Collaborators
Barbara Cleveland (Maine)
Caren Roma Weintraub (California)
Charlotte MacLennan (California)
Donna Barati (California)
Karen J. Brand (Maryland)
Delivery Sequence
Barbara sends to Caren
Caren sends to Charlotte
Charlotte sends to Donna
Donna sends to Karen
Karen sends to Barbara
LETTERS AND FLATS ONLY
PROGRESS GALLERY
March 10, 2026—Barbara Cleveland’s completed collage has arrived at headquarters.
March 5, 2026—Donna Barati’s completed collage has arrived at headquarters.
March 5, 2026—Caren Weintraub’s completed collage has arrived at headquarters.
Barbara Cleveland, March 2, 2026
The collage has gone full circle landing in Maine and California and many states between. I started out with a homemade book from a friend. We’ve added our touch with many cats and images to tell a story in collage.
March 2, 2026—Karen J. Brand’s completed collage has arrived at headquarters.
Karen Brand, February 26, 2026
The final one is on its way to Berkeley!!
Charlotte MacLennan, February 1, 2026
To Donna’s collage, I added the zebra (to tie into the zebra paper at the top of the piece); a strip of CA coast (to tie back to her original nature/travel theme); and some small strips of tiger and cheetah stripes (to play off the lines on the maps and connect the various elements).
Barbara Cleveland, January 26, 2026
I went wild with butterflies on the starting collage by Caren. I thought that the butterflies connected the gentle nature, fabric flowers and the rabbit carrying flowers and the young child in the collage. It was enjoyable to see the process of the collage, having been through most of the people and now it goes to the original maker, Caren.
Caren Roma Weintraub, January 18, 2026
I really liked the texture theme and the various elements added to this piece. I continued with including a hummingbird and added some flowers to the circles.
Caren Weintraub, January 8, 2026
Charlotte MacLennan, January 2, 2026
For Karen’s collage, I tried to bring together the drawn elements Caren W. had added and the brighter, more abstract collage elements by adding color (with pen and paper) around the lady and her thoughts. I also added a bit of tissue paper in the lower right and a some gold details here and there. This one was lots of fun to work on!
Donna Barati, December 28, 2025
I mailed this book collage to Karen. It is very whimsical so I added bright pink shapes!
Barbara Cleveland, December 28, 2025
12/25/25 I worked on the collage started by Charlotte from Berkeley. Resistance was a word in the clear pocket on the collage, and I added a resist protest, sign, and the word peace. I took off with the circle circles and added a wise, baby owl and a fantasy figure from my collage from a previous year. I enjoyed the process and it is ready to mail this to Caren as soon as I can make my way up the icy path to the Post Office
Karen Brand, December 7, 2025
I’ve sent this to Barbara!! I really enjoyed layering on to what others have done. I added some gesso to the bottom area to have as solid area to the piece. I added texture with some wallpaper samples. And a pocket to finish things off. Fun!!
Caren Weintraub, December 6, 2025
This is on its way to Charlotte!
Charlotte MacLennan, November 30, 2025
I passed the book collage onto Donna today. I wasn’t able to think of an addition as clever as Karen’s cat, so I just decided to have fun. I added my own marks, a bit of color and a leave to the “make marks” spread, and the bear, leaf, green & gold paper and pink paper, and gold paint to the “flourish” spread.
Donna Barati, November 29, 2025
I mailed this collage to Karen 10/22/2025 after adding flowers for their bright color, the bird and the blue pattern.
I sent this collage to Karen on 11/26/2025. I added flowers and a bird. ( this seems to be a recurring theme for me)
Barbara Cleveland, November 26, 2025
I worked on a collage started by Donna. I tried to match colors by adding Peacock feather paper to highlight the oranges, gelli print strips of paper to bring out the purple in the forest, and pieces cut from a photo of my painting from my garden and 3 cups of coffee to use while collaging.
Karen J. Brand, October 28, 2025
I received this from Donna. She had a nature theme, and I wanted to continue upon that theme. I added some rust-stained watercolor paper as well as pieces of mulberry paper to bring in an organic theme. I painted 3 strong stripes with gesso, and added the purple mulberry paper pieces to bring in a bit of stability to the piece. I also added some pops of color to bring it all together.
Charlotte MacLennan, October 26, 2025
I added the girl and the grass in the lower left corner, opting to stick to the scale, mood, and color palette of Caren’s starter collage. This is headed to Donna on 10/26—I’m excited to see where it goes from here!
Caren Weintraub, October 19, 2025
Barbara’s original intent was to have fun! I loved the wild and colorful collection of cats and built upon that theme with a cat chasing a tangle of yarn through the notebook. I used magazine cuttings and yarn to try and create movement. I plan to mail this to Charlotte on Monday, October 20.
Barbara Cleveland, October 14, 2025
I added to Karen’s earthly starter collage, a paintbrush with yellow paint to match her cardboard piece. I went onto add a little pink cat on my small piece of cardboard from my toothpaste box. Finally I added a piece from my first Commonplace collage piece, “the line ran away with the artist“. I am trying to tie the past with the present.
Donna Barati, September 26, 2025
I decided to go with a nature and travel “ theme”. Mailed this to Karen in September 25th.
Barbara Cleveland, September 23, 2025
Hello from Maine, I am excited to start another roundtable collage project with a new group of collaborators. I think this is my third year. I missed one because I was moving across country from California to Maine. Along with me, I dragged many pieces of collage paper and look forward to using them this year with the project.
Years ago, a friend who is a bookmaker, made me an empty handmade journal. I’ve decided to use this to house my starter collage this year. I look forward to seeing what everyone adds to the book and what adventurous we have together. I will be sending this out to Caren.
Karen J. Brand, September 21, 2025
Sending to Barbara!
I was focusing on an organic, natural feeling while doing this. I also added a few pops of blue, thinking of the color of blue jays or bluebirds. There is texture with a piece of cardboard recycled from packing materials.
Can’t wait to see what others do to it!
Charlotte MacLennan, September 20, 2025
Ready for Donna!
Caren Roma Weintraub, September 15, 2025
It took me a bit of time to figure out my starter collage, but after a couple of false starts, I created something I like and mailed it to Charlotte today. The concept is simple: to focus on something that brings you joy.
