Barbara Mabli

I cannot remember a time when I was not putting things together to build something new. It started with ABC blocks.
I have always been fascinated and amazed by the repetition of patterns throughout the natural world; similar functions giving rise to similar forms. I just cannot help seeing how things relate to one another and how they fit together either by contour, color, concept or function. That is why I find collage and assemblage to be such satisfying forms of expression. Both rely on recognizing the relationship between seemingly disparate elements and understanding how they might be put together to communicate a thought or feeling.
To create my collages, I collect, cut, fit and paste elements together to form a new image. The assembly technique I use creates a flatter, more two-dimensional surface than might be expected from traditional collage methods where the visible edges of the elements or layers create an obvious three-dimensional surface. However, the process is the same.