Creative Practice & Mental Health with; Artists’ Kubi Vasak
“Unplugging from screens and working with my hands has a profound positive impact.”- Kubi Vasak. This passionate artist and designer shares his inspiration with you.
Kubi has been facilitating collage workshops through The Sydney Collage Society, which he founded in 2015. The society holds space for representing Contemporary Collage artists in Sydney and showcasing collage artists internationally, as well as cultivating creative community connections through public art programs and projects. Kubi and I have recently collaborated to bring you Collage The Unconscious.
Name: Kubi Vasak
Age: 38
Occupation: Artist & Designer
Example of work:
Creative Outlet:
I love creating collages & mixed media art. I find it essential to look through vintage materials in books in a meditative process to identify images that stand out to me before starting any work. This contrasts with my digital or commissioned work, where the process begins with selecting specific images. Additionally, I love creating new colour combinations, starting digitally to test these before mixing them in my studio for my mixed media pieces. Whether it’s collage, painting, mixed media, or playing around with pastels, working with my hands is vital for my creative expression. More play, less work is a good motto I try and live by.
Mental Health Benefits of Creative Practice:
Being creative has immensely benefited my mental health. Although I don’t always consciously acknowledge the benefits, they have become more evident as I run more collage workshops with the Sydney Collage Society. Many students find the workshops therapeutic and calming. The three-hour sessions can pass quickly, and the process of quieting the mind and methodically working through materials is incredibly beneficial. I think everyone should do more collage.
Learning Curves in Your Practice:
Since 2020, I’ve shifted to working on larger-scale works, primarily on wood. One significant learning curve has been mastering colour and paint application. Working on smaller collage pieces allows for more flexibility and layers, but larger works require meticulous planning and a bit of experimentation. Unpredictable outcomes, like how paint sits on another colour, lead to happy accidents that make the work unique but not always the way you want! Embracing mistakes as part of the creative journey has been essential and I’ve learned to let go and be more free in that regard.
Advice to Others:
My biggest advice, which echoes what many others have said, is to keep doing what you’re doing. It sounds simple, but consistency is key. Experiment with different mediums if you wish, but remember the concept of 10,000 hours to mastery. It’s important to stick to a practice and refine your skills, similar to sports or writing. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to move on quickly from something, but my advice is to persevere, learn from challenges, and keep creating, even if it’s just for yourself. Not everything needs to go on Instagram—I remind myself of this every day!
Recommended Reading or Podcasts:
I’ve been listening to more podcasts recently, but a book I found impactful recently is *My Life as a Work of Art* by Katya Tylevich & Ben Eastham. It explores both art's physical and psychological aspects and the different stories artists have dealing with these constraints. Some podcasts I recommend are *Clean Break* with Matt Gondek, *Artist Decoded* by Yoshino, *Talking with Painters*, *The Futur* with Chris Do, *Talk Art*, and *The Great Women Artists*.
Where to Find My Work:
How to Connect with Me:
http://www.instagram.com/kubism_