Artist Caroline Golden presents her fascinating mixed media portfolio of images, with themes pulled from fairytales and literature. Visit her website to see more of her work.
“Up from the Rabbit Hole”, paper collage, 15″ x 7″
I am a collage artist. I have spent the last twenty years exploring the transformative qualities of paper. Much like a jigsaw puzzle, I piece together seemingly disparate visuals to create new environments. Entering my studio you will find over one thousand magazines, old books and found objects that are part of my palette. These are supplemented by my own photography and painting to create my work.
“Alice’s Folly” mixed media, box size 7.5″ x 8.5″ x 7.5″
As far back as I can remember, I found paper models, pop-ups and the paper worlds they created a source of magic. As I result, I build additional dimension by raising cut imagery off the paper using a multi-dimensional relief technique creating my own paper worlds.
“Wake Up Call” paper collage, 12″ x 9″
I tend to work in series. In my studio, my work area consists of multiple tables where at times I may have as many as fifteen collages in progress all at once, creating an archaeological dig as pages are torn, images cut, many discarded until I am happy with the end result.
“Asylum” mixed media in bell jar, 11″ x 11″ x 11″
The images that have been cut apart and unused are stored away in tiny flat file drawers. These drawers contain imagery I have cut out spanning many years. For example, I have a drawer of eyes that must contain nearly 500 cut eyeballs or elements that would read as such.
“Asylum” (detail)
The theme of my work is the narrative, primarily fairytales with a special interest in Alice’s Adventures Underground where I am further exploring The Rabbit Hole for inspiration. Blowing the dust off these cherished and enchanting tales I reacquaint myself with characters found within. As I delve further, my curiosity drives me to don their slippers and step onto the stages where these beloved characters acted in their narratives, the objects that figured in their story and the supporting cast members that I now wish to call forward to take their bows.
“Rung Out” mixed media, 19″ x 13″
Over the last several years my architectural pieces have leapt off the 2-D plane into the world of 3-D. Instead of in a frame I place them under bell jars. Leaving the interior space absent of any character I leave the viewer to step in and take a look around. The castle tower empty, after the damsel has been rescued.
‘Threshold” mixed media in bell jar, 13″ x 9″
Sleeping Beauty’s chamber long after she has awakened and her bed stripped of its mattress. Grandmother’s house via a claustrophobic depiction where Red Riding Hood met her demise. These collaged constructions are mostly made of paper, disguised to mimic wood shingles, linoleum flooring, plaster walls and wood molding. With the aid of mirrors I have created additional spaces within, toying with the viewer’s perception of the space actually available for them to look into.
“The Creature” paper collage on antique book cover, 9″ x 7.5″
For me, the most important aspect of exploring any narrative is realizing “The End” may just be the midpoint of the story and the freedom and possibility remains mine to discover.
Your work is simultaneously careful and provocative! Thanks and good on you.
Caroline,
I really enjoyed the teaser here so I visited your website where I was able to appreciate the full scope of your technical and conceptual vitality and virtuoso (yes, today is adjectives beginning with Victorious “V” day)… I encourage anyone reading this comment to visit your site. I looked at everything and while it was great fun, I found the progression of ideas presented in the various series to tap into that special place where conscious thought gives way to the subconscious… the threshold of the veil, as it were. Loved “Insomnia” from the Fairy Tales series. Loved “Lovers, “Mine, All Mine” and “Blueprint” from “The Invisibles”, and LOVED “The Atlanteans” in its entirety.