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Six of the Best, Part 14


Part 14 of an interview series in which I invite artists to respond to six questions about art, process, and creativity  (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3,Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13) . Today's artist is Dan Schreck, who lives in Chicago.

"Snail Mail Security Fifteen", 20" x 30"

Philip Hartigan: What medium/media do you chiefly use, and why?

Dan Schreck: Collage has been a mainstay for the past 2-3 years. I enjoy the limitations of the medium and always feel a challenge to rethink how I approach materials and tools.

Philip Hartigan: What piece are you currently working on?

Dan Schreck: I am currently working on Snail Mail Security. This is an ongoing collage series using found paper, the interiors of business envelopes. These collages are then photographed and printed as crisp, high resolution digital prints.

"Snail Mail Security Four", 20" x 30"


Philip Hartigan: What creative surprises are happening in the current work?

Dan Schreck: Magnification is an important aspect of the SMS series. Everything is bigger. Scratches, dirt, imperfections... all these things are bigger. One of the surprises of the series is the number of comments I get about how amazing the paper fibers look in the final images. I've worked with fiber in the past and absolutely love it so I have been thrilled that this aspect of the series has been so impactful.

Philip Hartigan: What other artistic medium (or non-artistic activity) feeds your creative process?

Dan Schreck: Physical exercise has been doing me wonders creatively. There's something about getting the blood flowing and heart pumping that helps me quiet my mind. When that happens I make some of the best creative connections.

"Snail Mail Security Two", 20" x 30"

Philip Hartigan: What's the first ever piece of art you remember making?

 Dan Schreck: I drew a fabulous picture of Arnold Schwarzenegger when I was a youngster. It was off a poster from the movie "Terminator."

Philip Hartigan: Finally, and you can answer this in any way that's meaningful to you: why are you an artist?
Dan Schreck: I tried not being an artist for a while. The funny thing was I still ended up making things anyways. It is in my nature to make things and to participate in the tremendously visual culture that we live in today.

If you liked this interview, and you'd like to keep up to date with the series, why not Subscribe, or sign-up via Google Connect, using one of the options over on the right? Thanks, and keep creating.
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