Rhenda Gray

I celebrate the freedom of a rebellious spirit, fierce courage, and quiet strength in my collages, assemblages, and handmade woodcut prints.

 In my art, I salute the bold and confident of the here and now. And, equally acknowledge the ancient values of silence and compassion. 

Collage has gradually taken the lead in my art. This transition began with a move from color woodcut prints to collagraphs--handmade prints created with fabric, paper, packing materials, ribbon, and more glued over a woodcut and than handpressed to create a print. 

Today I focus on collage and assemblage as a soaring release for my political anger, a tribute to brave voices who paid a heavy price for their courage, and a celebration of the reckless abandon I sometimes enjoy, but often envy from a safe distance. 

Sometimes, I stop and create works of comfort and serenity with the same reverence and accord I give my more controversial art.

 Through it all I can disappear into a world  old magazine pages, scraps of paper, bits of fabric or leather, vintage photos, abandoned posters, discarded beads and jewelry, upholstery, trim, cardboard, and more.

 Among the most expressive modern art forms, collage describes an artmaking technique and a work of art. 

Collages and assemblages (3-dimensional collage) begin with a basic two step process:

1. Cut or tear paper, photos, fabric, ribbon, plastic, jewelry, and any other desired materials to fit a planned or abstract design
2. Glue, tape, staple, or otherwise attach the items to any surface to create a work of art. 

Internationally recognized collage artists include Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Robert Rauschenberg, Kurt Switters, and Joseph Cornell. 

Color woodcuts, also known as white-line woodcuts, are handmade prints based on a design hand-carved into a single block of wood--the "woodcut". 

A collagraph print is created when materials --fabric, cardboard, paper, and more--are adhered to a the woodcut.

To create a handmade print, watercolor paint or ink is applied to the woodcut in sections. A sheet of paper is then pressed (using the artist's hand, a spoon, or other burnishing tool) onto the block. The result is a unique handmade print or monotype.

White line prints are unique because the carved lines of the design result in white lines separating sections of color throughout the print. 

 Blanche Lazzell and other artists specializing in the white-line woodcut technique created stunning prints and gained national recognition in the 1920's and 30's as American art pioneers.