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Pop artist to give free presentations

Submitted Photo Pop artist Michael Albert will give a free presentation today at the Minot Public Library and will be a featured artist Sunday during the “Arts in the City” concert series at Oak Park.

Pop artist Michael Albert will give a free art presentation on how to create art using cereal boxes and other printed cardboard consumer packages on today from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Minot Public Library. The Pop Art Collage Workshop at the Minot Public Library will give all people the opportunity to create art from recycled materials. The workshop will begin at 10:30 a.m. with a brief presentation, but the workshop will run until 2:30 p.m. and people are welcome to drop in any time.

On Sunday, he will also be a featured artist during the Minot Area Council of the Arts’ “Arts in the City” concert series at Oak Park at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Albert, from White Plains, New York, is the author of “An Artist’s America,” a 2008 artist autobiography that is available at many libraries. He has been traveling the country giving presentations at libraries, museums, senior centers and festivals for about 10 years. This summer he is visiting four states he has never seen before, including North Dakota. This week he has given presentations in Bismarck, Dickinson, Beulah and Hazen before he heads to Minot.

He said Thursday that he enjoys seeing the country and meeting new people. As he was driving in the western part of the state, he enjoyed seeing Salem Sue in New Salem and the wide open prairie and the beautiful sunset.

“This is the way to see the country,” he said.

He shares his journey and process as an artist with people in the audiences and inspires them to be creative themselves.

“This little girl yesterday did a collage of a guitar that was incredible,” said Albert, speaking of a child who attended one of the presentations he gave this week in North Dakota. “It looked like a Rickenbacker electric guitar. It was beautiful.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Albert gave many presentations virtually over Zoom. This summer he is able to resume giving in person presentations. Some people at his presentations are just starting to venture out to in person public gatherings again.

Albert said he likes using text as well as images in his work. One of his posters features the Gettysburg Address comprised of text cut out from various boxes.

He said he suggests that family groups do a name collage, with each picking out lettering for the names in the family along with cutouts of names or sayings that have significance to them.

People often have clutter around and can’t keep every ticket stub or flyer, but some of those tangible memories can be incorporated in a single collage that can be displayed as a significant art work for the family.

He likes using cereal boxes because of their bright colors, iconic characters or images and text, but other items can be used as well.

Albert said anyone of any age can create collages using recycled materials. Even preschoolers can join in the fun if they are able to use a pair of scissors and glue and are supervised by an adult.

He encourages people who are attending the event to bring along a box or other cardboard that can be used in making their art but other items will be on hand to make art.

People can also see more of Albert’s art on his website at www.michaelalbert.com.

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