Small Art, Big Impact

Outgrown is a mixed media collage exploring transformation, identity, and the beauty of becoming something new.

The face was the first recycled piece I found for this work. The model immediately stood out to me — she felt beautifully otherworldly, almost like she belonged somewhere between reality and imagination. From that single fragment, the rest of the piece began to take shape.

One of my favorite challenges in collage is finding the right background. Sometimes I can search through materials for hours looking for the piece that completes the vision. With Outgrown, everything seemed to fall into place. A few recycled magazine pages came together to create a surreal landscape that allowed the figure to exist somewhere unfamiliar and dreamlike.

I wanted to add a mixed media element to bring another layer of texture and contrast to the piece. The punk spikes felt like the perfect accessory — adding a touch of rebellion, edge, and unexpected glamour to this ethereal portrait.

Like much of my work, Outgrown is built from materials that already had a life before becoming part of something new. Through collage, discarded pieces are transformed into a one-of-a-kind artwork that celebrates reinvention, individuality, and the process of outgrowing who we once were.

Outgrown was exhibited as part of Small Art, Big Impact at the Westfield Memorial Library, a group exhibition curated by the Westfield Art Association.

To purchase this original mixed media collage, learn more here: Outgrown