Stephen Payne
collagist, photographer and radiographer
Artist Statement:
“My work is deeply rooted in the realm of memories, dreams, and that all too familiar feeling of nostalgia. With surrealism as my foundation, I seek to unearth new meanings within old recognizable images by abstracting and juxtaposing cutouts together to create new connections and reference modern social, economical and political issues. Every time I enter a used bookstore, my senses are taken over and I am instantly transported to a place where time seems to stand still. The smell of decaying pages, the feel of a weathered binding, and a slue of forgotten images left by generations past. This is where the most important step in my process begins, and includes the overall feeling I wish to convey. By illuminating images and materials from the past, and instilling themes from the present, I am able to traverse space and time and create my own tiny universe using bits and pieces from our own. From that point, the bounds of creativity are endless and I am able to flourish within them.”
Artist Biography:
Stephen Payne RT(R)(MR) is a Collage Artist and MRI Technologist currently living and working in Decatur, Georgia. He graduated from The Art Institute of Atlanta in 2011 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Photographic Imaging and received a certificate in Radiologic Imaging from The DeKalb Medical Center School for Radiologic Technology in 2017. The themes of the imagery portrayed in his works are derived from dreams, memories, and the subconscious. His process starts with dissecting vintage books and repurposing forgotten frames, which he uses to transform materials into new works of art. With this approach, he is able to lower his carbon footprint and instill the value of reducing, reusing, and recycling within the medium of collage. Stephen's method is based in the process of surrealist automatism. By approaching each piece without any preconceived ideas, he allows his subconscious to take control of the connections he makes with the images he chooses to include within his compositions.
Exhibitions:
”Ventus” The New South II. Kai Lin Art. 2017
“Anemoneve” “Ascension” “Tigre” Between The Layers: A Group Collage Show. Facet Gallery. 2019.
Paper Trail: A Collage Collaboration Exhibition. Sulfur Studios. 2020.
“Plastic Swarm / Silent Plume” “Rhythm City / Hidden Era” Paper Trail: A Group Exhibition of New Contemporary Works on Paper. ABV Gallery. March 2022.
Publications:
“Monster” Collage Care: Transforming Emotions and Life Experiences with Collage. Laurie Kanyer 2021.
“Melting The Ego” Contemporary Collage Magazine Issue 1. September 2021.
“Dorothy” Postcard Challenge. Contemporary Collage Magazine Issue 4. January 2022.
Featured Collage Artist for: The Quarterly Cut: Issue 04. January 2022
Collections:
”Box” & “Monster” Doug + Laurie Kanyer Art Collection