Marjorie Pesek

Marjorie Pesek relishes the unexpected. Each of her works is a voyage of discovery. Common items, cultural icons and visual puns unite to tickle and tease, challenge and please. Monuments, pencils, statues, asparagus, jewelry, animals and countless jigsaw pieces make her work surprising, surreal, humorous, romantic, nostalgic, spontaneous and profound. Is there a message in Pesek’s work? Maybe, but you must look closely for it. Discover it for yourself and decide what it means to you. Like architectural fragments from bygone buildings, the wonderful pieces that Pesek assembles remind us of the beauty of the past and challenge us to contemplate a new vision of the future. In an exhilarating act of artistic recycling, she reconstructs cultural castoffs to create new realities and elicit emotional response.

”Paper Mosaic” is the best description of Marjorie Pesek’s unique pieces. Pesek has developed this century-old process, first used by Braque and Picasso in their early cubist works, into an innovative and original process for the 21st century. The paper mosaic technique combines fine-quality publication paper to form images with the depth of an oil painting and the vibrancy of color photography. The works begin with a detailed hand drawing of her subject. Then she carefully hand-cuts exact size pieces selected from her vast library of paper image samples. Each piece is chosen based on size, color, texture and content. The result is a sophisticated yet whimsical work that dazzles the eye and intrigues the intellect. No subject is off limits to Pesek who specializes in animals, portraits, Classical nudes, and impressionistic still lifes.

A graduate of the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in studio art, Marjorie Pesek has an impressive list of art credits that include work for major advertising agencies, prominent magazines, Fortune 500 corporations, fine art galleries and other private commissions. Pesek’s art is sought after by serious collectors and has been the subject of numerous shows and exhibitions as well as magazine articles and television features.

At first glance, a paper mosaic by Pesek causes wonder. You are at once struck by the beauty of the work itself and intrigued by the masterful technique used to create it. Pesek has developed this century-old process, first used by Braque and Picasso in their early cubist works, into an innovative and original process for the 21st century. The paper mosaic technique combines fine-quality publication paper to form images with the depth of an oil painting and the vibrancy of color photography.

Pesek starts by making a detailed hand drawing of her subject. Then she carefully hand-cuts exact size pieces selected from her vast library of paper image samples. Each piece is chosen based on size, color, texture and content. The result is a sophisticated yet whimsical work that dazzles the eye and intrigues the intellect. Each work is a labor-intensive act of love. Depending on size, complexity and subject matter, each original she creates can take eighty or more hours to complete.

For Pesek, subject matter is limitless. From classical nudes and impressionistic still lifes to Warner Brothers cartoon characters, photorealistic sports scenes and intimate family portraits, her vivid imagination, sensitive eye and precise hands combine to create remarkable works of art.

Pesek’s key influences are David Hockney, noted for his photomontages, and Pablo Picasso, who saw the world from all its many sides. Her work has also been compared to that of Chuck Close, famous for his portraits composed of hundreds of painted squares and circles. Despite these influences, Pesek has her own unique artistic vision, which she expresses through her distinctive style and original, innovative technique. Her work is certain to be preserved and enjoyed for generations.

A graduate of the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in studio art, Pesek has an impressive list of art credits that include work for major advertising agencies, prominent magazines, Fortune 500 corporations, fine art galleries and other private commissions. Pesek’s art is sought after by serious collectors and has been the subject of numerous shows and exhibitions as well as magazine articles and television features.

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