Vision Board? Or, Collage? What’s the Difference?

“If I create from the heart, nearly everything works; if from the head, almost nothing.” – Marc Chagall

Two Different Creative Pathways.

Many people are familiar with the idea of a Vision Board — a collection of images, words, and symbols — that represents your goals, dreams, and aspirations. Vision boards are powerful tools for intention setting. They are focused on the future, helping you clarify what you want to bring into your life and keeping your attention oriented toward your desired outcomes.

A Collage, particularly in Expressive Arts, takes a different approach. Rather than starting with a clear destination, collage begins with curiosity. The creative process is less about controlling the future outcome and more about discovery in the present.

When creating a collage, you might flip through magazines, sift through scraps of paper, or choose textures, colours, and shapes that speak to you, even if you don’t yet know why. You cut, tear, arrange, and layer these pieces, letting intuition be your guide. As the images come together, new themes, insights, and connections may often emerge.

This process can feel playful and spontaneous, but it also has depth. Collage provides a way to:

• Explore emotions that may be hard to put into words

• Connect with your inner world through imagery and metaphor

• See unexpected patterns and possibilities

• Give form to experiences, memories, or feelings that might otherwise remain hidden

Unlike a Vision Board, which is primarily about shaping your future, Collage is about being present to what arises in the moment. The creative process of working with Collage becomes a mirror of your inner landscape, inviting reflection, meaning, and sometimes even healing.

This fall, I invite you to join me for a Collage & Mixed Media class, where we’ll lean into this process oriented practice. Together, we’ll create a space for exploration, play, and discovery. No artistic experience required: https://www.firepotexat.com/workshops

Come curious. Leave inspired.