Collage, for me, is the process of combining. Images, textures, colors and space combined into something more then its parts. Something new originates from the careful, patient and knowledgeable arrangements of the parts into a whole.
Some of the artists that have influenced my work include: Max Ernst, Marc Chagall, Giorgio De Chirico, Salvador Dali, Hieronymus Bosch. Medieval religious icons, dada, futurism and surrealism have also influenced my work as has The Beat movement.
My background is primarily literary. I have a Master of Arts from SF State in Creative Writing and published two books, one of short fiction and the other poetry. I contributed both collages and poetry/prose to small literary magazines and journals.
When I began working in collage I used the traditional paper, scissors and paste but with the advent of computers and digital editing capabilities I have increasingly used the computer as my tool of choice although I continue to work with paper, scissors and glue. On many projects I use both as each technique has its advantages.
Like a story a collage has a plot and characters that interact with each other and with the viewer. My collages seek to create a reaction, a recognition of a kindred world. As one Dadaist said, a collage is an imaginary possibility.
Contact Information: Name: Ken Weichel Email: kweichel@aol.com Phone: 415.976.1869