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Interviewing the collage artist, Robine Savert.

”Collages are just paper upon paper. You can always add ribbons, lace, twine, charms, wax etc. later, once you figure out a nice placement for your papers.”



I like how carefully and precisely you choose the objects/materials for your collages. I noticed that every collage is thoughtfully put together. How do you choose how to combine all these materials/objects together? Is something that it comes naturally for you or do you put a lot of thought into it?



Thank you! I usually put a lot of thought into it; each collage takes me about 2 hours. I start off with one vintage image or old photograph/postcard (I get them from thrift shops, markets or online!) that I really like and go through my collection of old newspapers, dictionary paper and other card stock that compliments the image. It doesn't matter if the papers are different colors or tones if you use the same ink to color or distress them. They all go together in the end.





Are you inspired by some specific artists? Where do you source inspiration/ideas from?



I love to look at other people's artwork, but I am always a little hesitant to spend too much time focusing on other artists. I am afraid I might steal their ideas or get intimidated by their talent, so it's not something I do regularly. When I make a collage, I try to focus on what time period I want to capture, I imagine the streets, the wallpapers, the newspapers, old apothecaries... I mostly just use my imagination to spark my inspiration.



Let’s talk a bit about how you were attracted to Art. Is there something or someone that particularly inspired you when you first started? How long have you been doing Art?



My favorite thing to do when I was little was crafting. Drawing, water coloring, making things out of old toilet paper rolls! I have always loved to create things. There was a time when I used to make charms out of polymer clay and later on I started making and selling jewelry. But when I went back to paper, I remembered what I loved so much about it when I was little. I make YouTube videos now showing my process and I love to watch other mixed media artists' videos on YouTube as well. Two of my favorite YouTubers are The Frugal Crafter and France Papillon. The Frugal Crafter is all about being creative and just doing it, instead of being fussy or having to be perfect. I love that. France Papillon has a very distinct style and has a lot of knowledge about materials and colors. I once followed a workshop from France and it was one of the best days ever.



Is Art a hobby or a career for you or maybe both? :D How long have you been selling Art and when did you launch your shop “Your Juliet” on Etsy.com? How did you find this website and did it help selling your artwork? Also, tell us a bit more about your shop, like how you’ve come up with the name, for example.


For now, my art is a hobby and I intend to keep it that way. It would be nice to make a living out of my art, but then again, what would happen if you become so successful? You get lazy and can't make good art anymore. Making art is a way to relax and if it has to pay my bills, I would start to resent it. If you would call my jewelry art, then it would have been 4 years, but "Your Juliet" just opened on Etsy, so I would say only a few months! I knew Etsy from when I started selling jewelry and I figured it would be a nice place to sell my collages and mini albums. The name "Your Juliet" has been circling around in my head for over 8 years now and I decided it was time to use it as a name for my shop, because it's a little hard to forget. Juliet is of course one half of the couple of the greatest love story in time, art is love and love is art. The funny thing is that some commenters on YouTube think I'm named Juliet! I don't mind it at all; it's a very pretty name.


You can find Robine’s Etsy shop at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/YourJuliet?ref=pr_shop_more





Now let’s get back to your mixed media-collage work. How have you become passionate about collages at the first place? Are collages a form of Art readily found in your area?


Collages are a very relaxing way of making a piece of art. It is just a flat surface, you figure it out. Everyone can do it. Making mini albums or mixed media canvases is a lot harder. Colors don't match, materials behave differently from what you expected. Collages are just paper upon paper. You can always add ribbons, lace, twine, charms, wax etc. later, once you figure out a nice placement for your papers. I have been to some local art shows, but I haven't seen anyone selling collages yet. But I am sure I'm not the only one making them in the Netherlands. I would love to see them!




Describe to us how you work, the process of creating your Art? Do you make sketches before you actually begin to work or do you prefer “sketching” in your mind and then apply everything on the surface you work on?



I start off with cutting a piece of white heavy card stock in my favorite size (21 x 23 cm) (this was just a coincidence when I made the first one that decided to make all my collages the same size from that point on) and then distressing the edges with ink. After that, I select one main image. I start by ripping up pieces of vintage floral patterns or pieces of paper with text on it. If I feel there is not enough text, I use a text stamp for the background of the collage (and vice versa when I feel there are not enough flowers/other patterns). I start to puzzle with 4 or 5 different pieces of paper, replacing them over and over. This takes the most time. Once I decided on a placement, I ink them too and stick them down. I use 3d foam tape to give them some dimension. After that, I embellish the collage with clips, charms, twine, splashes of ink and/or more stamps. Best thing to keep in mind: always use 1 or 3 to keep symmetry. One shell, one butterfly or three shells or three butterflies.



For more info about Robine’s working process:

Blog: your-juliet.net, YouTube: www.youtube.com/YourJulietNet



Tell us about your preferred materials/objects! As someone can easily understand while viewing your work, you tend to use vintage items, such as old photographs, post stamps, book pages, seal stamps, but also natural elements, like seashells, butterflies and flowers. Why do you choose these particularly?



I think the combination of something man made, like a newspaper, a photograph or post stamps go so beautifully with something from nature. We as humans make heavy things; nature makes delicate and precious things. I worked with different objects in the past, like metal, clay, wool etc, but when I try to alter it (say, for example color it or try to change its shape) to fit my collages, it never has the expected result like with paper. Acrylic paint reacts differently to plastic and metal than for example alcohol inks. If you ink or color a scrap piece of paper, you can immediately tell if it will work for your project. The vintage papers already have a nice color and texture to it and they fit very well together. Paper is very forgiving, if you tear it or crumble it, the better for vintage projects! Also, I choose vintage objects, because I get a feel of nostalgia and I love the old days represented in my work. I think a lot of people feel the same way. Even though it was not always so great in those times, I like to incorporate the pretty and good things from those days.




What size do you mostly use for your collages? I noticed that most of your collages measure 21 x 23 cm or they decorate mini albums that are about 15 cm high and wide, but do you like working on different scales, as well?



I always use the same size for my collages, this way they can be hung together in harmony when you place them on your wall. And it's easier for storage and shipping! The mini albums are a bit smaller, as they are meant for being used and touched. People can put their photos in from their world trip or their children's memories. I definitely like working on different scales, but I think it depends on what item I am making.



Do you use them in your home décor? Is the vintage style we see in your work the decorative style or one of the styles that represents the style of your home, as well?



Once I finish a collage, I take pictures of it and put it up for sale. After that, I store the collages right away, so nothing can happen to them. My home is a mix of bohemian and vintage style. I have a cabinet of curiosities and also some very old furniture purchased from a thrift shop. Old stuff is so much cheaper and beautiful. It reminds me to be thankful for what I have now.





Where would you add them in a space? Could you give some ideas of how a potential client could use them in their homes or in any other space?



I think my collages would look best on the wall, maybe just taped on with old brown paper tape or washi tape. But of course they can also be stored in an acetate folder to look at and flip through.



Do people purchase your collages as gifts? Which demographic group (age, gender, and nationality) is mostly interested in them?



So far, I haven't sold a collage yet, but my other items have been sold mostly as gifts. From what I can tell, most of my viewers and buyers are women, aged 30-45 from the USA.



Do you think packaging is as important as the artwork itself? How do you pack your orders?



Yes, absolutely! I package each order differently, but I put almost as much love and care in the packaging. I tie it up with a nice ribbon and charm, so my buyers can give the item as a gift right away.







At this point I would like to thank you for taking the time to share all this with me and everyone who read this interview.


As a gesture of good will and a chance to get a real feeling of Robine’s collages at hand, you have a special coupon of 10% on any future purchase. You can use the coupon after check out by writing THANKYOU10 in the coupon box. Please don’t forget to visit her lovely shop at https://www.etsy.com/shop/YourJuliet?ref=pr_shop_more. I think you will not regret it! J



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