Families get Cer-REAL with Michael Albert

Teen librarian Zahra Baird with Michael Albert and “To be or not to be…”
July 29, 2011
by Axel Kastner

The ability of art to influence us and even provoke feelings of passion seems magical.  Last night, nationally acclaimed cereal box artist Michael Albert visited the Chappaqua Library.  His mission?  To show us how to look at a piece of art, understand it, appreciate it, and also to create it. The event was co-sponsored by New Castle Recreation and Parks and Teen Alliance. Last week, I spoke with Michael Albert about his life and work.

Where do you get your artistic inspiration from? Do you have a mentor, or an idol? Anyone or anything that inspires you?

I became inspired first by seeing art in museums and seeing masterworks by such famous artists as Van Gogh, Monet, Gauguin, Cezanne, Seurat, Modigliani, Picasso and others. I realized that art is treated as something really special in our world. Besides keeping it in beautiful palace-like museums and displaying it like it is special and important, it also doesn’t seem to follow the normal rules of business and commerce (which I was studying at the time) with van Gogh paintings and others selling for tens of millions of dollars. Here was a supposed failure who barely sold a painting in his life, an anti-social, mentally ill individual who one hundred years after his death is now EXALTED as one of the greats in history!! It made me think that maybe it’s not how much money you acquire in this life, but the accomplishing of something more abstract, blazing your own path and exploring and creating something new and interesting.

When did you become interested in art? Did you gradually become more and more interested or have you known basically all your life it was something you were interested in?

When I was in college at NYU studying business I started visiting museums regularly and then decided to try and create my own “masterpieces”. That was around 1986-7… I have sustained my interest in art over the past 25 years and still visit museums and galleries to seek out great works of art, which still continues to inspire me.

I’ve noticed you’ve used a lot of “kid friendly” art methods, like magic markers, oil Craypas, collages. Is this just what you prefer to work with, or is there a reason behind it?

I started with drawing like most people do and then my art evolved into collage as a way to use certain materials I had no other practical use for but felt bad about simply throwing them away into the landfill…there has always been a practical side of my art making—drawing was easy to do without making a mess. I could bring my crayons or markers with me and work almost anywhere and also stop if I needed to and then continue later, which is harder with paints that you have to take out and can’t put away so easily. Also, having a cat, I didn’t want to have something that would be wet (like a painting) that the cat could ruin or get paint all over herself. Pastels also smudge easily which was a negative for me.

I’ve noticed you have one book out. Are you planning on getting more published?

I have one book out, “An Artist’s America,” published by Henry Holt. I am working on a couple of new book ideas at the moment which I plan on getting published in the near future. It’s my pop-artist autobiography, geared toward a young audience.  It’s the story of my progression.  And, at the end, it’s a how-to on making your own collage. Teachers have used it to show examples of my work, then have had their kids create collages, inspired by the pieces I show in my book. 

What do you see in your future in terms of your career? Would you like to continue making collages or move onto a different style of art?

I have a bunch of ideas for new collages I’ve been developing over the past few years that I think will take a few (or at least a couple of) years to bring into being. I do believe that by continuing to create new art regularly, that something new will emerge. At the moment, from where I am, I can’t imagine it. This is what keeps it exciting for me.

What do you plan to do at the Chappaqua library? What should we expect from your program?

I will be bringing my Modern Pop Art Experience to Chappaqua Library. You can expect a short presentation where I will address the group and tell them about myself, show them numerous examples of my work and then lead a cereal box collage workshop where everyone will have a chance to create their own collage. I will also have special “art gifts” for all participants as a ‘Thank You’ for deciding to spend some time learning about and creating art with me.….”

Axel Kastner is a rising 12th grader at Horace Greely High School. He enjoys writing his own songs and working with animals of all kinds.