I had the absolute pleasure of asking the incredible Alex Eckman-Lawn some questions about his amazing hand cut collages!

Check out the interview below!

1. Tell us a bit about yourself and how you became an artist? What draws you to create?

Man, coming hard right out of the gate, huh? I’m really not sure about that- I’ve always loved art and telling stories with images. I’m an anxious person and art definitely helps me to deal with my own brain but I think I probably owe more to comics and video games from my childhood than anything else, if I’m being honest.

2. Did you study art or are you self taught? What are your thoughts on art education?

I studied Illustration at the University Of The Arts in Philadelphia. Personally, I had a really good experience and I learned a TON. I can remember specific classes and professors and even particular pieces where I found my voice as an illustrator, and I definitely couldn’t have done some of that on my own. I know some incredibly talented self taught artists, but for me Art School was really valuable.

I’m also a huge nerd for art history and got a lot out of my more liberal arts kinda classes as well.

3. What is the most challenging or surprising aspect of being an artist?

Would you believe there are a lot of these? I think the big thing for me was realizing that it’s not enough to just make the art. You have to market yourself, figure out taxes, talk to people, leave the house, maybe even talk ABOUT your work with some confidence. All of this stuff takes practice and time and I didn’t see it coming, haha!

4. Are there any drawbacks to your practice, or anything you’d want to change about the artistic community?

I mean, of course no job is perfect. I find that generally most artists are working for what amounts to an insulting hourly rate. I have been really lucky to find a really supportive community in Philly. I’m surrounded by insanely talented and driven people and I feel lucky to call them my friends. I think this is often one of the hardest things- I work from home so if I didn’t have this support group I can imagine becoming even more isolated and weird than I already am.

Also, do you think that the artistic industry is in a good place right now, and how do you think it will change over the next few years?

It seems to me like art is in a pretty strange place and things are definitely changing. It’s easy to feel like this change is for the worse but we’ll just have to wait and see where it goes! It does seem like artists have to rely on things like Patreon or studio sales more often than just showing in galleries, or just illustrating, etc. This really bums me out sometimes, because I want artists to be able to support themselves with the actual work, and not add ANOTHER job. On the other hand, it’s really inspiring to see how many people are willing to support artists just to keep them going.

I guess it feels a little bit like depending on gofundme to pay your emergency room bill instead of having health insurance.

That said, I know people are interested in art and I see new and exciting stuff CONSTANTLY so thats really fucking encouraging.

5. Collage art is extremely fascinating and must allow for a great scope of imaginative creation. Do you think that it has any benefits over more traditional methods of art like painting and do you ever consider how your work will be perceived by those who see it?

I guess I try not to think TOO much about how people will evaluate my process (I think this is the illustrator in me), but I do like to engage with my medium and challenge myself to make intricate cuts sometimes. I want people to enjoy looking at the work, but I don’t necessarily consider craft the most important part of a piece. Collage can, at times, let me focus on things like composition and concept more than the actual act of drawing or painting. That said, I also love drawing and do it a lot for my illustration work.

Collage, to me, is all about your eye and instincts, not so much the actual hand- like you’d see it in painting. I also hand cut the final pieces though so my hand makes an appearance as well. Haha, I guess I’m trying to cover all of my bases.

I just want to make work that I’m excited about and thats hopefully exciting to look at!

6. Your work is extremely fascinating, and consists of intricate hand cut collages. How did you discover that this method of working was right for you and how does this idea of depth and layering affect the way the audience reads your work?

I kind of found this by accident, honestly! I was cutting pieces out for a more traditional additive collage, in other words I had a sheet of paper with images on it and I was cutting those out of the paper and arranging them on a board. When I was like 90% done i looked back at the paper I’d cut the pieces out of and i almost liked it more than what I was working on. A lot of experiments and about a year or so later I had found a process thats pretty similar to what I’m doing now.

I hope toe depth effects the way people look at the work! Unfortunately it can be really hard to capture in photos so you kind of have to see them in person to really see what’s going on. I also like to hide little secrets in the layers that you might have to crane your neck to see.

7. You describe your work as “exploring the fear of the body’s inner workings”. I definitely get a sense that one of the overarching themes of your work is the notion of imprisonment, where the viewer gets a chance to glimpse inside the bodies we rely on.

Yeah I’m a hypochondriac and an anxious wreck, haha! I’m always looking for a hiding place, but I’m terrified of my own body and what’s going on inside it. These pieces let me both create hiding spots inside a body, and also little prisons. I guess it depends on what you bring to the piece whether you see the people inside as imprisoned or safely hidden. Honestly, I bounce back and forth between those things from piece to piece.

What draws you to explore such a divergent theme and do you think that art should challenge those who look at it?

I think artists should absolutely challenge themselves when making work, and that often leads to challenging work. I also love approachable art, illustration, comics, etc. There’s room for everything, but I do appreciate art that really makes me feel something- whether that feeling is uncomfortable or content.

8. Your images must take a long time to create. Can you talk a bit about the physical process that goes into creating an image and how you decide which images will juxtapose nicely together? Have you ever considered creating your images digitally, and how do you think that the sculptural physicality of your work adds to the narrative?

The time these guys take can differ wildly from piece to piece. Sometimes if I have all my sources chosen already I feel like i’m flying through the process and suddenly I’m almost done. Haha, it can almost feel like cheating.

I spend a lot of time pouring over public domain image libraries in search of good bits, inspiring images, anything to get me started. Sometimes I start with an idea and search for the right stuff to help me create that image, and sometimes I just dig around with a feeling and see if I get inspired.

The initial collage actually does happen digitally- I assemble things in photoshop where I can have completely control over color, size, etc etc. Once I’m done there I make 5-6 individual layers, print them out and hand cut each one, then space and layer them to create the physical depth, and finally frame them in a shadowbox frame.

I think the pieces really come alive once they’re cut and layered and exist in real space. There’s such a different feeling when you are actually peering inside of something, as apposed to looking at a flat image on instagram or whatever.

9. Your work is pretty complex. How do you decide upon the concept for a piece of work, and how do you know when an idea is good enough to be considered a finished piece?

haha, I never have any idea when a piece is finished and I definitely never trust that my ideas are ever good enough. I just try to keep pushing until it feels complete or I run out of time. With collage in particular, nothing ever has to really be finished. There’s always more you COULD add.

For me, it usually comes down to telling a clear story or conveying the feeling i’m going for as powerfully as possible. That sometimes means a way more simple and straight forward approach, and sometimes I wanna hide a bunch of little details.

I try to be open to whatever the piece needs. That feels the most honest way to work, I guess.

Do you ever look back at an image and wish you’d done something differently?

hahaha, always! Like almost every single time. I’d say I’m lucky if there are 3 pieces a year where I look back and think “yeah, that looks right.” Mostly I just try to use that energy in the next piece. It helps propel me forward. Looking back is dangerous for me. Honestly I’d argue it’s dangerous for any artist.

10. Additionally, do you ever worry about repetition of imagery and ideas as your career progresses and do you work on more than one image at once?

I absolutely work on more than one thing at once. I actually think that helps because it lets me take little breaks and come back to things and reassess them with fresh eyes. But yeah, I definitely worry about repeating myself or making work on autopilot.

I find that this is most likely to happen when I’m just completely burnt out or exhausted. If I catch myself doing it and I have time, that’s when I should take a break. read something, watch a movie, take a walk, eat something delicious. Get inspired and recharge then come back and see how I really feel and what I want to say.

11. I’d consider a lot of your work to be exploring the human condition, which is a loose theme you are drawn to but why do you think that people choose art to explore such an illusive topic? Do you think there are any themes that art cannot explore?

Art is a really hard thing to define exactly, especially since as soon as you start exploring things like “the human condition” whatever you’re doing tend to be labeled as art. I genuinely think human beings are driven to create and to confront things they can’t understand. Even if it’s just a hobby most people want to make SOMETHING. I think there all kind of limitations to what people can do, so I guess I would say it can be hard to explore certain things with the limited resources we have. That’s not art’s fault though, haha!

I guess that’s why I try to stay open minded to ANY form of expression. I am most drawn to representational work, or music with riffs, but I’ve been surprised and completely floored by things I never would have thought I’d like. abstract art, videogames, fucking noise music. I think we have to keep pushing out in new directions to find ways to express bigger concepts.

Sorry if that all comes across as absolute nonsense. You’re making me grapple with some big themes here!

12. What do you think about social media? Is it helpful to artists and how has it impacted your practice? Is it something you enjoy?

I, like every other artist I know, have love hate relationship with social media. It absolutely is designed to addict and depress us but it’s also been a crucial tool for my business, and the best way for me to interact with people who follow my work. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for those people and the immediate feedback that instagram, for instance, provides me. I don’t love that it’s all controlled by someone else, an algorithm, etc. It is cool to have a free way to reach people though! It really isn’t all bad.

At this point it’s almost a moot point because this shit is here and we HAVE to use it because the other option is disappearing. I’m excited to see what happens next, because you know SOMETHING new is coming.

Until then I’m delighted to interact with the void in whatever way I can, haha!

13. How important is it for you to show or document the creative process of your work? Do you ever show your ‘failed’ images and should artists be more open about the creative process?

Wow, I JUST made one of those instagram polls about this the other day. I always like to see “failed attempts” or in progress stuff, or initial concepts etc. I do think one of the lame things about the way a lot of these platforms seem to work is they do NOT encourage you to share that sort of thing.

And also I’m a coward and a little afraid to show when things don’t go right, haha! Maybe i’ll try and be better about that in 2020.

14. You often exhibit your work in galleries. Can you talk a bit about how you came to exhibit your work and if there are any benefits of seeing your work in a physical space rather than online? Is it important for artists to exhibit work and what have you learnt from exhibiting?

Exhibiting work was always kind of something I tried to fit in between illustration projects- a way to sort of play around without the confines of a job. Lately the split is much more like 50/50 gallery shows and illustration. This has been challenging in some ways because it’s double the deadlines but I’m finding that exhibiting work has helped me to push myself forward. I’m more frequently considering what else I can do and how else to approach an image. Plus it helped me find my current way of working!

That said, I certainly don’t think it’s a requirement for all artists. I’d say the most important thing should be to make work you like. set goals that are relevant to you and if exhibiting art makes sense or helps with those goals then fuck yeah, push yourself to do that!

I think some work is definitely more exciting in person, and I like to think my stuff falls into this category. I guess, in a perfect world, I wish that galleries were more available to all people and that seeing at art in person was as widely accepted as going to the movies or a seeing a band or something.

15. In this current society, do you think that art is important? can anyone be an artist and is there such a thing as bad art?

I always think art is important. I guess I think it’s inescapable in any society as long as the bare necessities are taken care of. Art isn’t necessary to staying alive, but I think it might be necessary to creating a full and enjoyable life. Does that make sense?

I think everyone should make art if they want to. It may not come naturally but you’ll be surprised by what you can learn. There’s also no shame in being an artist as a hobby. I played in a band for a bit, and I’m totally content to just play the drums for fun. I find I still get a lot out of playing music, even if it’s just practicing alone in my basement like a dork.

“Bad art” is a hard thing to define. There’s certainly plenty of art that I don’t like, or that I think is lazy or lame, but ultimately those are just my opinions. I think it’s really important to be passionate and have opinions about whatever it is you do- so I actually think it’s important and even VALUABLE to hate certain art, as long as you’re open to having your mind changed and you’re not an absolute dick about it. Having strong opinions can help guide you in your own work.

For years, and especially when I was younger, I absolutely hated Cy Twombly, the abstract expressionist. I think I had good reasons for hating him and his work, that I won’t get into here for the sake of time, but anyway I’ve found that I’ve actually softened on a lot of that stuff over time. I can even find bits in his paintings that inspire me or give me an idea for how to approach my own work. I’m not huge fan, but I don’t get angry at the work anymore.

So in a way I’ve actually been fuelled by his work in two different ways, which is way more valuable than just writing him off completely, or describing it as “objectively bad”

16. In your opinion, what makes a good piece of art? What was the last image/piece of media that captivated you and what was it about it that left an impression on you?

There are so so many ways to make a good piece of art. I’ve been listening to the Cloud Rat album from last year a lot. I loved the experience of seeing The Lighthouse in the theater. I also just watched Gundam 0083 with my buddy and was pretty stoked about that, haha! All of those things have a strong and clear aesthetic and are masterfully realized within the confines of their medium.

17. What is your favourite image you’ve produced so far and why? Do you create for work for yourself or others?

oh noooo, I can’t choose just one. It changes every week. Honestly probably more like every few minutes, haha! I am proud of the cover I did for In The Dream House, but I could be swayed by how much I loved the book itself.

18. Are you often satisfied with the work you produce and how do you stay motivated to keep creating?

I’m usually satisfied enough to send the email or frame the piece and walk away from it but I’m not totally satisfied, no. That’s part of how I stay motivated- I still want to make one that feels “undeniable” if that makes any sense. Maybe you could call that being “hungry?”

19. Copyright, especially in the technological age, is a huge problem. What actions do you take to ensure that your work is not being used without your permission, and have you had any experiences with plagiarism? Is this an issue that you think about and what are your thoughts about intellectual property rights for artists?

This is a sticky one. I’m obviously using pre-existing images and I think a lot of people make the mistake of thinking that collage is just taking whatever you want from whoever you want and using it to make something new. I am very careful to source my imagery from the public domain or create it myself.

There’s a certain amount of “unintentional plagiarism” or just being “inspired by” someone’s work and then there’s straight up making a copy. Unfortunately there’s always someone who’s willing to push the boundaries of inspiration, or somebody who just doesn’t think biting someone’s ideas is a problem! I don’t know what to do about that except to just keep making work and try to be the best at what I do.

Let me be clear that it really hurts when an artist sees someone ripping them off. I know a lot of people who are dealing with some amount of this right now and it’s been really hard for them. I’ve been through it occasionally as well, though usually to a lesser extent. it feels awful. Kind of a cold, deep down ache that’s hard to describe but yeah, uh, please don’t rip people off, haha!

20. What are you currently working on at the moment, and where can people find more information about you and you work?

Just today I was chipping away at a new collection for Art On Paper New York with Paradigm Gallery, which opens in March. I’m working on some album covers that I can’t quite talk about yet, I’ve got another book cover coming out this year, and some top secret comics stuff as well.

If you’d like to keep up with what I do you can follow me on instagram at @AlexEckmanLawn or check out my website alexeckmanlawn.com. I’d love to hear from you!