Mixed Media, 10 x 9 x 4.5 inches, $175.
This artbook was created by carving away pages of a book to create a relief piece of Bidwell Mansion. The 1965 image of Bidwell Mansion wrapped in cloth was such an interesting image, it was still recognizable as the mansion.
Collage, 24 x 29.5 inches, $1,300.
To make this image that explores decades of floodplain infill, I carved up three different USGS topo maps to create this mosaic of water and land development. The figure in the foreground, contemplating the consequences of their actions, mimics the map through color and form.
Mixed Media, 12×14 inches, $300.
They may be cute and cuddly, but they have a fierce side.
Collage, 11×14 inches, $500.
It’s a Druid Party! This image is created from an illustration from the Epic of Man book, radios from a magazine ad, and the border from cut up and reassembled LIFE Magazine title blocks.
Assemblage, 8.25 x 8.25 x 3 inches, $175.
This assemblage is constructed from found objects, and depicts the unlikely friendship between giant silver roadrunner and local curmudgeon.
The work you see here is the result of over twenty years of experimenting with collage. What began as a childhood tendency to make funny pictures from cut up books has evolved into deeper exploration of the medium. By bringing together images from different sources, I am able to manipulate the original meaning and emotion, stripping the source of its primary context and giving it a new life and outlook.
To create these analog collages, my materials include original printed source material (magazines, books, wallpaper, maps, etc), and my tools include x-acto knives, various adhesives, and a heavy dose of humor and absurdity. No digital manipulation or reproductions is utilized.
Come to meet Thomas Young at the Chico ART Festival. You can also see more work on Instagram HERE.