Isn't Emily's work fantastic? Would you believe she's still in high school? I wish I was this good back then, or even now! She definitely has a style already and has a great handle on layout and themes. Her work has a great retro quality, probably because of her careful thought out material choices. I look forward to seeing her progress!

Name (Real or Screename): Emily Haasch
URL (Blog, Website): www.flickr.com/photos/shinytoypigeons/
Location (Where are you from?): I currently reside in Roscoe, Illinois, USA.

Q: Describe your work in 10 words or less.
A: A blasphemy of calculated scientific explosions and aesthetic arrest.

Q: What do you like to work with (magazines, photographs, vintage)? Be specific!
A: I mostly prefer paper, usually vintage, although I sometimes incorporate small found objects, film, or classroom art supplies. My sources tend to veer from the traditional books and magazines, as I prefer old tax forms, receipts, order forms, envelopes, foreign magazines, notebooks, children's textbooks, colored papers, photos, fabrics, or anything that has an image, texture, or numbers that strike me. I currently work physically, but later on I might start doing digital work.

Q: How long have you been creating collages and what made you start?
A: I've been creating them since freshman year of high school, although I have been only getting serious about my work within the past two years or so. I'm not sure exactly what started it all, but I believe it was a collage project that my teacher had assigned me in class during our Romare Bearden unit.

Q: Are you solely an artist, or do you work in another profession?
A: I am currently a senior in high school, and have not started selling my work yet, so no. Right now I'm focusing on finishing school and getting into college.

Q: Do you have any formal art training?
A: Not yet! I do plan to study design in college, though.

Q: Explain your favourite techniques.
A: I don't know if I have any in particular, it's just the movement or shapes and layering of textures that draws me to collage. I like to see myself as solving a problem using the visual components and composition, my goal being to express the same feeling or emotion I associate with an image or line to the person viewing the work.

Q: Describe your favourite piece ever created.
A: Probably one titled postcard no. 28. It is a postcard I sent to the Netherlands through Postcrossing. I was very sad to see it go, indeed.

Q: What other artists do you admire?
A: He doesn't know it, but my biggest inspiration is a guy from Buenos Aires named Marcelo. I also admire Tabitha Brown, Matthew Partridge, Joseph Cornell, JR, Becky and Frank, Curt Readel, Romare Bearden, and KC Green.

Thanks Emily!