Maryland Artist Turns Raskin Bandanas Into Collage

Sonya Michel Historian and Collage Artist

Sonya Michel is featured in a Washingtonian story about art work she created for US Rep. Jame Raskin (D-MD). After retiring in 2015, Sonya launched a career as an artist and began showing and selling her work. She paints and makes mixed-media collages and assemblages, often using found objects such as rusted pieces from her old grill. 

Sonya met Raskin when he bought some of her artwork at a street festival a few years ago. This year, while undergoing treatment for lymphoma, Raskin wore bandanas, some gifted to him by musician and actor Steven Van Zandt. Raskin received so many bandanas from so many people. he had no idea what to do with them, so he asked Sonya to make a collage from them since he had previously purchased one of her collages. Raskin wanted to present the collage to his wife, Sarah Bloom Raskin, as a birthday gift.

This collage, like many of Sonya's art works, engages with politics and/or popular culture.

See the Washingtonian article HERE.

Photo courtesy of Sonya Michel.