Here are several collages on coasters in the archives since 2019 by the mail artist Frips Ria Bauwens (b.)1964 , Belgium - Lives and works in Ghent ( Gent ) , Belgium. I am always happy when I get a package from Frips. I love her work and sensibility.
Artist Statement
“In the past 20 years I have been active as a mail artist. I work in different kinds of disciplines such as photography,collage, carving, drawing and mixed media. I co-curated several calls plus exhibitions ( for ‘What about Croxhapox?’, (mail artist Ryosuke Cohen at the CROXHAPOX gallery and mail artist Anna Banana at the same gallery. ) I started several calls and took part in hundreds of mailart calls worldwide.
Lately, I am focusing on collage making, trying to express myself through working in bodies of small series.
Being a trained photographer gives me the opportunity to find beauty in small discarded (paper) patches of color, graphics or images.
I work with rescued found papers (newspapers, photo’s, zines, old books), together with pens, ink, paint, pastels, tape, stitching, nature elements…
I find it satisfying to create a new image out of two or more parts of cut outs. Time stops while looking for a balance in color and form. Making a new readable image is very exciting.
The process of puzzling together paper pieces several times before they finally fit together and become a new item can be very slow but impulsive.
In the end, I try to create a new image that is based on several old ones but with a completely different meaning and form.”




Check out her website here: www.frips.be/
Nice to see Ria’s art again. We used to be in touch frequently. This reminds me to get in touch again. Thanks