Today, a new exhibit at the Simsbury Public Library, up through Nov 30th, provides the opportunity to explore collage. Nancy Jensen has been making art with the same group of women – they call themselves The Paper Dolls – for nearly 20 years.
Nancy was a guest on the show nearly two years ago, on an episode about becoming an artist later in life and you can find that episode archived at the openstudioradio.org blog. What you need to know this time is that Nancy is, quote, “so seduced by paper.”
And if the meaning of collage work can prove elusive, well, as Nancy says, “it should be mystifying and annoying because no one’s gonna hand it to you. Sorry.” We began our conversation in the Program Room of Simsbury Library as Nancy was carrying in paper cups and rugulah for the opening reception of the show, appropriately titled Cutting Up.
Later in the episode, we also hear from Paper Doll poet/collagist Jennifer Glick, who’s exhibiting her art for the first time, and from the Simsbury Library’s art coordinator Barbara Butterworth on the value of displaying art in libraries.
Before we meet our guests, letting you know that the nonprofit Spectrum Gallery opens its holiday exhibit this Friday, the 17th, with an opening reception from 6:30 to 9, and then an open house that weekend starting at noon. There’ll be fine art of all kinds, plus artisan-made jewelry, ornaments, repurposed clothing, and stocking stuffers.
And now Nancy Jensen.
The Paper Dolls are: Vibeke Dressler, Jennifer Glick, Nancy Jensen, Jill Pasanen,
Barbara Ross, Jane Shaskan, Carol Schiffman, Linda Rahm, and Diane Zibell
Open Studio 