Making art involves creativity, of course. But for many artists, including St. Louis’ Tate Foley, exactitude is every bit as important.
Printmaker Foley is meticulous about following the necessary steps, in strict order. One of his first steps sometimes involves ordering from eBay, since Foley’s work explores consumerism using things like gum wrappers and trading cards.
But his next project — for the Great Rivers Biennial opening in May at the Contemporary Art Museum — involves something less tangible: words. In our latest Cut & Paste podcast, Foley told us he wants to know which words other people find intriguing so he can create a space for thinking about them in different ways.
Here’s some of what you’ll hear in the podcast:
- Foley, on his methodical process: “My practice seldom evolves from me throwing a marker at a piece of paper and seeing what comes out.” Tweet #cutpastestl
- About the trading cards he collected as a boy and now uses in his work: “It was the idea that I was building my future in a very real way, through collecting something that I really liked.” Tweet #cutpastestl
- A favorite word as he prepares his language-focused Great Rivers project: “Foment, which means to start or to incite or to begin something that might lead to disaster.” Tweet #cutpastestl
Look for new Cut & Paste (#cutpastestl) podcasts every few weeks on our website. You can also view all previous podcasts, which focus on a diverse collection of visual and performing artists, and subscribe to Cut & Paste through this link.
Follow Willis and Nancy on Twitter: @WillisRArnold and @NancyFowlerSTL
Please help St. Louis Public Radio find artists to feature on Cut & Paste. Tell us which artists and cultural themes deserve a closer look.
