In this 2.5-hour drop-in art session, patrons will learn about mail art exchanges, collage art, and community engagement through the arts.
Drop in for a relaxed, hands-on session for teens and adults to explore paper reuse and collage. Following a brief collage introduction from 6–6:15 PM, including a slide deck with how artist trading card (ATC) swaps work, ATC collage design ideas, and ways to engage with your community through collage-creative reuse by collage artist, Laura Weiler. Participants are invited to dive into an evening of cutting, pasting, music, conversation, and creativity. Use our collection of unique papers, vintage magazines, and ephemera to craft one-of-a-kind ATCs for display and exchange.
Participants will learn about mail art exchanges, collage art, and community engagement through the arts. Laura will also discuss the upcoming Community Gallery Show opening on October 3rd as an opportunity to see their art on display before the optional exchange. Blank 3.5 x 2.2 inch note cards and collage source materials will be set on a long table with glue sticks and scissors. Participants will be invited to walk through the “buffet” line and gather a selection of materials that speak to them and find a space at community tables to create. Additional blank cards will be available on the work tables. Participants can create one or several ATCs to contribute to the Community Gallery Show or to exchange with participants after the show.
Laura Weiler is a visual artist and arts facilitator working primarily in analog and digital collage as well as mixed media. Laura combines her love of paper ephemera and design to create dynamic and unexpected visual creations. Informed by a background in film, photography, and floral design, her compositions are both dramatic and tender, rendered with psychological layers and given vital, expressive energy.
Laura’s work is part of the permanent collection at The Scandinavian Collage Museum in Norway. She has been published in multiple print and online publications worldwide, including editorial illustrations for The Guardian, Cosmopolitan, and Road & Track. Her art direction projects cover interdisciplinary ground, such as floral design for Harpo Studios, album and mural design, commercials, and films screened at the Chicago International Film Festival. She has facilitated creative experiences for public and private audiences, as well as government agencies, with a concentration on arts accessibility, creative process, and localism.
In 2021, Laura co-founded the Pacific Northwest Collage Collective (PNWCC) to celebrate the medium of collage and connect regional artists. As a co-founder, Laura hosted multiple experiences, gatherings, and art shows fostering paper arts and community-based art-making throughout the region.
Laura is now located in West Michigan by way of Portland, OR, and Chicago, IL. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring her home state and hanging out with her family and their two black cats, Winnie & Lucy.
Location details: Austin, Sugarloaf and West Rooms, located on lower level
Event Contacts: Laura Wright or Rachael Wiegmann
All participants are welcome. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation(s) or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact us at rwiegmann@portagelibrary.info or lwright@portagelibrary.info
AGE GROUP: | High School | Adult |
TAGS: | 4:Youth Dept | 3:Standard | 2:In person | 1:All Ages (Adult Focus) |
Located near the intersection of S. Westnedge and Shaver Rd, Portage District Library offers ample parking, EV charging, and access to the Portage Bikeway.
