Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Marcie Paper. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Marcie, thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I went to college for Art Therapy. I had no intention of being a studio artist. But once I was there and taking the classes I found that I wanted nothing more than to spend all of my time in the art building painting. It became clear to me that that was where my heart was. I completed my Art Therapy degree but continued on for one in painting as well and by the time I left I was sure I’d chosen the right path.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am, at my root an abstract painter of daily memories. I have been making daily paintings on a non-daily basis for over 20 years. The paintings began as an investigation and tracking of short term memories that coincided with my personal experience of memory-loss. When I was in my early twenties my father was diagnosed a rare genetic disorder that deeply impacted his short term-memory. I watched a person close to me lose their ability to remember the small minutiae of the day. This prompted me to question the importance and impact of this loss and challenged me to hold on to what I had.

I call these paintings “daily paintings” as they are made in one day and are about some aspect of that day that may have been lost if not for the painting it. These paintings have been the starting point for many avenues of my work including; stop motion animation, block-printed textiles, hand-painted ceramic tiles, hand-knotted and tufted rugs, weaving and surface pattern design.

Pattern design in particular has been a major player for me. I have always been interested in pattern as long as I have been an artist. Making patterns from my paintings has been a thread throughout my career. Combining my love of painting with that of pattern has provided me with a niche career path and my current focus; Hand-painted patterned murals that I make on-site in homes and businesses.

Fueled by my daily paintings, I have created a pattern collection that is ever-evolving; new patterns come in, old patterns become retired. It is from this catalogue of patterns that I begin to collaborate with clients to create unique spaces. The process becomes very collaborative as we work through scale, and colors and composition. When I first began making them the collaboration aspect was the more challenging part, but I’ve come to love and rely on this back and forth it seems to be an art form in and of itself.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

For a long time my husband (a furniture maker) and I had the dream of opening a small Inn, in which we had made most of the contents. We were committed to this idea and it fueled my work for a long time. Before this I had only been making paintings and once this seed was planted I started branching out and thinking about interiors more and focusing on my love of pattern. I also learned many new skills; sewing, weaving, tile glazing, rug tufting etc.. I began thinking more as a designer. When we let go of that dream and moved back towards our own studio goals I was still left with the remnants of that experience and the lessons have served me well.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I am a member of an collective of female artists and makers in my area of the Hudson Valley called Hinterland. It has proven to be such an amazing and experience for not only networking and supporting one another, but also for offering opportunities to collaborate and push each other’s boundaries. I only wish I had found them sooner in life.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.marciepaper.com
• Instagram: @marciepaper