The Invisible Pieces in My Collage Art

Behind the explosion of colors, textures, and shapes within my collages, there are secret pieces I include in each one. They dance with the other cutouts as well, but you can’t see them — my intention is for you to feel them instead, through the composition.

Collaging has been my therapy for a while, and the other day I realized I approach it almost like a ritual: I clear my mind, get comfortable, and instead of starting to look for images, I choose the right music. I love that part. I can’t really begin until I find the song that matches my mood — only then does the collage start to take shape.

In the middle of the process, as I rearrange the elements again and again, I do the same with music. I press play, then pause abruptly, switch playlists, change headphones. “Oh no, wait — the unplugged version is better.” And “Where did I save that song I heard the other day?” I dig through my playlists, check my history, hum the melody until I remember the name of the song I was looking for. All of this happens while I cut and assemble the visible parts.

Sometimes, it’s the story that begins to form in the collage that leads me to choose a certain album or artist. Other times, it’s the music that guides the narrative. And once the visible part is finished, I love choosing a song to share the piece with on Instagram (@meloncollage_).

Many people ask, “How do you know when a collage is finished?” For me, it’s that final step — when I give it one last song. It feels like giving them a heart, after I’ve built their bodies. It’s a small, tender gift from me to each piece. That’s the moment I know they’re ready, and hope for the life inside them to be revealed.

Here’s a playlist of some of the tracks that accompany my collages. Enjoy! https://meloncollage.com/hidden-melodies