"Stupid Self-Destruction" - 10" x 8" - Collage on Paper

This collage started out as a statement about Non-Dairy Creamer. You know the powdered stuff loaded with unpronounceable ingredients plus a bunch of artificial flavors? Well, except for MILK!

Yup, right there on the back is that glaring statement that your “non-dairy” creamer contains milk. Not sure how the “truth in advertising labeling” exempts the dairy business, but there you have it. This bothered me enough to want to paint about it. As if in putting it on paper, I would be revealing some great secret, or perhaps save a life. Dramatic, I know.

I’ve often stayed in hotels where this non-dairy-contains-milk creamer was offered. But when I recently tried to locate these packets in restaurants and hotels I found they’ve been replaced by a liquid version in an even less biodegradable cup. Finally I found some photos posted on the internet by outraged consumers. But to find an original, which I thought was important, I had to rely on an artist friend. Thank you, Pam!

You can see what happened once I started layering on the different Non-Dairy Creamer package labels, along with some pink papers to insinuate artificial sweetener (couldn’t help myself, sorry). Pretty quickly it became a huge dump heap of things we don’t need: trash, in other words. If you squint or stand back from it, you’ll see the faint possibility of a nuclear mushroom cloud.  Hence the title “Stupid Self-Destruction”!

I just love it when a piece works on so many levels.

Anything niggling at you?

Come to my class at ArtLofts on December 6th and 7th, and make your own statements using easy and interesting collage techniques.

Click here to register: http://liten.be//mSMAB  – I will call or email you with details and payment arrangements.

Susie