Michael Sweere is a member of a new Minneapolis artists collective, called simply Pilot (www.pilotarts.com/), which formed just last November. They'll have an exhibition space, Pilot Store, starting today and for a few months at 3045 Hennepin Avenue in Uptown. Michael is known for his mosaics made from discarded packaging materials, a medium that has won him the descriptive “environmentally friendly artist.” We managed to catch him between out-of-town trips and asked him to tell us more about Pilot and about his own art-making.

Tell me about Pilot, how it came about and how it got its name. And who made the animated airplane graphic on your Web site?
Pilot is an artists collective based in Minneapolis. We have 12 members: John Alspach, Yuri Arajs, Amelia Biewald, Tara Costello, Jen Davis, John Diebel, JAO, Ben Olson, Terrance Payne, Amy Rice, Michael Sweere and James Wrayge. Most of us have shown artwork together in the past through galleries such at Outsiders and Rosalux. We're all accomplished artists, and as a group represent a wide range of talent and styles.

Once the collective was formed, we still didn't have a name. So, we got together and everyone came up with names that might work. In the end we decided that Pilot sucked the least. Terry Payne designed the Web site.

Why another artists collective and another gallery? And why Uptown?
I think that the main reason for forming another artists collective is exposure. Most of the Pilot group are full-time artists that rely on media exposure and press to promote sales. As a group, we realize that we need to advertise our work on a national level. This means a financial and physical commitment from all of us, and thinking a little “bigger” for future group projects and goals.

Our space Uptown is really a sweet deal, and we just couldn't pass on the offer. With renovation taking place in the Calhoun Square area this spring, our building was going to be vacant for several months. Yuri Arajs has a zillion contacts around town and was able to get the property owner to let us have the space for a few months to keep it occupied. Once the renovation needs to happen at our space we'll have to relocate. Until then, it's a great spot.

About your work, I understand that you create mostly paper mosaics by reusing packaging materials. Why do you prefer this medium? And how long have you worked in this way?
Paper packaging is a wonderful artists/mosaic medium. It offers an almost endless variety of colors, patterns, textures, and typography to “sample” from. Plus, most paper [food] packaging is nonrecyclable and by reusing it for artwork it keeps it from becoming trash in private and public landfills.

What do you cut all those little pieces of cardboard with? How long does it take to create a piece like “A Better Place” (a 14” x 14” paper and cardboard mosaic)? Don't your hands get sore with all that cutting?
I cut mostly with a scissors, X-acto for detail work. Yes, sometimes my wrist gets sore and I've got a nice set of calluses on my knuckles from holding scissors all of the time. (Scissorhands?) A smaller piece like “A better place” takes about eight hours to complete. Some of the larger commissioned pieces that I've been doing lately are very detailed and can take over a month (160+ hours) to finish.

You also have several works made from different materials, such as “River City,” made mostly of wooden rulers, and a snake that appears to consist of jar lids joined together in some way that allowed you to coil it. Do the materials suggest an image to you? Or do you start with an idea, such as “I want to make a snake” and then look for the materials that will best accommodate that?
It works both ways. Sometimes the piece is inspired by the material at hand, and other times I need to actually search out material to accommodate the “idea.” As a kid, I grew up with grandparents who lived through the great depression. They taught me how to be creative with what you have and to never be wasteful.

Are there certain subjects you especially prefer to depict?
I like to portray almost anything for subject matter, abstract or literal. Animals, people and places are favorites. Sometimes it's more about the idea, the mood, or emotions.

You have been described as an “environmentally friendly” artist, presumably because you work with recycled materials. Do you feel that your images convey a message about the environment?
Maybe... Although, not entirely. Conserving our precious natural resources is something that deeply concerns me; therefore, I feel good about being able to utilize recycled materials in my artwork. On the other hand, as an artist, I'm just lucky to have found a medium that really works for me:)

So, with the launch of Pilot, are you ready to quit your day job yet?
I did a few months ago.... It was the one of the best decisions I've ever made.

"A Better Place," by Michael Sweere