odds and ends people give her or she has scouted for just waiting for her magic touch.
Growing up, Carla was good at drawing and so was her mother who encouraged her children to try many types of arts and crafts. Together the entire family also explored museums providing Carla with a culturally rich youth. Her inspiration for assemblage was ignited some years later by a trip to the Art Institute of Chicago where she spotted the work of Joseph Cornell in the modern art section.
“His work inspired me,” she recalls, “and I started reading books about him which made me want to focus on this area.”
She enjoys seeing everyday items in unique ways – determining how something can be reimagined. To others, an item might look like junk, but not to Carla. She sees a realm of possibilities as she combs through flea markets or resale shops.
“I don’t start a project with a set vision,” she explains. “Instead, I play with items to see what I can do and watch the project unfold as I put things together. It’s always surprising to see what themes develop as I work, and to discover what’s going on in my head!”
Through experimentation, she has learned how to build her work so that it’s sturdy from using a special type of glue to hammering with nails or attaching screws. Some creations may contain as many as 25 individual pieces, and some may even be movable.
Although her comfort zone is in the smaller range, they’re not miniatures, measuring up to 16” high. Her paper collage work measures from 16” x 24” to 24” x 24”. Prices range from $30-$90 for artful birds to $120-$300 for assemblage or collage.
Find her work at the Past and Present Shoppes, 22 N. Main Street, in North Aurora, IL and sometimes at Fine Line Creative Arts Center in St. Charles, IL. She can be emailed at: catpondering@icloud.com.
Collage by Carla Diez
Collage by Carla Diez
Learn more
Learn more
Fine Line Creative Arts Center | www.fineline.org