pop.see.cul : Can you tell us a bit about your background?

James Gallagher : I grew up in a small town in the Midwest where I was not exposed to art until my college years. I was quickly won over and transferred to New York City to attend The School of Visual Arts, and have been there ever since. I didn’t come from a particularly creative family, I always felt like the odd-man-out. However, I’m now raising a new generation of creative types. All three of my kids are destined to become artists, unfortunately.

pop.see.cul : When did you start making collages?

James Gallagher : I began experimenting with collage soon after graduating from SVA. Originally I was determined to be a printmaker, however with a newborn baby and not much income I was having difficulties finding the time and money to get to the print shop. I soon began cutting apart old prints and piecing them back together and realized that I was onto something. The surprising results that developed in my work completely reinvigorated my creativity.

pop.see.cul : Where do you get your inspiration from?

James Gallagher : The things that inspire me are mostly visual. It could be anything that I come across during my daily life in a city full of art, architecture and interesting people. I am often seduced by a glimpse of someone or something beautiful, which I’ll store in my head and call on later when I’m creating. Finding beautiful photographic imagery is also a huge inspiration. These images tend to be provocative and mysterious, and they help create the story lines and enigmatic situations in my work. Often my scenes create themselves as I sift through found imagery.

pop.see.cul : What is your creative process like?

James Gallagher : When I’m creating I try to turn off my thought process and just wait and see what will materialize. My images are rarely preconceived and there is a satisfying element of surprise at the end of each collage. I am trying to create stream of conscious imagery. When complete, I am often unclear about what is happening in the work, and ultimately It’s up to the viewer to decide what the scenes are about.

pop.see.cul : What is your typical day like?

James Gallagher : I pack a lot into a day. First I have to get my daughter to preschool and then hop on the subway and get to my midtown Manhattan office. I work as a creative director at a marketing firm and spend most of my day interacting with a combination of creative and corporate coworkers. After the day is complete and the kids are fed and in bed, (I have three children, ages 22, 16 and 4), I will then start cutting and pasting on the dining room table. Talking with my wife while drinking wine and making a mess with scraps and glue is my favorite way to end the day.

pop.see.cul : How would you define your work?

James Gallagher : My work stems from my own self-investigation. I have become more relaxed and open about expressing myself in a personal manner and it has become a theraputic and inspiring experience. I feel that it is a way for me to freeze my thoughts and take a closer look at them. I am interested in the mystery of human relationships, and my scenes tend to focus on subtle body language and strong emotions. Most of all, I am searching for beautiful moments. l find beauty in the most intense turmoil or the quietest movement, and especially in the human form.

pop.see.cul : Favorite song?

James Gallagher : It’s hard to pick a favorite. Lately I have been listening to the Drive soundtrack with Kavinsky, Desire and College. I really like it’s slow tempo energy.

pop.see.cul : Favorite movie?

James Gallagher : Again, it’s really hard to pick one. I recently watched I Am Love (2009) with Tilda Swinton, and I found it absolutely beautiful, plus the story was incredibly moving.

pop.see.cul : Can you tell us one thing you remember about your childhood?

James Gallagher : I was obsessed with jigsaw puzzles as a child. I couldn’t get enough of them. It seems fitting that I am now a collage artist. Still putting pieces together.

pop.see.cul : What are your plans for the future?

James Gallagher : I am interested experimenting with new ways of expressing myself through my art. I am looking forward to working with three dimensional forms, fabrics, and moving images. In addition, experimenting with scale has been something that I have been contemplating for a while now. This is a challenge when working with collage, since the size of the source material dictates the scale of the work.

pop.see.cul : Best quote you’ve ever heard?

James Gallagher : Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up. — Pablo Picasso

James Gallagher : This quote has been stuck in my head for the 22 years I’ve been raising my three children. It appears every time they show me a piece of art they’ve made, and that’s a lot (we have trunks full of it in storage!).

pop.see.cul : Our last interviewee, Matthew Tammaro would like to know: If you could have one famous piece of art, which would it be?

James Gallagher : hmmm, i would love to have been in one of picasso’s late period pieces. the erotic ones. I have this on my mind not necessarily because I’m a dirty old man (like picasso) but because I just found a copy of Avant Garde magazine from the sixties, with all of picasso’s erotic etching in it. so good. but it would also be nice to have the iconic quality of a Warhol or the Munch scream. interesting question.

pop.see.cul : What would you like to ask our next guest on pop.asks.you?

James Gallagher : What do you dislike about your work?

To view more about James Gallagher click here.