Elizabeth Few

My collages are constructed using fragments of images found in magazines to create large, abstract compositions full of rich color, texture, depth, and radiance. They are executed to convey feeling through the chemistry among each component and the resulting energy and movement of the work as a whole.
I begin by dissecting commercial images; I strip them of their identity and make use of their visual appeal. I strive to transform the ephemeral qualities to possibly reveal the eternal, while developing something that I recognize as possessing more truth and purity. I establish structures on canvas that serve as a conversion of emotions such as fear, confusion, joy, sadness, rage, peace, righteousness, and resentment into forms that, for me, express them or contain them.
If there exists an innate struggle to strike a balance between the self and everything that exists beyond it, then my artwork is an attempt at balance; a place for me to make peace with my sources, other human beings, history, the unknown and ultimately with myself. I endeavor through my materials and technique to throw up borders, express chaos, create order, manifest courage, and connect with nature, while asking questions about the power of beauty and how it impacts our lives; do we, as Americans, have a strong sense of who we are as a people and a culture? Do we, as individual beings, have a strong sense of self? Are we defined by what we possess? Are we thinking? Is there willfulness in our ignorance? How much does the corporate culture of consumerism drive our lives? How have our perceptions been skewed and how controlled and manipulated are we? Do we care about the truth? Are we comfortable with strong feelings? Does our religion and/or spirituality include or alienate others?
I use the media as my medium and collage as a way to confront and study these questions, connect with people, and ultimately to evoke a dream of hope.