Anette Sagal Chats about Collage Art, Art Therapy, and the War in Ukraine
How can you build a community of artists and set up a collage art show in the middle of the Ukraine war?
Annete Sagal has the experience and a degree in International Relations to boot…
This has got to be one of the most interesting podcasts I have ever had the pleasure of recording.
Annete Sagal was born in Kyiv in 1997. Annete got a bachelor's degree in International Relations and Cultural Diplomacy at Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University (2018). She is currently, studying to become a certified Art Therapist.
Annete is a multidisciplinary artist, she works in the medium of collage and analog photography. She writes poems, lyrics, articles, and DJs. She publishes all her works in her own project, THE MOMENT. Annete started creating collages in 2018.
Annete and some collage art she created beneath a headlamp during a power black-out. From Anette Sagal’s Instagram.
She is the founder of the first Ukrainian community of collagists, the KYIV COLLAGE COLLECTIVE (@kyivcollage) and recently, founder of the educational platform KYIV COLLAGE SCHOOL (@kyivcollageschool). She is also the co-founder of the First Ukrainian Contemporary Collage Festival, CUTOUT and the CUTOUT COLLAGE STUDIO. At CUTOUT, she plays the roles of graphic designer, content creator, manager, and curator of international artists & exhibitions.
I had a great conversation with Annete, watch the video below, or find us on your favorite podcast listening app such as Spotify.
Watch Ep. 014: Annette Sagal of Kyiv Collage Collective
During our conversation, about the war in Ukraine, Anette mentions a few charities you can support. Check the links below:
An image from Annete Sagal’s Instagram.
PAYPAL:
Anette’s Personal: SAGALANNA@GMAIL.COM
CUTOUT: http://paypal.me/cutoutfestival
DONATE TO CHARITY:
1. PORYAD UKRAINE - helps Ukrainian Army and citizens in need
https://www.instagram.com/poryad_ukraine/
https://www.poryadukraine.com/
2. PRYTULA FOUNDATION - helps Ukrainian Army
https://prytulafoundation.org/en/home/support_page
https://www.instagram.com/prytulafoundation/
Cut it Out! Collage & Paper Craft Conversations is a collage and paper craft-centric podcast hosted by the Red Wizard.
Jacob Kedzierski and his 10,000 Napkins
Jacob Kedzierski shares some insightful thoughts about photography as a collage medium, aliens, and his enormous napkin collection.
Jacob Kedzierski at his World of Napkins show at the Carnegie Art Center in North Toanawanda, NY.
Jacob Kedzierski is a graduate of The Art Institute of Denver and has an extensive resume in TV and film primarily in the editorial and camera departments. He has worked on a plethora of projects ranging from Emmy award-winning, socially aware documentaries, long-running cable television programs, and major motion pictures.
Surreal Collage art portrait by Jacob Kedzierski
The Streets of Denver collage art by Jacob Kedsierski
Watch Ep. 013: Jacob Kedzierski below
Jacob's Website: https://www.jkedz.com/home
Jacob's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/jkedz_art/
Carnegie Art Center: https://carnegieartcenter.org/
Cut it Out! Collage & Paper Craft Conversations is a collage and paper craft-centric podcast hosted by the Red Wizard.
Morgan Jesse Lappin: Comic Book Collage & Copyright Law
Morgan Jesse Lappin Talks about Comic Book Collages and Copyright Law
How Does Morgan Jesse Lappin Make Collage out of Vintage Comic Books?
Morgan Jesse Lappin is the founder of the Brooklyn Collage Collective. Morgan often makes some awesome, time consuming collage art using comic books as source material. He is currently hand-cutting out hundreds of “capes” for his current project.
Morgan Jesse Lappin’s work in progress, a collage made entirely out of capes cut from vintage comic books.
Just to get an idea of what Morgan will be doing with hundreds of capes, check out this recent work of his, made entirely out of hair sourced from comic books.
散髪 / Sanpatsu - 40” (Analog collage - 1000+ cuts of comic book hair) by Morgan Jesse Lappin
A bit about Morgan:
Morgan Jesse Lappin b. 1979 is a visual artist, entertainer, musician and image-maker Lappin first started creating collage art in 2007 for a clothing company creating original designs. In 2008, Lappin moved to Brooklyn and began working with paper to create contemporary collages. His art, like his mind, is a combination of comedy and chaos with elements of music, vintage horror and sci-fi. Lappin’s work ranges from seven-foot- long cartoon metropolises, to fictional album covers, to take-out Greek diner coffee cups embedded with tiny paper worlds.
He uses nostalgic material from his childhood from the 80s, such as VHS Tape boxes, video game cartridges, and any other 80's house hold items that could cause you to experience flashbacks. Having a background in collecting and curating, he set out to assemble some of his favorite collage artists from NYC, and so in 2013 the Brooklyn Collage Collective was born. The BCC has now exhibited all over the world and has a strong global presence amongst collage makers and collectors alike.
In 2017, Lappin collaborated with The Very Warm, a parent company of Weatherproof, using Lappin’s original collages to design outerwear for men and women which sold-out with Nordstrom’s. In 2018, Lappin was chosen as a guest speaker at Kolaj Fest, a multi-day festival & symposium about contemporary collage and its role in art, culture, and society.
Watch or Listen to the Podcast Below!
Cut it Out! Collage & Paper Craft Conversations is a collage and paper craft-centric podcast hosted by the Red Wizard.
Adam Kreutinger, May be America's Worst Cook, But He is a Great Puppet Maker
In this episode of the Cut it Out! Podcast, I speak with my good friend, and fellow Buffalonian, Adam Kreutinger. Adam is currently a contestant on the cable television show, America’s Worst Cooks (2023) Adam has been a huge inspiration for me, and my career. Adam does what he loves, and he shares his passion with over 100 Thousand YouTube subscribers.
Adam and I live close to each other and I have had the pleasure of stepping into his puppet-making studio. He purchased his childhood home and turned one of the main living rooms into a puppet-making workshop. Most people know an artist, but I am going to assume most people don’t personally know a puppet maker.
Adam loves to tinker, and he is very knowledgeable about a lot of art-making supplies. Making his arsenal of fuzzy puppets has required him to use a vast array of materials. Not only that, he has experience building all sorts of different mechanisms to make his puppets move.
Adam is also very talented at figuring out how to leverage social media to promote his work and his products. As I mentioned earlier, Adam has a big following on his YouTube channel, but he has done something greater. He has created a dynamic and dedicated community of puppet makers. His Facebook group is full of budding puppeteers that have learned the craft of puppet-making from Adam.
The puppetry community (and my local community) was shocked to find out that Adam was recently diagnosed with brain cancer. I called Adam before he had to have brain surgery, but, I knew exactly what he would be up to before I called:
Making puppets, posting videos, writing books, and recording podcasts.
Adam has built a content-making machine, and I know he dreams of doing much more. Just the other day I stopped by his house. Despite all his health problems, he just finished his book, Puppetry 101.
In this podcast, I think you will see my own frustrations with social media, and Adam’s (much better) perspective. I think there is allot of value in this episode for anyone who wants to learn more about sharing their work on social media.
Cut it Out! Collage & Paper Craft Conversations is a collage and paper craft-centric podcast hosted by the Red Wizard.
Cut it Out! Ep.007- Michael Velliquette, What is Papercraft and Paper Art?
Watch, listen, or read this great conversation about paper art with professional papercrafter, Michael Veliquette.
A stunning example of Michael Velliquette’s paper art.
Learn The Basics of Paper Art From a College Professor
Michael Velliquette is a professional papercraft artist and a professor at the University of Wisconsin, Maddison. He has been a dedicated paper craftsman for over 15 years. In this episode of the Cut it Out! Podcast, I speak to Michael about the very basics of papercraft. We also dive into advice for getting your artwork into galleries and public work.
I have always had an interest in paper crafting, however, I really don't know anything about it. I want to thank Michael for explaining his craft in-depth and providing valuable insight.
Without summarizing the entire show, I want to share some things that I found to be very insightful. He is clearly an expert in this subject and as I paraphrase, I feel like a crazed frowning clown trying to mime the process without the proper words. This stuff is new to me and my coffee hasn't kicked in yet, but here we go:
Basic Introduction to Paper Art and Paper Craft
The Three States of Paper
Michael explains that each papercraft artist exploits one of three states of paper: Shape, Edge, and texture. Paper, being a planar medium always has these states.
When we cut flat paper into shapes like snowflakes we use shape.
When we fold paper or roll it into scrolls, we use edge.
The texture of paper pertains to the condition of its surface.
A recent papercraft sculpture by Michael Velliquette
How to Get Your Collage and Papercrafts into Galleries
Michael says that the best way to get your work into a gallery is to find the "right context". If you don't know what context means, it is one of my favorite art vocabulary words. To me, context means the situation or series of events that surround your work. Context is a tool used to understand art, and successful artists almost always exploit it to their advantage. A basic example I use is Banksy's street art. The context of his art is the street. That is the place. His work connects to the street, it gives it power and meaning.
Banksy once painted a hole in the wall dividing Israel from Palestine in the Gaza Strip. The hole revealed a tropical paradise. The power of this image comes from its direct connection to its place. If this image were on a gallery wall, it would simply be a clever optical illusion at best.
So the question for getting your toe into a gallery is this: What is your context? Do you even need a gallery for your work? If you decide you do need a gallery, do your research. Find out what galleries your work would fit into. Think of the vibe and the style. Find your tribe. Is there a gallery in your town that fits your aesthetic? Frequent their shows. Hang out. Be part of the scene. Find your context. This is great advice from Michael.
How to Turn Your Artwork into Large Public Art Installations
Michael is a paper artist, yet has made public art installations using metal. I ask Michael how a paper artist is able to convince people that they can work with metal. In our favor, paper has many common traits to other planar media like metal and plastics.
When you have an idea for a large installation, create a practical artist's proposal. This resonates with me because before I was an artist, I was an architect. Architects basically create intricate proposals for buildings as a profession. An art proposal should include coherent writings and renderings of what your final installation will look like. This includes selecting all your materials and outlining progress that aligns with key deadlines.
As I said, this episode is filled with great advice. I highly recommend you give it a careful listen. If you have any questions for our guests or would like to recommend a guest for the Cut it Out podcast, please don't hesitate to contact the red wizard using the form below!
-The Red Wizard
10.09.21
sat. 7:27 am
earth planet
About Michael Velliquette
Michael Velliquette (American b. 1971) is an artist who makes intricately constructed paper-based sculpture. Velliquette makes use of a humble, everyday material to open a view into imagined worlds.
Velliquette redefines the unassuming nature of paper by constructing objects that convey strength, intent, and durability, but which also require conscious observation and care. They are at once abstract layers and shapes made from colored paper, and also structures that from one moment to the next suggest fortress-like constructions, tiered mandalas, or complex mechanical gears. Cut exclusively and assembled by hand, Velliquette’s works can take up to 500 hours to complete.
In his recent series of paper cuts, composed of single sheets of paper, carefully sliced and folded, the artist emphasizes the physics of light, and the way a simple fold, lifted at a variety of angles from the surface, reveals myriad shadows, forms, and openings. Like his larger constructions, the paper cut works retain a mandala-like quality, as if carved in relief on a panel of a door or a box. Where the more built-up sculptures capitalize on the material’s strength, flexibility, and capacity to be easily molded, the paper cuts are pared down, vulnerable, fleshy in comparison. Thus we are invited to consider the surface and material thinness of the paper itself, where every detail of every incision is distinguishable, and there’s little telling what mysteries lie beyond.
A working artist for 20 years, Michael Velliquette has participated in over 150 exhibitions in museums and galleries in the US, Europe and Asia. His work is in the permanent collections of the Chazen Museum of Art; the Art Museum of South Texas; the Racine Art Museum; The Progressive Corporation; The West Bend Insurance Collection; The Abroms-Engels Institute for the Visual Arts; The Linda Pace Foundation; Boston Children's Hospital; The Pratt Institute Libraries; The John Michael Kohler Art Center; and The Microsoft Collection.
He has participated in residencies and cultural exchange programs including the Artpace International Artist-in-Residence; the SIM Residency, Reykjavik; the John Michael Kohler Art/Industry program; and EUARCA, Kassel, Germany.
In 2021 he was an artist resident at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft.
He received his BFA from the Florida State University-1993, and his MA & MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison-2000.
As an educator, Velliquette is on faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he teaches courses in visual literacy and creative practice. He also teaches workshops on the paper arts and was recently a visiting instructor at the Haystack Mountain School of Craft and the Pocosin School of Fine Craft.
He is a member of the Guild of American Papercutters and the Paper Artist Collective—a global community of artists and designers dedicated to the medium of paper.
His work has been featured in numerous print and online publications including Colossal, Time Out New York and The New York Times. He has been included in several compendiums on paper art produced by such publishers as Thames & Hudson, Gestalten, Sandu, Lark Crafts, Hightone Books.
Two color monographs are available on his work titled Michael Velliquette: Lairs of the Unconscious (2012) and Michael Velliquette: What We Are Looking For is What is Looking (2017).
He lives in Madison, WI with his husband Tehshik Yoon, a professor of organic chemistry.
Cut it Out! Collage and Paper-Craft Conversations, ep.006- Lance Letscher, how do you collage on a motorcycle?
This is the first episode of my podcast that I will be relistening to over several years. There is an entire career’s worth of valuable information in this episode.
This podcast should really be called “A Lifetime of Collage Lessons From Lance Letcher”.
This is the first episode of my podcast that I will be relistening to over several years. There is an entire career’s worth of valuable information in this episode.
Lance Letscher, is an internationally known Austin-based hand-cut collage artist. In 2017, Lance was the subject of a full-length documentary entitled, the secret life of Lance Letcher, which was the official selection of the South by Southwest Film Festival in 2017. If you haven’t watched it yet, I highly recommend it. If you watch the documentary and you observe Lance with a keen eye, you are going to get a “Master’s” class in analog collage making.
The Secret Life of Lance Letscher is available to buy or rent from Amazon. If you plan on watching the documentary, please use my affiliate link. If you press it, you will see Lance, AND Jeff Bezos will reach down in his coffers and drop a nickel out of his weenier-shaped rocket on the Red Wizard.
So what have I Learned (so far) from Lance Letscher during this collage conversation?
A recent work by Lance Letscher entitled “Small Sermon”
1.Take your time, people’s eyes recognize effort and complexity: Lance mentions how people who visit his shows often will stop and stare at his work for several minutes. His work is so intricate and includes so many layers, that people need to ponder it and really think about what they are looking at. Lance is not in the internet-content rat race many young artists are in. Am I produing content? Or am I producing art that makes people really stop and think? Can I do both?
Learning how to get your work into galleries is important: Lance mentions that there is a certain level of greatness that an artist can only achieve if their work is sold in galleries. I can’t argue with that. He acknowledges that artists are perfectly capable of selling their work on web markets like Etsy. He even mentions that galleries take half of the sale. He still thinks it’s worth it. Galleries bring their own buyers. He said it took him a few years to figure out how to get into galleries. Maybe I should get started.
Level up your cutting skills: Lance mentions that collage is easy (which it is, and the egalitarian part of me loves that) and in order to start turning heads, you have to get more intricate with your cuts. Lance uses a magnifying lamp to make his smaller cuts. I am looking forward to using the magnifying lamp (that I garbage picked) on my next project.
Celebrate the paper: What makes collage cool? All the qualities of old paper. Celebrate and even look for the imperfections when searching for collage materials. There is so much content and character already on old paper.
Multitasking is good: In Lance’s documentary, his wife mentions that he often cuts for six weeks before we starts making a composition. After I heard this, I was surprised to hear that Lance likes to multitask. He mentions that in order to overcome boredom maintain intensity, he likes to switch between projects.
Use the internet to find exactly what source material you want to work with: My most popular blog post is about how to find collage source materials. At the time I wrote the post wasn't purchasing anything on eBay. I also wasn’t looking for anything super niche. Lance has some cool stories about buying very specific items around the world using the internet. I recently purchased thousands of dollars worth of losing lottery tickets on eBay. It’s true, you can find almost anything on there you want to use for collage making.
Thanks for reading! -The Red Wizard
Cut it Out!, ep.005- Kike Congrains, Curator of #CollageWave & Collage Historian
Enrique "Kike" Congrains is collage artist from Lima, Peru. He has shown his work in exhibitions in Peru, as well as Argentina, Spain, England, Hong Kong, and Norway at the Scandinavian Collage Museum. He’s the founder and curator of CollageWave, an annual show for established and emerging Peruvian collagists. Participated as a speaker in Kolaj Fest 2018 and 2019 in New Orleans. He teaches collage workshops to underprivileged kids and is writing a book on Latin American collage.
Cut it Out!, ep.004- Morgan Jesse Lappin
Morgan Jesse Lappin b. 1979 is a visual artist, entertainer, musician and image-maker Lappin first started creating collage art in 2007 for a clothing company creating original designs. In 2008, Lappin moved to Brooklyn and began working with paper to create contemporary collages. His art, like his mind, is a combination of comedy and chaos with elements of music, vintage horror and sci-fi. Lappin’s work ranges from seven-foot- long cartoon metropolises, to fictional album covers, to take-out Greek diner coffee cups embedded with tiny paper worlds.
He uses nostalgic material from his childhood from the 80s, such as VHS Tape boxes, video game cartridges, and any other 80's house hold items that could cause you to experience flashbacks. Having a background in collecting and curating, he set out to assemble some of his favorite collage artists from NYC, and so in 2013 the Brooklyn Collage Collective was born. The BCC has now exhibited all over the world and has a strong global presence amongst collage makers and collectors alike.
In 2017, Lappin collaborated with The Very Warm, a parent company of Weatherproof, using Lappin’s original collages to design outerwear for men and women which sold-out with Nordstrom’s. In 2018, Lappin was chosen as a guest speaker at Kolaj Fest, a multi-day festival & symposium about contemporary collage and its role in art, culture, and society.
Cut it Out!, ep.003- Goof Craft aka Alex Dorney: Collage Artist & Vintage Seller
Alex Dorney is a mixed media artist based in the Shenandoah Valley. His passion for vintage print started from a young age, brought on by a love for flea markets and yard sales. An interest in collage came naturally in high school and he has pursued it ever since. Specifically focusing on product advertisements, he harvests images from the pages of mass market magazines for use in surreal mechanical constructions. He draws influences from the absurd collages of early Dada artists and the stop motion animations of Terry Gilliam. Alex uses a collection of thousands of vintage images to build complex impossible machinery and vehicles to populate his own surreal universe.
Post Wook, Digital Collage Artist & Contemporary Surrealist
Post Wook Shares Her Surreal Wisdom
Post Wook is a digital collage artist and contemporary surrealist artist from California. She boasts over 240,000 instagram followers. People love her surreal landscape collages. She has worked with some big clients such as Toyota and Club Med.
In this episode, Post Wook gives some great insight into collage and its sticky relationship with intellectual property, copyright, and derivative work.
Collage Art and Copyright Law
(this is not legal advice, I am just an ape at a computer)
Copyright is a tough subject in collage. Just like any law case, each work of art needs to be considered and addressed on its own terms and in its own context. Postwook takes copyright very seriously. She mentions that she only uses completely royalty-free images in her work. She also contacts individual photographers about the use of their work. She mentions that many of her clients ask her about the copyright status of her work. As a collage artist, this is certainly something you must consider when preparing work for a paying client.
How to Get More Followers on Social Media
Post Wook and I also discuss the arms race between Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. It has been a challenging year for some creators because these platforms are pushing short video content to their users. Natasha mentions that not all art processes are fun to watch (like a digital collage) and it can be a challenge to find new ways to create content that satisfies the algorithm overlords.
Collage and the Live Music Scene
We are both live music fans, so I was very happy to chat with her about music festivals before COVID. So far every guest on the Cut it Out Podcast has been a music festival fan. Can this be a coincidence? (In Episode 1, Max Malone shares his festival collage mural process). Is there an actual connection between collage artists and music festivals? I have no idea, but I will explore this further in the following episodes!
Please let Red Wizard know if there are any guests you would like to see on the show!
Max Malone, Professional Collage Artist & Graphic Designer
Welcome to the very first episode of Cut it Out! In this episode I speak with professional collage artist and graphic designer, Maximillian Malone. Max Malone shares with us how he created giant murals using collage materials, how he decorated an entire music venue, and how to get the most out of scanning your collages and other assets.
My goal with this podcast is to interview my favorite collage artists, paper crafters, and other makers. My hope is that we can elevate our favorite craft by learning from each other and sharing our insights.
Cut it Out! is available on all major podcast streaming platforms and YouTube. The audio quality is better on audio only formats, however, the YouTube version allows you to see the artwork that we are discussing. I am super happy with this episode,. and I hope you enjoy!