Kismet Arts Tangent

The collage effect highlights the fantasy and unrealness of the work, bringing a sense of play, as if we are not bound to realism. These are representations of ideas of places I want to go or find beautiful, adding a sense of adventure to my heart even if I’m just stuck at home. I think about the tropical, where I’m from; the monastic, where I dream to be; and nature, which is often out of reach for someone without a car.

I love seeing these sides of myself. The expressions on my face and the ways I style and pose make me feel like I’ve satisfied myself and my vision.

The elements of costume are incredibly fun to come up with. A lot of the time, it feels like I’m not making clothes but sculptures.

Each collage certainly feels like a story or a tableau—a sense of a character in a unique place.

I appreciate how, sometimes, the collage flattens certain bits while adding texture to others. It’s a good idea to experiment more with mixed-media techniques. What would that look like?

Styling and capturing these looks lift my spirits. While the work doesn’t reflect my emotional state at the time, I do feel a bit of a neuro-reward in anticipating the finished product and imagining what people will see and like about it on social media.

These collages are an important part of my art practice because I make so many costumes and accessories, and I am my most accessible (and inspiring) model.

There’s a sense of surrealness to the styles I choose. They often have a jester-like, whimsical quality that feels sculptural, symbolizing play and invention.

I have been pleasantly surprised by how things work out. A ball of yarn or a large skein that I thrifted can sometimes be just the right size for a certain proportion—or, rather, it feels satisfying to let the material choose its own length.

I am currently using Pinterest’s collage tool and then color-correcting the images.

Creating these works feels empowering. It represents my love for image-making, styling, and coordinating these characters and their backdrops.

I would like to make a portrait-collage of someone else, guiding them through the process of crafting costume elements, trying them on, and photographing them. Wearing something is a great way to quality-check—ensuring there are no pins left behind—and to reflect on how it all comes together. Photographing the work gives me the distance I need to see it as someone else might.

This process feels like personal therapy. It’s like looking in a mirror, affirming my creativity, my body, and how I can wear my art. It feels as natural and comforting as my own feathers, a form of preening and self-expression.