What a time I have had with this collage.
It all began this week with @shaka's startling template photo:
The Template by @shaka
Every week @shaka invites us to look at a photo and let our imaginations roam. In a world beset by pandemic, catastrophic weather events and civil unrest, why would anyone turn down that invitation? I don't compete in the weekly LMAC contest, and yet I never turn down @shaka's invitation.
To understand the multiplicity of collages I made for this, the 91st LMAC round, you should know that making a collage for me is like a meditation. When something puts me on edge, I go back to a collage and work on it. It's a little like Wax on Wax off
Art and Electromagnetic Imaging
While my husband is convinced there is nobody like me in the world, it seems that art has an effect on the mood of many people. EEG readings of individuals during and after art creation, shows "large increases in temporal lobe activity". According to an article published by Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, it may be that the temporal lobe activation explains the "transcendental states of consciousness that are frequently associated" with engaging in artistic activities. I wouldn't describe my response to collage making as a transcendental experience, but the activity certainly does relax me, and Big Pharma doesn't get a piece of that.
An Intermediate Image in Making One of My Collages
There are studies that show creating art actually stimulates the release of dopamine in the brain. We all know what dopamine does. Dopamine is known as the "feel-good neurotransmitter—a chemical that ferries information between neurons". Big Pharma loves to design drugs that inhibit or release dopamine.
There are dopamine mimics ('agonists',) and dopamine inhibitors. (‘antagonists',) However, when I need a little dopamine boost, I don't ask Big Pharma. I turn my thoughts away from whatever is giving me stress, and take a collage break.
At this point, I’m conditioned. As soon as I start creating, my focus shuts out distractions. (Exercise works too!--a great dopamine stimulant.)
As soon as I looked at @shaka's photo, I saw a snake in the scorched remnant of life that dominated the foreground. So I colored that barren creature and made it a colorful snake.
I made one collage where scorpions moved, the large snake/rocks glinted and a small snake dived into the water.
Once I had the idea of a snake fixed in my head I kept thinking of how to use it. @borjan's scorpions came to mind immediately. Then @onyechi's wonderful art work also came to mind. That fit in perfectly with my idea.
I'd like to say there was an overarching concept behind the designs, but there wasn't. Only the last one I made, which was a whim (thinking of @muelli's humorous collages) had a motif--humor. (I know. I'm not @muelli, but I can still be inspired by his art.) This collage took a couple of hours, which for me is not long. I'm really, deliberately, slow in getting the collages out.
I made one still with a Lunapic filter (Homer Effect).
Here' one where where @onyechi's plants moved and the snake's eye twinkled.
The LMAC Community
The community was founded by @shaka, who is a brilliant photographer. I started making collages in the community about two years ago. Since then, LMAC has grown. We welcome everyone. There are no language barriers, no skill limitations in the community. We do have rules, but they only exist to ensure the continued success of the community and the collegial spirit that thrives among members. Here are the rules, as described in the most recent contest announcement.
LIL
One of the most exciting developments in LMAC, and on Hive, in recent weeks has been the introduction of the LMAC Image Library, #LIL for short. This is an amazing creative endeavor based on the decentralized efforts of everyone in the community. We all contribute pictures, without copyright claim, to the library. It is indexed by our coding whiz/resident artist/teacher, @quantumg. Two elements in my collage today were borrowed from the library: the scorpions (@borgan) and the exotic flowers (@onyechi).
Join our community. Make a collage. Contribute to our library. In each case, the community rewards you for good effort.
Thank you @shaka for the inspiration and the work you put in. Thank you @borjan and @onyechi for your wonderful images. And, thank you LMAC community for being a great place to hang out.
I'll end with a kind of silly collage made from my green snake: the fire-breather:
