Collage Discovery Workshop

February 15, 2004
In Hellmuth's hands, collage is not child's play but an artistic endeavor. Instruction in 15 different techniques, from glazing paint to creating a verdigris patina, form the core of her work, preceded by introductory pages on tools and supplies. The text is casual in tone and sympathetic to foibles and failures. What's even more impressive is the way she explains something nearly impossible to articulate--that is, how to transform a ho-hum collage into an aesthetically pleasing composition. The emphasis, in fact, is on the journey to art, on learning how to see better, to tell stories, and how journals can be used to capture ideas. A gallery, hints, and safety tips help focus readers on the possibilities of three-dimensional assemblages. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)