Laurie Kanyer Mending Hearts: Introduction by Millie Bartlett

Collagist Millie Barlett describes collage in this way, “Collage is a process of assembling and gluing disparate paper (most commonly) onto a substrate, but this can be a somewhat limiting definition. Collage can include ephemera more broadly — ribbons, ticket stubs, grocery receipts, old photographs — but can also include digitally manipulated constructions as well. It’s an ever-evolving art form that allows for generous experimentation. I often compare collage to music sampling where musicians take snippets of already existing recordings and use them to make an entirely new song.” In Laurie Kanyer’s Mending Hearts one can see examples of how collage is a sampling and assembling of a wide range of found paper elements. In the over 70 collages featured in this book, one can see a bounty of works illustrating how collage is constructed. Herein the viewer can witness the profound and meaningful way it comes together to create something entirely new. These works were creative between September 2022 and February 2023 — a time where Kanyer was afflicted with a multitude of serious medical challenges. Not unlike other artists who were affirmed, Kanyer coped with the physical and mental difficulties by turning to collage-making. As a counselor and educator Kanyer dedicated her professional life to the care and mending of broken hearts for decades. With these works she not only shows how a heart can thrive and survive but find joy and purpose too. Kanyer is the author of a number of books on how collage-making helps, heals and transforms. Not only has she used collage-making with her clients and students, but she takes to scissors and glue to mend her own heart, mind, and body. Kanyer along with her husband Doug are one of few art collectors who focus exclusively on collage (see KanyerArtCollection.com). They are known for being champions of collage as an artform, as seen in this book, as well as a healing tool demonstrated in this book.