The Story Behind "Sky Bridge" — An Intuitive Collage

©Pamela Hirsch, Sky Bridge, Paper, Acrylic, 14×11 inches

One of her favorite things about the city was the ability to move from building to building without ever touching the ground. The city’s founders had insisted on a series of “sky bridges” for pedestrians to move about freely, untouched by blaring horns and gridlock.

I didn't set out with a specific reference image or scene in mind when I started "Sky Bridge." What I did have was a clear sense of the palette I wanted to work with — warm neutrals paired with deep, dark teals. That contrast between soft and bold felt right, and I let it guide me from the very first piece of paper I put down.

The palette came together through papers I'd collected and made over time. Some came from old books — I love the texture and warmth of aged paper, the way it carries a quiet history. Others I painted myself using acrylic paint and a Gelli plate, layering color and pulling prints until I got something that felt interesting. Every sheet is a little unpredictable, which is part of what I love about working this way. You never quite know what a paper is going to do until you tear it and place it next to something else.

The substrate is a quarter-inch panel. I glued down the first piece of paper and then just responded to what was in front of me — that's how all of my collages begin. One shape leads to the next. A torn edge suggests a horizon line. A dark rectangle grounds something that felt too light. It's an intuitive conversation between me and the materials.

As the piece developed, a horizontal element emerged — a kind of bridge shape stretching across the composition. It wasn’t until I was done with the collage that I realized that it looked like one of those walkways that connect buildings in a city. Hence the title “Sky Bridge.”

The warm taupes and creams create a quiet, grounded feeling, while the teals pull your eye through the piece and add depth. There are some gestural pencil marks in there too — loose, looping lines that soften the geometry of the torn paper and bring a little movement and energy to the surface.

I think what I love most about "Sky Bridge" is that it feels both structured and free at the same time. There's an architecture to it — those strong verticals and horizontals — but also a softness in the torn edges and layered textures that keeps it from feeling rigid. It's a piece that invites you to slow down and look closely.

“Sky Bridge” is framed in a birch-colored floater frame and is wired and ready to hang.