The Collage Miniaturist

“It took me 1-1/2 years to tame this beast. The whole process was such an emotional rollercoaster. It’s interesting to notice how contradictory I (still) feel about the whole thing. This might sound weird, and don’t get wrong – I’m super proud of the book and this is the biggest thing I’ve ever done, but when I started the project, I was in a very bad place. The company I had founded filed a bankruptcy, and years of mistreating myself led to collapsing and struggling with very negative thoughts. After the worst waves, I felt I needed some kind of personal project, so that I could focus into something else other than my problems. And so this project was born. I’ve received overwhelming support and positive feedback, which has helped me to push forward.”
— Niko Vartiainen
 

One of the most dynamic guys in the collage scene is Finland’s Niko Vartiainen. His new, highly unusual book, THE CUTTING CHAOS, celebrates the diverse studios of 28 international collage artists. I’m pleased that he chose to showcase my basement workplace with an eight-page feature. It’s a real privilege! Photos reveal my tools and chunks of the surrounding stash. One of the images highlights the “collage kit” that enables me to work in the medium en plein air. The approach relies on a re-purposed plastic dish drainer that was spared a land-fill demise. Paper resources fit into the slots for plates (protection from the breeze), and my three different adhesives are held in the flatware compartments. Next to the kit you can see an ancient, ugly hair dryer that still gets almost daily use. The 244-page hardcover publication includes an interview format. Participating artists share their answers to a set of identical questions about their workspaces. My subterranean “fortress of solitude” in our bungalow hasn’t been kept a secret, but only a few people have seen it before now. Hello, world!