Technique

My artworks are miniature collage constructions.

A large portion of my work is produced as pages of picture books. I aim to communicate to people through different layers of meaning in my work, the most obvious of which young children can understand and the more subtle, older readers.

Not surprisingly, the actual artwork is distinctively different from what you see in my books.
From my very first picture book, I have exhibited the artwork and my work has had this other life.
With some projects I produce additional artwork where my concept for the exhibition needs it and I don’t necessarily exhibit every piece of book artwork.

My more recent projects have evolved into a travelling exhibition.

I first work out my ideas in drawings, focusing on the work as a whole before developing the details.

When I feel I can take the ideas and visuals no further in this way, I start to work on the collages themselves, concentrating now mostly on colour and texture, though still refining and developing ideas as I go.

The collages are created from a combination of natural and artificial materials. Where I can I like to use textures from the actual materials portrayed ­ such as bark, feathers, cracked paint, earth, knitted wool, tin so that their natural textures become an integral part of the work. The vegetation used is often natural. Using plants was a problem at first but I have learnt how to preserve them so they last and I add permanent colour.

The work is quite two-dimensional but I play with the little real depth the work has and a strong illusion of perspective is created.

The materials and techniques I use vary from one project to another. I enjoy the continual challenges this medium gives me to invent techniques and explore and experiment with materials and their textures.

Jeannie Baker