You mention in your bio that you began creating collages in 2016. What first drew you to this art style?

In 2016, I took a 2D design course in college. I needed to fill my art credit as part of my graduation requirements, and I fell in love with the process. I had never been much of a drawer or painter, though those processes are enjoyable, but something about the collage making process really resonated with me because I was taking things apart, functionally destroying them, and creating something brand new.

Your pieces featured in this issue, “Mountainous” and “Sun Over the Water,” depict different landscapes, both with the sun as their focal points. What draws you to the natural world as a subject in your art?

The first time I walked outside after I got my glasses, I realized I could see the leaves on the trees all of a sudden. I didn’t know I was missing them, before that, and my vision continues to be absolutely awful. Despite this, nature continues to be a marvel to me. It’s all over my apartment, I have so many plants and a cat that is fascinated with the windows. Nature brings me joy where the world can be stressful, even when I’m not outside, because it’s always changing and there’s always more to see. I also haven’t stopped being fascinated by the fact that I can see the individual leaves on trees when I have my glasses.

Vibrant color is central to all of your collages. How do you determine the color composition of your pieces? 

I start with a base idea. Some small drawing that can be laid underneath what I’m actually creating with an idea of what color I want to fill it in with, and I keep the idea of that color broad. If I want blue, for example, I’m not looking for a specific shade of blue but many. I want each area to stand out. I want to celebrate the basic idea with colors that will make it pop the most rather than letting one figure blend into the next.

Your bio indicates you are a writer as well as a visual artist. What kind of writing do you create? How does writing influence your visual art?

Sometimes, my writing will inspire a piece or vice versa. All of my art feeds into each other. I have one self-published book of pride flags where I wrote all of the descriptions and tidbits associated with each flag. Otherwise, I love to write fiction, especially fantasy or fairytale-based works.

You also have created many political collages over the years — pieces on immigration, election issues, as well as a LBGT+ Pride book, to name a few. What do you hope people might take away from these kinds of pieces?

Being seen. Pride flags have been a huge focus of mine because I wanted to be seen, and when I was coming out, I never saw my pride flag anywhere. I wanted to be seen, and I want others to know that at least one person out there sees them. The pride flags are often my joy, and I hope they are others.

My political pieces are more about expressing my feelings towards the world because I want others to see what I see and act to make the world a better place. Whether that is encouraging people to vote, commentary of climate change or immigration or healthcare, or something else, I want people to see what is going on and work for something better.

Where do you usually seek out the paper that you use in your collages?

A lot of my paper comes from old magazines, usually from family (very often from my mom and my grandfather, honestly). There are piles of them in my room, and I’m always getting more. I have to cycle them out, usually in my local buy nothing group, as I never seem to run short.

What are some recent artistic muses you have been inspired by?

The pandemic has been a big one for me since 2020, I have a number of plague doctor pieces and others around masking or getting vaccinated. Books I’m reading or things I’m watching are another source of inspiration as I let it kick start my own imagination. All of these are things in my day to day life that keep me thinking until I can manage to pull an idea together enough to put it down on paper.

See Jennifer’s Collages, “Sun Over the Water” and “Mountainous” in dulcet Literary magazine, vol. One, Issue No. 2