Memory Collage

My final project for drawing class was a memory collage. I had to find five objects that meant something to me. Draw those five objects as a small version, then take three of those objects and enlarge them. From there, I had to take two of those pictures and enlarge them once more. Finally, I had to make the last one the biggest picture. Each time they got bigger, I had to represent a different memory from that item. This project was emotional for me. The objects that I wanted to represent for this project were easy to choose. However, bringing those memories into light again was the emotional part. My initial five objects were my first guitar pick, my first key chain, a purple bandana, a happy birthday button from Disney World, and a sticker from my favorite job.

I got my first guitar when I was fourteen. My brother-in-law purchased this guitar for me just months before he passed away. I keep this guitar pick close to me because it means so much. I was extremely close with my brother, so I wanted that to be something that I represented in this project. A few months after my brother had passed away, I had also lost my best friend. His favorite color was purple, and we represented this by wearing a purple bandana for him in his memory. The key chain was a little star key chain that I got for myself after I bought my first vehicle. I worked very hard to be able to buy this vehicle on my own. This key chain for me represented that hard work and determination that I had.

My button from Disney World was probably one of the most fun. On my twentieth birthday I was lucky enough to go to Disney World. At the gates I was given a “Happy Birthday” button with my name on it. While walking through the park, not only did many people wish me a happy birthday, but all of the Disney characters would point it out and stop to take pictures with me. It was a blast! I have so many amazing memories from that day. My last object was a sticker from my favorite job. This was the last job I had worked before I moved from Minnesota to Iowa. A couple weeks prior to this project, my boss had passed away from pancreatic cancer. I felt that representing this job seemed very fitting.

When I enlarged the pictures, I made a Mickey Mouse, me playing guitar with a purple bandana, and a pair of hands smashing a McDonald’s bag. The hands smashing the bag was from memories at the shop. My boss used to take his McDonald’s bag and pop them behind you to try and scare you. This never worked on me because I could always see his reflection in the car I was working on, or I had my headphones in and didn’t hear it. He never stopped trying though.

Next, I made a car out of pastels with a shop vac near it for my days working at the shop. The other picture is a memory of when I used to go swimming with my friends. We used to always swim on top of the water fall in my town. It wasn’t technically allowed but we always did it anyway. For the last piece that everything else was collaged on top of, I tried representing my emotions towards the piece. I covered the whole paper with watered down India ink. From there I splattered black and blue India ink onto the paper. This was my way of trying to show the pain and sadness that I went through when I lost the people from my life. I will always have these memories to cherish. This project helped me showcase those memories. Being able to show memories in a different way is such an amazing way to tell the stories.