There is a saying that deals with fine wine from Othello, II. iii. (315) by William Shakespeare (1564-1616): It goes, “Good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used.” Nita Leland’s newest book, New Creative Collage Techniques, which is a power-packed fresh updated version of the original Creative Collage Techniques, who she co-authored with Virginia Lee Williams, a devoted friend and artist, as I see it, author Leland has etched an indelible mark on her soul that earmarks a ‘historical’ paying forward honor by dedicating ‘NCCT’ to Virginia as an astounding recognition of her now heavenly pal.
I find the book a direct hit on how to create original Collage artworks, beaming with a large array of examples that will excite the creator with an abundance of inspiration; thusly, forging the work’s story to surface in visual form with the use of paper, color and texture as shown in the work, “Wild One” (p32) by Tomoke Parry. I believe Picasso would jury in Parry’s work as a top ‘masterpiece’ contender that explodes with contrasting color to the point where a viewer can smell the fragrance of the flower. At the opposite end, “Crow Attitudes 3”(p9) by Sharon Stolzenberger delivers its message; my eyes could not waiver from the main subject matter, glued as the artist intended and loss in a sea of wonderment. Without going into more on who’s who or what, mainly because Leland is an international star in the ‘wine cellars’ of the art world, her books are easily recognized with much similarity of fine old wines. Words by John Michael Broadbent, a Master of Wine authority sums up what I immensely believe Leland’s book legacy will note, “A sight of the label is worth 50 years experience,” and I am sure Pam Wissman, Stefanie Laufersweiler, Jamie Markle, Holly Davis, Wendy Dunning and Mark Griffin of F+W Media will ensure her next book will be more delicious then all of them together.
Review by Ben Rayman
