Ida Pearle
Ida Pearle was born and raised in New York City. She began drawing and playing the
violin as a small child, and pursued these interests during her education at the
United Nations International School, and La Guardia High School of the Arts.
She concentrated on figurative drawing and painting as a fine art major at The Cooper Union
for the Advancement of Science and Art. All the while she continued to pursue music,
performing and recording with many groups such as The Magnetic Fields, Low, Ted Leo
and the Pharmacists, and Ida (the band) as well as designing album covers.
"tools for imaginative learning & growth for both children and adults"
She began making cut-paper collages as personalized cards for friends during this time; these
small pieces developed into larger poetic vignettes, depicting the challenges and gifts of friend's
lives, recast in a hopeful and magical light. As the collage's narratives are inspired by real
situations, the visual forms of the collages, though playful and childlike in appearance, are
informed by a thorough understanding of figure and gesture.
Ida's collages are cut and glued by hand and primarily composed of Coloraid, a silk-screened
artist's paper. Other specialty papers, collected from many different sources including some
recycled and found papers, are used to add accents of pattern and texture to the collages.
For example, Origami paper is used for clothing as are other materials that require patterns.
Non-toxic glues are used and other materials such as string, ribbon, and cloth lend the
pieces even greater dimension and texture. Before the cutting begins each collage
requires extensive planning and sketching.
Fancy...
Though appealingly dream-like, the unique animation, poignancy, and realistic resonance of these works enable them to function as tools for imaginative learning and growth for both children and adults in the real world. Ida currently lives and works in New York City.
