---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My mother defines collage as a…"
description: "\"“My mother defines collage as a combination of things unexpected. The artist can choose things that appeal to her visually, and put them together psych..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acb/jill-christman-65105_art_my-mother-defines-collage-as-a-combinati_924056.jpg"
---

#  My mother defines collage as a combination of things…

![“My mother defines collage as a combination of things unexpected. The artist can choose things that appeal to her visually, and put them together psychologically. Thus, she took photos of her beloved brother, cut out from the context of prison, and let him romp with the fairies. . Or a window in a…” quote by Jill Christman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acb/jill-christman-65105_art_my-mother-defines-collage-as-a-combinati_924056.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acb/jill-christman-65105_art_my-mother-defines-collage-as-a-combinati_924056.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acb/jill-christman-65105_art_my-mother-defines-collage-as-a-combinati_924056.jpg)

> ““My mother defines collage as a combination of things unexpected. The artist can choose things that appeal to her visually, and put them together psychologically. Thus, she took photos of her beloved brother, cut out from the context of prison, and let him romp with the fairies. . Or a window in a tree... flowers growing in unlikely places, the way you might wish they would. In collage you can put whatever you want anywhere. You make your own order out of the real stuff you are given to work with. . My mother told me this, and then she called a few days later to amend her original statement. Mark's collages weren't like mine, she said. I choose disparate elements and see how they fit together, what they might make. Mark decided what he wanted to make and then chose the pieces specifically to make that preconceived picture. ””

Jill Christman

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Collage is an artistic process of assembling unexpected visual elements to create new meanings, either by exploring how pieces naturally interact or by imposing a pre‑planned concept.

**In simple terms:** Collage mixes surprising parts to form new ideas.

Key Takeaway

Choose whether to discover connections or design a specific vision.

Themes

creativity visual art process interpretation

Mood

inspired reflective

Type

instructional philosophical

When to use this quote

- gallery exhibition planning
- personal art projects
- educational workshops
- creative brainstorming

Key Concepts

composition serendipity intentionality

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you prefer discovering relationships or imposing a vision?
- How does your approach affect the emotional impact?

A Different Perspective

May limit spontaneity if over‑planned, reducing the surprise element.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Beloved brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beloved-brother/) [Collage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collage/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/)

## Related quotes

> [The last time I seen Eazy-E, we were at a meeting at the House of Blues with me, Big Hutch and Jada Pinkett Smith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kokane/the-last-time-i-seen-eazy-e-we-were-at-a-meeting-at-the-house-of/)

[Kokane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kokane/)

> [“The shock and fragrance of life, steaming red life, given off by the trail of the German's blood in the snow was a reproach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/the-shock-and-fragrance-of-life-steaming-red-life-given-off-by-the/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [“And as for you, Gaelen is your uncle, your mother's beloved brother. He's your family. Learn to get along with him. You don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-l-wilson/and-as-for-you-gaelen-is-your-uncle-your-mother-s-beloved-brother-he/)

[C.L. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-l-wilson/)

> [“The lucid, rational part of Billie wanted to laugh. Here she was, out in the woods of middle-class suburbia, with a man’s fingers inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-reed/the-lucid-rational-part-of-billie-wanted-to-laugh-here-she-was-out-in/)

[Shelby Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelby-reed/)

> [“\[Robert's eulogy at his brother, Ebon C. Ingersoll's grave. Even the great orator Robert Ingersoll was choked up with tears at the memory of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/robert-s-eulogy-at-his-brother-ebon-c-ingersoll-s-grave-even-the/)

[Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/)

> [“We are not forgotten by those we have loved, and they do visit us more times than we consciously know. I hope my story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-lenz/we-are-not-forgotten-by-those-we-have-loved-and-they-do-visit-us-more/)

Paula Lenz

> [“You could’ve sent a message to a letter station at one of the portal gates.” “What should I have written? Dear Harlot, rumor has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/you-could-ve-sent-a-message-to-a-letter-station-at-one-of-the-portal/)

[Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/)

> [This morning a terrible family tragedy has occurred, we are devastated to report that our beloved brother, son, and friend, Sawyer Sweeten, took his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madylin-sweeten/this-morning-a-terrible-family-tragedy-has-occurred-we-are-devastated/)

Madylin Sweeten

> [“I testify to you that our promised blessings are beyond measure. Though the storm clouds may gather, though the rains may pour down upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/i-testify-to-you-that-our-promised-blessings-are-beyond-measure/)

[Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/)

> [Nothing that had ever happened to him, not the shooting of Oyster, or the piteous muttering expiration of John Wesley Shannenhouse, or the death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/nothing-that-had-ever-happened-to-him-not-the-shooting-of-oyster-or/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [My beloved brothers and sisters, to those of you who have been blessed by the gospel for many years because you were fortunate enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/my-beloved-brothers-and-sisters-to-those-of-you-who-have-been-blessed/)

[Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/)

> [“Know this, my beloved brothers: Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scotty-smith/know-this-my-beloved-brothers-let-every-person-be-quick-to-hear-slow/)

[Scotty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scotty-smith/)

> [“Hope is a constant companion in this life. It is the one thing that neither cruel nature, God, nor other men can wrench from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontsz/hope-is-a-constant-companion-in-this-life-it-is-the-one-thing-that/)

Dean Koontsz

> [“And St. Francis added: "My dear and beloved Brother, the treasure of blessed poverty is so very precious and divine that we are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-of-assisi/and-st-francis-added-my-dear-and-beloved-brother-the-treasure-of/)

[St. Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-of-assisi/)

> [Beloved brother, let us not forget that man can never get away from himself. \[Ger., Lass uns, geliebter Bruder, nicht vergessen, Dass von sich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/beloved-brother-let-us-not-forget-that-man-can-never-get-away-from/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

## More by Jill Christman

> [“And, again, this story needs to be revised, is under revision as I type these words. The only way to write an autobiography, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-christman/and-again-this-story-needs-to-be-revised-is-under-revision-as-i-type/)

Jill Christman

> [“What if I took the picture books that my grandmother made and snapped open the rings in every binder, let the plastic pages spill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-christman/what-if-i-took-the-picture-books-that-my-grandmother-made-and-snapped/)

Jill Christman

> [ “Which brings me to one more thing about the Sheridan FCI \[prison\]. After you make it through the metal detector, you re stamped on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-christman/which-brings-me-to-one-more-thing-about-the-sheridan-fci-prison-after/)

Jill Christman

Explore all 4 Jill Christman quotes

## More Art quotes

> [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/)

[Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/)

> [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/)

[Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/)

> [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/)

[Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/)

> [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/)

[Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/)

> [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/)

[Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/)

> [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/)

Taf Teh

> [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/)

[Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/)

> [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/)

[Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/)

> [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/)

[Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/)

[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/)

> [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/)

[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/)

> [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/)

[Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/)

[Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“My mother defines collage as a combination of things unexpected. The artist can choose things that appeal to her visually, and put them together psychologically. Thus, she took photos of her beloved brother, cut out from the context of prison, and let him romp with the fairies. . Or a window in a tree... flowers growing in unlikely places, the way you might wish they would. In collage you can put whatever you want anywhere. You make your own order out of the real stuff you are given to work with. . My mother told me this, and then she called a few days later to amend her original statement. Mark's collages weren't like mine, she said. I choose disparate elements and see how they fit together, what they might make. Mark decided what he wanted to make and then chose the pieces specifically to make that preconceived picture. ”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jill Christman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-christman/my-mother-defines-collage-as-a-combination-of-things-unexpected-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Art"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-christman/my-mother-defines-collage-as-a-combination-of-things-unexpected-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acb/jill-christman-65105_art_my-mother-defines-collage-as-a-combinati_924056.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acb/jill-christman-65105_art_my-mother-defines-collage-as-a-combinati_924056.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acb/jill-christman-65105_art_my-mother-defines-collage-as-a-combinati_924056.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“My mother defines collage as a combination of things unexpected. The artist can choose things that appeal to…” — Jill Christman",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Jill Christman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-christman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“My mother defines collage as a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-christman/my-mother-defines-collage-as-a-combination-of-things-unexpected-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-christman/my-mother-defines-collage-as-a-combination-of-things-unexpected-the/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
