Maumelle’s David MacPhee, below, was recently named a new member of the Arkansas Craft Guild.
MacPhee’s chosen medium is Paper Paintings and is considered truly unique.
His unusual art form in mixed media is self-taught, founding his company in 1983 but then again, so is his background as he has a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Virginia and his day job was being a design engineer at Arkansas Nuclear One in Russellville.
“I am a photorealistic artist in cut paper, and kind of obsessed with color, light and definition. I have been working with cut paper and doing photography since my college days.” He took an art history course at Virginia where he was exposed to influential artists including Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Indiana, Frank Stella, Andy Warhol, and the Op Artists.
"I started as an acrylic painter, working in the defined style of Frank Stella in his geometric period.” Papergraphics Paper Paintings are all hand-made, start to finish with hand tools. I started making cut paper creations out of thick poster board paper (card stock). At an art supplies store in Little Rock I discovered the wide variety of colored art papers by Canson Mi-Teintes and Crescent. This delighted and motivated me to create. I invented my engineered process to make these layered paper paintings, using original templates and menus of colors, and I was off to the races, as these new materials were much easier to cut than card stock with an X-Acto knife. Unlike a two-dimensional painting, my method of painting with paper results in a rise into the third dimension since I layer my paper to match the contours of my subject. I like to control the shades of my paint, (paper in my case) which is easier to do than with brush painting. The colorants on paper may be watercolor markers, Berol sticks, India ink, pastels, or others. They are applied with a makeup sponge or rubbed on. Since I am a Mechanical engineer, I use an engineered process for my work. The craftsmanship is in the execution.”
MacPhee sold some of his early works through the Heights Gallery in Little Rock. He also participated in the Arkansas Arts Craft and Design Fair for three years. “Tulips at 7700” and “Harvest House, Eureka Springs” won two dimensional awards at two shows. MacPhee’s Papergraphic titled “AFCO,” which depicts the tree topping ceremony at the Capitol Tower circa 1987 was chosen for the Governors Exhibition, purchased by Joe Brown, CEO of AFCO Steel.
MacPhee has made over 60 Papergraphics Paper Paintings. His works in paper translate well to prints, where the defined lines allow for large reproductions in print. Original works include large, medium, and small framed Papergraphics, 5 x 7 original cut paper Christmas cards, and commissioned pieces. When he retired in 2020, he started making large artwork again. He is currently working on a commissioned dog portrait, while setting up new equipment to upgrade studio processes.
Born in Ontario, spent his early years in Washington state before moving to Arkansas in the 1960s and went to middle school and high school at Lakeside in Hot Springs. He also worked at the Bauxite mines before going to the nuclear plant.
His work is for sale now in the Arkansas Craft Gallery, 104 E Main, downtown Mountain View. After acceptance for membership, Guild members are pictured on the artist roster and featured in a blog on www.arkansascraftguild.org.
The Guild has four Facebook pages to publicize two crafts shows they organize, @christmasshowcase, and @artisansmarketonthesquare, another page to promote the @arkansascraftgallery, and news site for members @arkansascraftguildmembership.
To become a member, three jury periods are open April 1, Oct. 1, and during Christmas Showcase in Little Rock Dec. 5-7 for those who’ve already been accepted to set up their booth. More information on the application process and requirements can be found at the website. Membership in the Guild is limited to Arkansas residents, founded as a cooperative in 1962.
Harvest House, Eureka Springs, AR built 1882, by David MacPhee, Papergraphic Paper Paintings, 33 x 45 framed under plexiglass.
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Maumelle’s MacPhee and Photorealism in Cut Paper
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Maumelle’s David MacPhee, below, was recently named a new member of the Arkansas Craft Guild.
MacPhee’s chosen medium is Paper Paintings and is considered truly unique.
His unusual art form in mixed media is self-taught, founding his company in 1983 but then again, so is his background as he has a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Virginia and his day job was being a design engineer at Arkansas Nuclear One in Russellville.
“I am a photorealistic artist in cut paper, and kind of obsessed with color, light and definition. I have been working with cut paper and doing photography since my college days.” He took an art history course at Virginia where he was exposed to influential artists including Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Indiana, Frank Stella, Andy Warhol, and the Op Artists.
"I started as an acrylic painter, working in the defined style of Frank Stella in his geometric period.” Papergraphics Paper Paintings are all hand-made, start to finish with hand tools. I started making cut paper creations out of thick poster board paper (card stock). At an art supplies store in Little Rock I discovered the wide variety of colored art papers by Canson Mi-Teintes and Crescent. This delighted and motivated me to create. I invented my engineered process to make these layered paper paintings, using original templates and menus of colors, and I was off to the races, as these new materials were much easier to cut than card stock with an X-Acto knife. Unlike a two-dimensional painting, my method of painting with paper results in a rise into the third dimension since I layer my paper to match the contours of my subject. I like to control the shades of my paint, (paper in my case) which is easier to do than with brush painting. The colorants on paper may be watercolor markers, Berol sticks, India ink, pastels, or others. They are applied with a makeup sponge or rubbed on. Since I am a Mechanical engineer, I use an engineered process for my work. The craftsmanship is in the execution.”
MacPhee sold some of his early works through the Heights Gallery in Little Rock. He also participated in the Arkansas Arts Craft and Design Fair for three years. “Tulips at 7700” and “Harvest House, Eureka Springs” won two dimensional awards at two shows. MacPhee’s Papergraphic titled “AFCO,” which depicts the tree topping ceremony at the Capitol Tower circa 1987 was chosen for the Governors Exhibition, purchased by Joe Brown, CEO of AFCO Steel.
MacPhee has made over 60 Papergraphics Paper Paintings. His works in paper translate well to prints, where the defined lines allow for large reproductions in print. Original works include large, medium, and small framed Papergraphics, 5 x 7 original cut paper Christmas cards, and commissioned pieces. When he retired in 2020, he started making large artwork again. He is currently working on a commissioned dog portrait, while setting up new equipment to upgrade studio processes.
Born in Ontario, spent his early years in Washington state before moving to Arkansas in the 1960s and went to middle school and high school at Lakeside in Hot Springs. He also worked at the Bauxite mines before going to the nuclear plant.
His work is for sale now in the Arkansas Craft Gallery, 104 E Main, downtown Mountain View. After acceptance for membership, Guild members are pictured on the artist roster and featured in a blog on www.arkansascraftguild.org.
The Guild has four Facebook pages to publicize two crafts shows they organize, @christmasshowcase, and @artisansmarketonthesquare, another page to promote the @arkansascraftgallery, and news site for members @arkansascraftguildmembership.
To become a member, three jury periods are open April 1, Oct. 1, and during Christmas Showcase in Little Rock Dec. 5-7 for those who’ve already been accepted to set up their booth. More information on the application process and requirements can be found at the website. Membership in the Guild is limited to Arkansas residents, founded as a cooperative in 1962.
Sales Website: https://www.papergraphicspaperpaintings.com
Papergraphics on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/papergraphicspaperpaintings