Downtime Interview w/ Kim Hamburg
“Collage allows for experimentation and happy accidents; if you make a “mistake,” you can just add another layer, tear something away, or
start again.”
— Kim Hamburg, 2025
1) LOCATION?
I am in Springfield, Missouri, USA, right in the foothills of the Ozarks 🇺🇸
2) YEARS COLLAGING?
I started making collages during the pandemic lockdown in 2021. It was the first time I'd ever even made a collage and I was instantly hooked. Since that first collage, I have one made at least one collage a day every day for 4 years.
3) WHY IS COLLAGE AN APPEALING MEDIUM?
Collage has always appealed to me because the entry point is so easy and welcoming. When I first started, I realized I already had everything I needed: paper, scissors, and glue. There was no need for expensive equipment, specialized training, or a dedicated studio space. Collage is wonderfully democratic—it’s an art form that anyone can try, regardless of background or experience. I love that you can spread everything out on the kitchen table, create a piece of art in an afternoon, and clean up with minimal mess.
The process itself is part of the magic. There’s something satisfying about taking scraps of paper, old photos, and forgotten ephemera and turning them into something new and meaningful. It feels like a puzzle, except I get to decide how the pieces fit together. Collage allows for experimentation and happy accidents; if you make a “mistake,” you can just add another layer, tear something away, or start again. It’s a forgiving medium that invites play, curiosity, and storytelling. That sense of accessibility, freedom, and transformation is what first drew me in—and it’s why I keep coming back to collage day after day.
4) WHO ARE THE BIGGEST INFLUENCES ON YOUR WORK?
I’ve always been an art lover, so museums feel like home to me. I find endless inspiration wandering through galleries, especially when I come across folk art and work by self-taught or outsider artists. There’s a raw honesty in their pieces, a willingness to create without worrying about rules or expectations, and that speaks to how I approach collage.
Georgia O’Keeffe has been another big influence. I love how she leaned into bold subject matter and used color in such an intentional, fearless way. Her work reminds me to slow down, notice the details, and not be afraid to let a single image hold all the power in a composition.
Hannah Höch is one of my collage heroes. She was a pioneer of photomontage and used the medium to challenge social norms, question gender roles, and subvert expectations. Her ability to combine found imagery into something provocative and new really shaped how I think about collage—not just as decoration, but as a tool for commentary and storytelling.
Together, these influences remind me that art can be personal and playful, but also challenging and transformative, pushing both the artist and the viewer to see the world differently.
5) ANALOG VS DIGITAL, WHAT ARE THE PROS & CONS OF EACH?
I only make analog collages, so I can’t claim to be an expert on digital, but I know they are very different experiences. With analog, the process starts long before I sit down to glue anything. It begins with the treasure hunt—digging through thrift stores, flea markets, estate sales, and old books to find that perfect image or piece of paper. The sourcing is half the fun and feels like part of the story I’m telling in each piece.
Working by hand is also important to me. Cutting, arranging, and gluing are very physical acts, and that tactile connection helps me get lost in the process. I love feeling the weight of old paper, the soft edges of something worn by time, the sound of scissors snipping. To me, analog collages feel warmer and more personal because they hold the history of the materials.
I imagine digital collage has its advantages—you can resize, duplicate, and experiment without worrying about “ruining” a one-of-a-kind piece of paper. I also know that with digital you can print out your work as many times as you want any size you want. That would be fun to do.
6) WHAT ARE THREE TIPS FOR SOMEONE STARTING OUT IN COLLAGE?
My best tip for anyone starting out in collage is to be patient with yourself. Every single piece you make is a learning opportunity, even the ones you don’t love. In fact, the “failures” might be your most important teachers because they help you figure out what doesn’t work and push you to try something new.
I also recommend putting in your time—Malcolm Gladwell talks about the “10,000 hours” rule, and while you don’t have to literally track every minute, the idea is to keep showing up for your art. The more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll become with composition, layering, and making those quick, instinctive decisions that make a piece sing.
Finally, keep experimenting. Try different papers, unexpected color combinations, new adhesives, and unusual formats. Tear instead of cut, use a brush instead of your fingers, and play with scale. Collage is such a forgiving medium, and the more you experiment, the faster you’ll discover your own style and visual language.
7) HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR DOWNTIME?
In my downtime, I gravitate toward quiet, grounding activities that refill my creative well. One of my favorite ways to spend time is visiting thrift stores, flea markets, and reuse centres. These places are where I source much of the paper and ephemera that eventually make their way into my collages. I enjoy the process of searching slowly and deliberately—it feels like a meditative practice. The satisfaction of finding the perfect book page, vintage photograph, or forgotten letter makes the time spent worthwhile and often sparks new ideas for future work.
When I am at home, I appreciate simple ways to relax. I often watch television shows that allow me to switch off from the intensity of the studio and settle into a familiar rhythm. I am a huge Sci-Fi nut so I'm always watching Star Trek and Star Wars.
Spending time with my daughters is also an important part of my life. Whether they are visiting me or I'm visiting them, we find enjoyment shopping and going to Museums. Museums, in particular, have always been a source of inspiration, offering fresh perspectives and new ways of seeing that I bring back to my own creative process.
8) WHERE DO YOU SEE YOUR ART PRACTICE HEADING?
Looking ahead, I see my art practice expanding both creatively and professionally. One of my ongoing challenges has been the business side of making art, and I want to become more intentional about that part of my work. I hope to get my website fully up and running and eventually open an online store so that people can easily view and purchase my collages. Making my work more accessible feels like an important next step in sharing it with a wider audience.
I also want to continue teaching. Sharing what I’ve learned through workshops and classes has been incredibly rewarding, and I’d like to develop more opportunities for others to explore collage and discover their own creative voices.
Artistically, I am interested in scaling up my work—literally. Most of my pieces are relatively small, and I want to challenge myself to work larger, both to see what that does to my process and to allow the images and narratives to take up more space. Pushing myself to work bigger feels like the natural next stage in my practice, and I’m excited to see how that growth will shape my future as an artist.
Thought Gesture, 6x8"
9) WHICH THREE ARTISTS SHOULD WE CHECK OUT?
Three artists I think everyone should check out are Scott Gordon (@scottgordonpaperman), Rhed Fawell (@rhedfawell), and Lola Dupre (@loladupre) Each of them approaches collage in a way that feels distinct and deeply inspiring to me.
Scott Gordon’s work stands out for its intricate layering and strong sense of composition. He has a way of balancing vintage imagery with bold shapes and unexpected juxtapositions, creating pieces that feel both modern and nostalgic at the same time.
Rhed Fawell is another favorite—her work often incorporates cut silhouettes, delicate lines, and an incredible sense of atmosphere. There’s a dreamlike quality to her collages that I find captivating, and her ability to suggest narrative with just a few elements always inspires me to simplify and trust the power of restraint.
Lola Dupré makes collages like none I’ve seen. She often starts with a single image—usually an animal or human figure—and painstakingly recreates it through collage, reshaping and repeating fragments until the result is an exaggerated, often surreal version of the original. Her work can feel playful and humorous, but it’s also incredibly precise and technically impressive.
10) WHAT MUSIC ARE YOU LOVING RIGHT NOW?
I love Broadway soundtracks!! Right now I'm listening to Hamilton, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Dear Evan Hanson.
11) UP AND COMING SHOWS OR PROJECTS WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT?
Right now, I’m focused on a few projects that are keeping me both busy and inspired. I’m developing a new online mini class, which I hope to launch soon. This new class will be a more accessible, bite-sized format—perfect for anyone curious about collage or looking to add a spark of creativity to their routine.
In the studio, I’m also exploring a new body of work that’s more colorful and abstract than what I typically make. These pieces are playful experiments with shape, movement, and layered color. My goal is to translate this work into functional art by turning the designs into products like cell phone cases, rugs, towels, and other textiles. I love the idea of art existing beyond the wall—something you can live with and interact with every day.
Both projects feel like natural extensions of my practice, allowing me to reach people in new ways while continuing to grow as an artist.
See more 👀
Website: kimhamburg.com
Instagram: @gluepaperscissors_
