Alexis (Lexi) Rockwell is a contributing art editor for the Tributary. Lexi is an Art History and Studio Art dual major and plays an active role in the arts at Lycoming College. Her interest and dedication to art and representation is what drove her interest in working alongside the editors at the Tributary. She intends to uphold the values of the Tributary when evaluating art submissions and is excited to see all the creative projects the students at Lycoming College have to offer.
Outgrown Spaces
“Outgrown Spaces” (2025) is a visual representation of personal growth and anticipation. The artwork itself is a combination of digital collage, chemical transfer, physical collage, and painting.
The first aspect of the work was the digital collage. Using a free photo editing software, I made the collage using imagery that adhered to the theme I was working with. The image was then inverted so the second process could take place. Next, I used software to enlarge the collage from its original 8.5×11 inches to 24×29.5 inches.
I printed the collage off using an inkjet printer, the key here being to print it in color. The collage was printed in pieces on 8.5×11-inch sheets of paper. From there, I reassembled the collage to be completed in its 24×29.5-inch size.
After that I began the chemical transfer process. Using compressed spray-on acetone, a 24×29.5 sheet of paper, and the completed collage, I began the process. I would spray the ink side of the printed collage with the acetone, lay it face down on the paper, and use a wooden edge to rub and transfer the ink to the large sheet of paper.
The chemical transfer was a time-consuming and gentle process. After the image was transferred and dried, I used cut scrapbook paper, pastels, and elements from a psychology textbook to create the physical collage aspect of the piece. I adhered the elements to the collage using a light layer of archival glue so as not to damage the transfer process.
I finished the piece by using acrylic paint to paint the butterfly wings. The four aspects to this work (digital collage, chemical transfer, physical collage, and painting) took me three weeks to complete.
The most challenging aspect of this process was the chemical transfer, as it is a delicate and time-focused process. I enjoyed using a combination of mediums and processes to create this artwork, as I feel it relates more to the overarching themes I was considering while creating this work.
The Tributary 