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Angela Doak is a collage artist and photographer. All of her work is done first as collage, made up of fabric, candy and gum wrappers, misprints, junk mail, and just about anything else that fits the image she’s making at the time. We asked her how she turned one pile of discarded papers into the warm images of The Old Oak Tree by Hilary Briar.

By Angela Doak

The Old Oak Tree is a picture book that follows a little robin’s story throughout the year. We see the changing seasons transform the world around her cozy nest high in the branches of an oak tree. 

This book is a gentle way to introduce young children to the idea of change, loss, and new beginnings, all happening naturally around us. 

With that theme in mind, I tried to create images that were both sweet and easy for young readers to understand.

For over 20 years, I’ve created art using collages! I started when I was expecting my second child and wanted a fun and affordable way for my toddler to explore their creativity. After that, I kept making collages for family and friends as gifts. One day I was visiting Argyle Fine Art Gallery and I happened to have a piece of my work with me and they asked me to bring more in to show and eventually sell. Adriana has been extremely supportive of me and many other local artists throughout the years. From there, I started selling prints and greeting cards at art markets, other shops, and galleries.

I’ve had the privilege of illustrating three other books with Nimbus Publishing and when they asked me about working on this project, I didn’t hesitate to say yes, especially since it involved a robin, which is one of my favourite birds to collage.

After reading Hilary’s beautiful words and hearing a recording of Reid and his students performing the song he wrote, I was able to start visualizing each of the pages (the book also has a fun music sheet on the last page for kids to sing along to!). To create the pictures, I started by sorting through all sorts of colourful papers – old calendars, greeting cards, and candy wrappers. For The Old Oak Tree, I needed lots of greens, browns, and oranges.

One of the biggest challenges was figuring out how to make the oak tree look just right. I had to experiment with different papers to get a uniform texture and colour for its bark. I eventually found material in my bins that I had lots of to keep the tree looking consistent throughout the book.

Another challenge was finding enough green paper! Because I only use recycled materials, I can’t just pick up the exact colours I need at the store. I have to wait and see what I find, or sometimes ask friends or family for help. People are always so kind, donating boxes of old cards and magazines that make my job a lot easier!

‘Painting with paper’

Before I start collaging, I always sketch out a few ideas to get a feel for the final picture. Then, it’s time to cut and glue the tiny pieces of paper to create the shapes I need. 

For animals, I usually start with an eye and then build the rest of the piece around it. 

Because I don’t use pre-formed shapes, I have to hunt for little bits of colour that I can put together like a puzzle. It’s almost like painting with paper, using tiny scraps to create a whole new image. Unfortunately, this doesn’t leave a lot of room for mistakes once a piece is glued down.  If I do make a mistake, I have to figure out how to alter it without starting over. This is not, however, a bad thing. Sometimes, this leads to an image that is very different from what I had originally envisioned and that I end up liking even more. 

Since each piece is made by hand, the time it takes to finish a collage can vary. Some take just a few hours, while others can take days or weeks.

One of the reasons I use recycled material is because it can be more environmentally friendly. By using things that have already been used once, I can give them a new life and keep them out of landfills. Hopefully, this can also encourage children to think outside of the box because they don’t necessarily need to have expensive art supplies to create.

The Old Oak Tree came out in March, and I’m so happy to have been part of such a special project with Hilary, Reid, and the team at Nimbus. I hope that readers of all ages will enjoy the story and the pictures as much as I enjoyed creating them!