Laura J. Stein

Studio Street Address:: Brooklyn Neighborhood Arts Studios / 540 President Street

Artist Statement: I like to paint and draw with bits of paper, which is why collage is my medium. I put down a fast and loose pencil drawing on watercolor paper. I fill the space with cut or torn pieces from auction catalogs, artist prints, and maps. Sometimes the picture comes together right away like a completed puzzle. More often though, I put several layers down, scraping here and inlaying there, until it looks right. I like to have a lot of materials around me, make connections, and figure out what I want to combine. I use scissors, a razor, and gel medium to paste, attach, and scrape away. I have pre-conceived ideas that become fluid and changeable according to whether things are working out or look right. The collage feels finished when I have created a true pattern with the proper balance of light.

Portfolio Images