Mission & History
What is Collage?
Collage refers to both the artistic technique of arranging and gluing pieces of various materials onto a supporting surface and to the resulting artwork. Collage is one form of mixed media. It first became popular in 1912 when Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque were innovating Cubism in their painting. Some say Picasso was the first to use collage in his oil paintings.
Because it combines material elements and visual culture, collage creates an exploratory and evocative process for both the artist and the viewer.
What is the Atlanta Collage Society?
In the years since its inception — when a small group of eager collage artists launched the idea over coffee in the Dunwoody Dunkin Donuts — the Atlanta Collage Society has grown to include artists from around the Southeast, Northeast and internationally. The ACS roster includes assemblage artists and mixed media artists who incorporate collage into their work.
Our Mission The Atlanta Collage Society was formed in 2006 to promote the medium of collage through professional development: art exhibitions, educational programs, instructional workshops, community outreach and membership support.
Learning opportunities (guest speakers, demos, “show & share” sessions, open studios, paper swaps, etc.) are key — as are juried local or regional exhibitions, affording us a showcase for our passion. We display a wide cross-section of styles, themes, techniques represented by our members.
ACS exhibits extensively throughout the Atlanta area and the Southeast. Venues for past exhibitions have included: Mason Murer Fine Arts, Atlanta; Quinlan Visual Arts Center, Gainesville, GA; Hudgens Center for the Arts, Duluth, GA; Oglethorpe University Museum of Art, Atlanta; Anderson Visual Arts Center, Anderson, SC; Aiken Center for the Arts, Aiken, SC; and the Grand Bohemian Gallery, Asheville, NC — as well as local Atlanta galleries.
Additionally, the Atlanta Collage Society is committed to fostering camaraderie and membership support for our artists. By crafting collaborative group projects and professional workshops, ACS provides an opportunity to share creative activities within a larger setting and encourages an innovative community. The Marilyn Project and Calvin Collage Scarecrow were two such group projects. By fashioning collaborative works, presenting public exhibitions, offering workshops and holding member meetings, ACS hopes to promote enthusiasm for collage among our artists and throughout the local and regional community.