We were lucky to catch up with Erich Meager recently and have shared our conversation below.
Erich, appreciate you joining us today. Can you walk us through some of the key steps that allowed you move beyond an idea and actually launch?
The main catalyst for going forward with the idea that had been bouncing around in my head for quite a while was my discovery of a crafting machine called a Cricut. You’ve seen them if you gone into a Michaels or a Jolene’s crafting store, and now they are even in Target, but it was a pivotal discovery for my work. I’d toyed with the idea of creating my pieces by hand using an X-acto, but the set of stitches in my finger where I nearly chopped off the tip of put a halt to that plan! My work requires a level of precision that I could not create with an exact and a ruler. I know there are many other talented artists that cut by hand, but I’m not one of them. With the discovery of the machine came the next step, figuring out exactly what I wanted to create. I drew my initial inspiration from breeze blocks, a popular material choice in modernist architecture and a common sight in Palm Springs. My knowledge of AutoCAD, an architectural design software I had been using since college, definitely sped up that part of the process. I was able to create my first set of pieces, which was a study of rotation and grouping, using a breeze block as the starting point. BY grouping the design in sets of four, and rotating one section at a time, I planned to create all of the variations. Initially I thought there were 64 permutations, but soon discovered that there were 256, a slight math error on my part. Those first pieces were challenging. I had to experiment with different papers, different adhesives and there was a considerable learning curve. In my early designs, quite often what I thought was the proper sequence of layers didn’t work out. Fortunately because I was working in paper those early mistakes were relatively inexpensive. Those first designs were about four years ago and today my confidence, along with the complexity of my designs have grown. I rarely make errors when doing my layouts, and I can visualize a completed piece before I start the production process. I’ve expanded the materials that I work in and now create works from would, acrylic and metal, but the paper pieces have a delicate quality and are still the most popular.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
From the first piece I created, I struggled to find a word that accurately described my particular kind of art. It could be thought of as a bas relief, but that didn’t quite seem to fit. My work isn’t “flat” so it’s not 2 dimensional, but is there enough depth to call it 3 dimensional? What do I call myself that makes sense? I did what every person that needs to describe themselves accurately, I looked at greek etymology. Isn’t that what everyone else does? With some effort, an input from a close friend, I came up with the term ratiolaminartist. Ratio, because well, that’s what my work is all about and lamina to describe the layered aspect. So that’s what I decided to call myself, a ratiolaminartist, but I call my pieces Shadowtiles. Originally, I worked exclusively in white Bristol paper, so the shadows created by the layers were essential to the pieces. As I expanded my materials to include colored papers, and deeper materials, the shadows aren’t as critical, but the name continues. As the OG Ratiolaminartist I am proudest of my ability to create original designs. Working with clients on custom pieces ids a challenge I enjoy. The back and forth from that first idea to the finalized piece is a journey that excites and challenges me.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I think, that when starting any new project it’s difficult to have complete confidence in yourself, and sometimes we try to gain that confidence in getting feedback from other sources, friends, family, peers, etc. It’s something that I’ve always done, asking others what they think. Unlearning THAT, and having the confidence to go forward with MY work was the biggest challenge. There will always be naysayers and doubters, and now, more than I can remember in the past, people think that there opinions are welcomed and should always be expressed. With all that noise, having the confidence in my work and to produce it in the manner that I want was a big step. I create pieces that I want to make, unless working with a client, and now the opinions of others carry far less weight.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
Finishing a piece is the most rewarding part. Don’t get me wrong, I’m always pleased when a piece sells, but the completion is more gratifying. It can take me several weeks or months to design, fabricate and complete some of my pieces, so finishing one is its own reward.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.erichmeager.com
- Instagram: #erichmeager
- Facebook: erichmeager
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erich-meager-109ab423a/
