Because March’s Mixed-Media Monthly Challenge is inspired by The Art of Personal Imagery by Corey Moortgat, we thought a great way to kick it off would be to speak with Corey herself about the subject at hand. As Corey’s editor, I volunteered for the honor. And she had so much to say about the challenge of incorporating personal imagery into collage and mixed-media artwork that I decided to divide it into two parts. So without further ado read on for Part 1 of my Chat with Corey Moortgat! (I do love an unintentional rhyme now and again.)

Jessica: In The Art of Personal Imagery, you share your story of how you began incorporating modern photos into your more vintage-style collage and mixed-media artwork—a process that you described as pushing your own boundaries as an artist. What was the turning point in successfully taking your artwork in this new direction?

Corey: I think that I was somewhat “forced” into a turning point by my own desire to complete a particular project. I wanted to create an art journal about my wedding, and wasn’t really able to achieve this without using modern ephemera like photos and memorabilia. I was in a quandary. I could either back down because it was scary, or I could go ahead and try. Even though it was difficult at first, through trial and error, I did what I could to make it work. And it became easier. While working on the several pages of the journal, I began feeling more comfortable with the new style, and by the time I was finished, I had worked my way through my apprehension and was ready for the next project!

Jessica: I know you have a background in art therapy. How does that influence your work?

Corey: Art therapy is based on the idea of creating artwork to work out personal feelings and emotions. Although we may not realize it, personal symbols and meaning appear in everything we create. Knowing this, I try to take advantage of this uncensored look into my subconscious by purposely doing artwork in order to work through things, and also by examining my artwork to see what appears.

Jessica: Motherhood is a prominent theme in your art. How has your work changed over the past few years? How is it changing now?

Corey: As an artist, my artwork is constantly evolving. Even if I hadn’t become a mother, I guarantee that my artwork wouldn’t look the same as it did a couple years ago. But motherhood really did serve as a creative impetus for me, and opened my eyes to lots of new imagery and inspiration. Creating baby art journals for my children has become a passion for me, and has further introduced me to the world of scrapbooking. It has also brought out new themes in my work and helped me do a lot of self-exploration. Recently, I’ve become interested in moving my artwork in a new direction. Although I still intend to work on my children’s’journals, I’m also trying to actively explore more of my own symbols in some personal artwork.

Jessica: What do you think other artists and crafters have to gain from pushing themselves to find ways to incorporate personal images and words into their work?

Corey: At the very least, artists can gain the satisfaction of creating artwork that doesn’t look like everyone else’s. But they can also gain a lot of self-insight, in addition to leaving a legacy of themselves for their friends and family. Personal artwork has so much more meaning than something generic, both to the artist who creates it and to the viewers who view it.

Jessica: What advice do you have for artists and crafters who feel self-conscious about taking this approach?

I know it’s hard, but you’ve just got to try. Try beginning slowly, just adding one new kind of element in each piece, until you feel more comfortable. Changing directions with your artwork takes time and practice and a lot of pieces that you may not like, but it really takes this effort in order to figure out what works for you.

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Visit Corey’s blog for more insights and eye candy from this inspiring artist. So what do you think? Are you feeling inspired to try this month’s challenge? We can all push our boundaries together! Get those creative juices flowing, and stay tuned for more Q&A with the lovely Mrs. Moortgat next week.

Happy Friday,

Jessica