When there wasn’t enough food from a meal to constitute leftovers, my mother would put select remainders into a large tupperware and stick it in the freezer. A cup of peas, some leftover potatoes, maybe cut up an extra piece of chicken. Once that tupperware filled up it was time to make soup. She would assess the ingredients and add if needed – maybe chop up a carrot, a little stew beef, a bay leaf or two – add stock and bring to a low boil.
It was always delicious because it was made from the meals we had enjoyed. Comfortably familiar yet different every time, as it was never the same combination twice. I continue this tradition to this day with my family, and I think of my mother with every pot.
The idea behind this series is rooted in that recipe.
In my paper collage work, I cut the positive (subjects) out of the negative (backgrounds). The remnants that I cut out of the paper become my “leftovers.” These leftovers are the ingredients for the Soup series. Figurative bits and random scraps, come together to form abstract explorations.
The initial 6 soup pieces were made to the dimensions/ratio described below. I have since been creating soup pieces of varying dimensions.
