This April Artwork Network has been exhibiting what we consider to be the prettiest artwork ever inspired by a rusty bucket (check out this video interview for more about that).  We chatted with Denver collage artist Pat Isaacs about her artwork and her creative process.  Be sure to visit the gallery to see the exhibit, which runs through the end of April.

"Criss Cross" by Pat Isaacs

How did you get started in art?  How does it fit into your life?

Pat Isaacs:  Two passions have guided my life, visual arts and healing arts.  With my background in massage and acupuncture, tactile awareness always presents itself in the layers of my mixed media artwork.  In this way each canvas and each client is an energetic puzzle in need of creative problem-solving.

My art studies in college were primarily photography and printmaking. Since 2002 I have studied with the professional community at the Arts Students League of Denver. The skillful mentoring of Homare Ikeda has encouraged me to find the voice of each abstract painting in color, form, and meaning.

Tell us a little bit about your process.  What kind of techniques do you use?

Pat Isaacs: My mixed media techniques have been mostly self-taught. Happy accidents are a frequent occurrence. The color of one paper may bleed into the next and in doing so alter how a work matures.  Pulling off paper, when directed by informed intuition, partially reveals what is underneath and keeps subtraction part of the process.

I am a tireless collector of unusual paper, fiber, metal, found objects, and other wrappings of daily life.  These materials appear in my mixed media collage paintings whether heavily layered upon or barely veiled by paint. I usually work in series using a limited palette and similar materials.

My process begins with pre-painting mulberry and watercolor papers. I tear some, cut others, and combine them with colors and materials that intrigue me.  From here an organic unfolding happens: the paper, metallic paint, metal flakes, and patina solutions play off each other to create texture.

Experimentation with materials and a spontaneous process are the high points in my creative cycle.  I run my hand over the artwork for somatic feedback and watch how its color and form add a sense of motion. The result is a compelling tactile quality both free-spirited and deliberate, with layers of meaning.