Pam Bickell

pjbickell@gmail.com

A doctor asked me to cut things out of magazines, glue them onto something, and bring them in for her to see. I did and was so taken by the paper! (She told me they tended to have spiritual themes.) I never learned to paint (everything usually looks like mud when I try) but images formed with the paper, and they made me so happy. To this day, making this art soothes my soul like nothing else does. Eventually I discovered collage art online and I'm really not a true collage artist--I'm not very interested in juxtaposition. I just like to see what happens. After that, I found the people painting papers and making prints and building pictures from them. I was truly hooked then. These pieces are paper images built on canvas boards. I paint/stamp/stencil mostly designer papers and deli wrap papers now, often using the Gelli Plate, and then I cut or tear the pieces into designs. I am happiest when I don't have to make something in particular, but I've learned to make requests, too. I think this is a very special way to make art. It takes away the fear of painting--you're just laying down pieces of paper wherever they tell you they belong. For those who say, “I’m not an artist,” collage work is both freeing and satisfying.

Pam Bickell