collages

Great Expectations/Mεγάλες Προσδοκίες

Collage on paper 24 x 32cm  by Angela Zafiris

“By all means, marry.  If you get a good wife you’ll become happy; if you get a bad one, you’ll become a philosopher.” SOCRATES

“Παντρεψου. Αμα παρεις μια καλη γυναικα τοτε θα γινεις ευτυχησμενος. Αμα παντρευτεις μια κακη γυναικα, τοτε θα γινεις φιλοσοφος”- ΣΟΚΡΑΤΗΣ

Breaking Free/Ελευθερια

Torn Paper collage by Angela Zafiris

For a very long time I would see, in my mind,  a woman being released from her isolation.  I saw her walls breaking down. She walked alone with the wind behind her pushing her toward the blue sky. The sun is coming out of the clouds and is ready to greet her. She doesn’t know what fate has in store for her but has an undying hope. Green symbolizes hope this is why she wears a green dress instead of black which symbolizes mourning.  This woman mourns no more…

In this collage I used bits of torn blue paper from magazines for the sky. Torn bits of brown paper for the bricks and green for the females’ dress. The papers were glued on 34 x22 cm cardboard paper.

Timeless Beauty/ Διαχρονική Oμορφιά

Mixed-media on canvas 30 x 24 cm By Angela Zafiris

My recent painting happened by accident. I think that the best things happen by accident. I usually plan a painting. I make a sketch first and I try to picture how it would like when it’s done. This time I just let myself be more free and just let myself take a few risks. I applied layers of paint with colours ranging from yellow to blue over the photos from magazines, then I decided to make a mini collage for the center with the background posing as a thick frame.  Then I applied a bit of gesso  to give it a more foggy, haunting feel. The scan made the painting more vibrant than it actually is.

21st Century Woman

© By Angela Zafiris Collage on paper 24 x 34 cm

The idea for my 21st Century Woman collage came to me in a flash when I started to think about how complicated things have become for women these days. Women have become more expensive, with their clothes and accessories and make-up.  Women are expected  by society to have the latest style and to look their best, always. She is more ‘high maintainance’ now than she has ever been. Sure, in the past women took care of themselves but they were women mostly of the upper class who spent a lot of time and money on their look. But, even those women never spent the time and money on her looks as much as the modern woman has.   It seems that we have all become Queens now, wanting to be pampered and shopping for luxury brand items. However, our current economic crisis has made it harder for most women to have this kind  of life style.

Many females have had to cut down on the many indulgences that their mothers and grandmothers did not have.  They are dying and cutting their own hair, buying cheaper make-up and they are buying fewer clothes-if any this season! Maybe we are not  meant to be Queens and that we should just live a simpler life-save for a lucky few.

 

Rainy Days

Mixed-media collage painting 31 x 23 cm on paper
By Angela Zafiris

I’ve hoped for rain during this blistering heat in Athens, but no such relief.  Since I can’t stand it when the temperature exceeds 30° C.  So I decided to stay in my air-conditioned home and make myself  a mixed-media collage painting.

For this collage painting I used a photocopied  picture from a magazine of an old Broadway musical poster. The image of the female and the umbrella are from magazines as well, but not photocopied. I used dark acrylics blue and purple and text in the background. Then I  used a paper towel to absorb the excess paint.

The Golden Wreath/Το Χρυσο Στεφανι

Mixed-media assemblage by Angela Zafiris

This is my latest collage painting creation titled ‘The Golden Wreath’, I used magazine photos and leaves. I glued everything together and I painted over everthing using different coloured acrylics. I used some green foliage and painted it gold and I glued it to make it look like a classical golden wreath.

Το πιο προσφατο κολαζ  ονομαζεται ‘Το Χρυσο Στεφανι’. Χρησιμοποιησα φωτογραφιες και φυλλα. Τα κολλησα ολα μαζι και επειτα εβαλα διαφορα ακριλικα χρωματα. Με εμπνευσε η φωτογραφια με τους αρχαιους Ελληνες και γ’αυτο το λογο κολλησα το χρυσο στεφανι στο καμβα.