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Photo by Diane Rothauser. Collage artist Michael Manning creates his art with the use of favorite magazines.
2-09-2023 12:14am
Second Annual "I HeART Westwood" Celebrates Local Artists and Their Crafts
Darlene Cancell
Editor
The second annual I HeART Westwood, a collaboration of Westwood Artists and Westwood Media Center (WMC) to celebrate the arts in Westwood, was held in WMC's studio on Wednesday, February 8th. Diane Rothauser, Westwood Minute Contributor, was in attendance. Ms. Rothauser shares her chat with one of the artists, and photos taken from the evening.
A Chat with Westwood Artist Michael Mann
DIANE: Hi, Michael, Your artwork is so detailed and complex. Can you share a few or many words with us about your work?
MICHAEL: I can share many words! The beauty of life is that there are a lot of beautiful things to capture, so I kind of look at my work as a photo journal. It’s the work I come back to the most. Because I use it as a solution to writer’s block. Every time I come back to collage I come out of it with new inspiration.
DIANE: Do you work in all collage, or painting and collage?
MICHAEL: This work in particular, and the last thirty or so that I’ve done, are all magazines and glue on canvas collages. And it was only recently after I did an “everyday challenge,” which is drawing a new piece of illustrative work every single day, that I decided that I was good enough to start adding my own illustration work into the collages as well, which is what’s being presented over there , a little bit more of a mixed media kind of thing (another canvas). Most of them that you see are magazines and glue.
DIANE: Cool, and do you live in Westwood?
MICHAEL: Yes I’ve lived in Westwood my whole life, and went to Downey elementary school.
Photo by Diane Rothauser. Michael Manning is joined by his parents in front of one of his collages.DIANE: Do you have a favorite medium?
MICHAEL: I have favorite magazines that I use for my collages. Architectural Digest, that’s the best because there are so many little decorations and colors. Also, HGTV Magazine. It’s organized by color and that’s cool! I like that magazine.
The collages, for me, is me saying I generally find inspiration in everything I see. There is always something to examine and come back to. And that’s why I want my work to have some reason to come back to it and be like, "Oh look, wait, look! What’s in that corner and that corner?"
DIANE: Wow, Michael. I could look at your work for hours! Thank you so much.
PHOTO GALLERY
Photo by Diane Rothauser. Artist Jane Wojick creates pottery.
Photo by Diane Rothauser. Westwood Media Center's Charlotte Lynch (left) and a co-worker appeared to be in good spirits while working at a WMC editing station during the event.
Photo by Diane Rothauser. Carol Ahearn showed her coastal hydrangeas.
Photo by Diane Rothauser. The Westwood High School (WHS) String Quintet performed at the event. From left to right, they are: Andy, WHS Junior; Claire, WHS Sophomore; Grace, WHS Sophomore; Caitlin, WHS Senior; and Isabella, WHS Senior.
Photo by Diane Rothauser. I heART Westwood was an opportunity for local bands to shine.
Photo by Diane Rothauser. Elidi Chan is a self-taught artist who developed her talents during the pandemic.
Photo by Diane Rothauser. Photographer Karen Cagen displays a table of coffee coasters and framed and unframed work.
Photo by Diane Rothauser. Broken glass is a material used in creating the artwork pictured here.Diane Rothauser is a Westwood resident with an avid interest in the arts. She is on the board of Westwood Community Chest and Needham Community Theatre. Thanks to Ms. Rothauser for contributing this piece to Westwood Minute.
Do you have something to contribute to Westwood Minute and something to share with our community? Let's hear it! Contact the editor at WestwoodInAMinute@gmail.com
