( I am featuring some of my past favorite pieces as blog entries, to reintroduce my updated website portfolio.To view the complete collection click here. )



The New Normal? is a 24" x 24" mixed media collage that focused on the rising cost of gas in 2007. 

Even though prices have only increased since then, I am very proud of this particular piece because I feel it is an accurate representation of what most were feeling at the time. 

This piece was awarded Curator's Choice award at the 18th Annual Viridian Artists Exhibition in NYC, 2007. The show was judged by Charlotta Kotik, the Curator of Contemporary Art at the world-renowned Brooklyn Museum of Art. 

As a designer, I've long been obsessed with beauty of print media. Before my thesis project, where I created a series of 60+ pieces of collage artwork, I created a collection of politically and socially inspired art. 

It was back in 2004 when I began experimenting with enlarging words (from newspapers and printed type from my inkjet) via the xerography process and then hand tearing and cutting those words into collage imagery.










One of my first pieces using this process, was based on the 2004 Kerry/Bush election (shown on the left).

A Nation Divided, 18" x 18"  ©2004

This piece was inspired by Hurricane Katrina and the devastation it left behind.

Everyone from the national, state and local level, was trying to point blame regarding rescue/ recovery efforts (the  inspiration around the finger pointing visual.)

Katrina, 24" x 24", ©2005

In 2006 Immigration was (well it still is) a hot-button issue. 

This piece is based on looking at this issue with the glass half-empty or half full concept.

I photocopied the word 'immigration' many times and individually cut out those letters to symbolize people. I also creating a wall of words symbolizing the tension around this topic.


Half Empty or Half Full?, 18" x 18", ©2006

When Pres. Obama won in 2008, I was inspired to mark this historical event by printing his entire inauguration speech, photocopying the words in several sizes, and collaging the entire speech (yes the entire speech is included over these 2 pieces) to make both portraits.

Pres. Obama and the First Lady, 
 18" x 18"  each, ©2009

















Symbolically, the uneven tones and broken lines of the type enlarged via xerography process is meant to exploit the importance of print media. This is one of the main reasons why I began this journey, exploring this collage process back in 2004.

I may create 3rd collection of collage artwork in the near future, until then I hope you enjoy a look back of what sparked my passion into the world of collage art and illustration.

-CG


Production notes/purchasing info:(Shown in this blog are 4 pieces from my 15 piece collection created from 2004-2009. Please contact me at info@galbiatidesigns.com if you are interested in purchasing the original artwork shown in this blog, or to see a complete visual list from this collection).

All of my artwork is mixed media with acrylic, high-gloss UV varnished on 2" deep canvas. 

a close-up view of Obama artwork