Interview with Angelica Paez of Scrapatorium

 All images this post belong to Angelica Paez and are used here by permission.

This week I am so pleased to be interviewing Angelica Paez of Scrapatorium. Angelica has a blog, an Etsy shop and a fascinating Flickr stream. Angelica is also one of the brains behind Scrapateria and Snapatorium.

What draws you to collage work over other mediums?

I've studied other mediums, but collage comes naturally to me and I have loved it ever since I was a kid.  Since I am a paper fanatic, it also allows me to work with the types of materials that I am most interested in like old catalogs, photographs, ephemera, and vintage books, stamps, magazines.

Where do you find the raw materials for your collages?

 When I am out shopping for vintage photos and ephemera for my collection, I also look for material for my collage work. I prefer old material over new, so I frequent estate and garage sales, flea markets, library and book sales, and thrift stores.  I never destroy good material. I always look for things that are damaged or commonplace for my art.

Who are some other collage artists whose work you admire?

Masters such as Kurt Schwitters, Hannah Hoch, Max Erst, Romare Bearden, Alexander Rodchenko, Ray Johnson, John Evans and Peter Blake.  There are also so many great collagists working today whose work I admire and who have inspired me. I'd hate to leave someone out, so I'll refrain from naming any, but many of them can be found on Flickr.

Can you advise us a little about the process of creating a great collage?

I wish I had the formula because if I did, I'd be using it myself! That said, I think the most important thing is to be original. I also like to experiment and am always trying something different.  I think this attitude is what has helped me stay interested in collage all these years. Although some artists aspire to have a defined style, I shy away from that because I don't ever want my work to feel or look monotonous. 

In addition to making collage art, you have an online business called the Scrapiteria. Can you tell us a little about that?

Scrapiteria isn't a business, but a collage collaboration blog I started in 2005.  We have a weekly theme and members post their work.  It started with three members, but has grown over the years.

Note: After I got the answers to my questions back from you, I realized that I had intended to refer to Snapatorium, your online store specializing in vintage photographs...so, I hope my readers will check them both out!   

If you had to live in any other era, what historical period would you choose?

Without hesitation, I would say the 1920s.  I love the music, clothing, design, and the optimism of the era.  It was also an important time for women who started coming out of their restrictive roles.  Of course, who was to know that the Great Depression was just around the corner.

In my experience, collage artists are almost always collectors of interesting objects. What have you collected in the past and what kinds of objects currently most interest you?

My main collection is vintage photos, but I also collect old toys and trinkets, mid-century modern design, advertising pencils, figural purses, Bakelite and lucite jewelry, 3D viewers, carnival and sideshow items, Popsie dolls, art books, old packaging, ephemera, Halloween stuff, antique medical objects, and much more.  I find that my taste has changed very little since I was young.  I was always collecting something or another and I find that once I truly like something, I very rarely ever lose interest in it.

 Thank you Angelica, for sharing a bit about your work and your life with us!