As a child of two biology major parents, I spent a great deal of time outdoors at parks and nature centers, while at home I was surrounded by a huge assortment of pets. Because of this, I have always found nature in general and animals in particular to be restorative and inspirational and this is reflected in most of my pieces.
My current work concentrates primarily on torn paper collage, linocut printmaking, oil painting, and 3D mixed media pieces. My primary working style, which has been a mainstay throughout my career, focuses on combining numerous small fragments into a larger whole.
This style currently appears most prominently in my torn paper collage pieces. I create these by gluing tiny fragments of catalogs and magazines to a paper substrate. My torn paper collages have recently started to evolve to incorporate different types of materials, typically sourced from discarded items—trash, really—that I find around my neighborhood. In the process, these works are also transitioning into more three-dimensional, almost sculptural pieces.
The ‘collage’ medium appeals to me not only because of the intricate, detailed working process, but also in a conceptual way: useless items—the catalogs, plastic bags, and other pieces of ‘trash’—obtain a greater meaning and become something more than they were before. Through this process, the ephemeral becomes permanent; the worthless becomes valuable. In a way, this transformation can be seen as mirroring a person’s personal journey through life: each small experience builds on previous experiences, eventually resulting in the depth and richness of a fully-formed individual.
My paintings have also been progressing from my previous, realistic painting style into a more abstract, textural style. This abstract style emphasizes the lines, colors and patterns found in nature. A subset of this style is a series of pieces that escape the rigid confines of the canvas, transitioning into the 3D arena.
Visit my Etsy shop at: www.etsy.com/shop/TamaraJaegerFineArt
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamarajaegerfineart/
Find me on Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/TamaraJaegerFineArt
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Exhibitions:
Artists of Rubber City Juried Regional Art Exhibition, Summit Artspace, 2020
Kaleidoscope 17th Annual Holiday Exhibition (juried), Summit Artspace, 2019
Animals Art Exhibition (juried), Light Space & Time Online Gallery, 2019
Nature Art Exhibition (juried), Light Space & Time Online Gallery, 2018
- http://www.lightspacetime.com/nature-2018-art-exhibition-special-merit-painting-other-media/
- http://www.lightspacetime.art/nature-2018-art-exhibition-painting-other-media/
Reflections: The Visual Echo exhibition (juried), 1650 Gallery, 2016
Animals Art Exhibition (juried), Light Space & Time Online Gallery, 2013
Starting Line: Student Art Exhibition (juried), University of New Haven, 2013
Small Colleges Exhibition (juried), Albion College, 1999
Senior Art Majors Exhibition, Albion College, 1999