Mixed Media Collages Utilize Recycled Wood Cutting Boards

The Bird Women are a mixed media series I've been working on since 2007. I love to read books about cultural history. I'm the nerdy one who reads all of the references at the back to find out what I want to read next. This is how I first came across Riane Eisler's book, The Chalice and the Blade. This book was like mana for me. It spoke to me, expressing many of my feelings and clarifying historical truths about what it means to be a woman.

From The Chalice and the Blade, I discovered another remarkable woman, Marija Gimbutas, an archeologist born in Lithuania and educated in Germany. She emigrated to the U.S. In 1949 and taught first at Harvard, then at UCLA. Her books, The Language of the Goddess and The Civilization of the Goddess are fascinating accounts of prehistoric Old Europe, outlining societies that were both matriarchal and egalitarian. Much of the archetypal symbols found in these books have made their way into my goddess collage art.

In addition to reading, I'm also a huge fan of a beautiful cutting board. Bamboo is my favorite material, but I'm also instantly hooked by cutting boards that mix dark and light woods. Mmmm - makes the food taste better when it's chopped on a beautiful board by an appreciative cook.

So where does a cutting board go when its utilitarian life comes to an end? I hope it's coming to me to be recycled! I loved the concept from Daniel Quinn's Ishmael books that humanity's big troubles began with the locking up and control of the food by a few.

As for the goddess worshiping cultures, with their nurturing, life sustaining and honoring ways....their time was clearly the time before the food was locked up. So, what better background to use as the foundation for representing this time in history than a well-used cutting board?

As happens with art, these Bird Women collages have taken on a life of their own. They seem to have a story to tell. The story is told in short snippets and alluring phrases that hopefully cause the observer to either say 'amen!' or 'I never thought about it that way before'. I've attempted to restore something of the sacredness and reverence for life that these early cultures embodied, while highlighting the importance of storytelling to ancient and modern cultures all over the planet.

I'm not overly focused on selling the collages at the moment, but there are 10 listed in my bird women etsy store, if you'd like to see them. I'm also listing a few art prints of the original pen, ink and watercolor drawings and prints of the Bird Woman Coloring Book. Enjoy!

The Seven Virtues...

Justin is showing his work at a sweet little coffee shop on NE Glisan (and 59th Ave) in Portland called 7 Virtues. You can stop in for coffee and a bakery treat, enjoy the mystical back wall mural by Kelsey, friendly barista and resident artist, lounge on the comfy couches or bring your crumb-crunchers to the child's play area in the back. Whatever you do, just look up at the walls and gaze in wonder at the beautiful collages and paintings by Justin Potts. If you are so inclined, confer with the baristas and claim one of these fine pieces for your own! Justin's work will show until mid-September!
Here's a peak:

That's me in the bottom right corner, stirring up a lethal concoction of half-and-half and decaf americano....lethal.

The collage display.

The paintings.

Justin and Jonah (goofing off) enjoying hot chocolate and a cup of Joe.

Being the multi-talented man that he is, the counter at 7 Virtues also holds a display of Justin's cd, Eohippus, and a selection of his original art cards.

Dave and Kai demonstrating how to use the toys in the kiddie section.

Justin and Mary in front of Kelsey's enchanting mural.

A new project.

I thought I'd assert myself, blog-wise, and actually go ahead and write one! So, here it is:
Just before I turned 30 (I'm 34 now) I had some anxiety about hitting the big 3-0 and wondered how this might impact my art. I decided to undertake a big and ambitious project just to start my thirties off on the right foot.
When I was very young my dad used to make paintings and collages. I remember one collage in particular that was simply phenomenal to my 5 year old mind. I had always wanted to play around with collage and hadn't up until this time. I purchased some extra-heavy canvas material and some 2x4's and built a 99" x 44" canvas. I had amassed a great collection of odd paper pieces to use for the collage elements throughout the years- things I had found here or there, original sketches, photocopies of my old paintings and drawings, things people had given me to use in art projects, Mary's sunrise photograph copies, and my artist friend Tom's incredible art-ready detritus. I decided to make a piece that would somehow encapsulate or represent my life up to that point, in some way.
I worked on the thing intensely and obsessively for weeks. I called the finished piece Into Existence. It's very dense and it needs to be seen in person for the full effect. It's hanging in my music room right now and makes a great thing to stare at as I record songs! Here is the thing in its miniature entirety:



Anyway, lately I've been taking detail photos of it with the idea of making inexpensive prints available on our website. Below are some detail shots which may or may not be available as prints in the near future. If you're interested in prints let me know...it will help motivate me to get it together! Thanks for reading and viewing- Justin