Chris Sallquist is an American artist based in Seattle, Washington. His work unlocks alternate views of the human form as they emerge from the folds and creases of paper photos that he bends and warps by hand, then reshoots on a mobile camera. The resulting images depict private, yet shared, moments of raw emotion and feeling. His work spans both digital and analog media.
My story
“On Wednesday, February 11th, 2004 I made the decision to quit my job and become an artist. It happened on my lunch break at the Seattle Art Museum while watching Christian Marclay’s Video Quartet installation – a series of four unrelated but synchronized videos projected onto four contiguous screens. I was mesmerized and jolted into the realization that I wasn’t doing work that mattered to me.
At that time I was a partner at a prominent Seattle design firm, leading interactive projects. All signs pointed to a successful and notable career. Except I was depressed and wracked with the feeling that I wasn’t following my calling – to create original art that connects people to themselves, others, and the universe. So, with the (cautious) support of my wife, I quit and set out on a 15-year journey to find my voice and create art that is uniquely my own.
Since that time, I’ve supported myself with various day jobs in advertising, design, and consulting while creating numerous art projects along the way. I wrote a novel about a know-nothing life coach on a mission to help lost souls find their spirit animals via the ashes of his grandfather’s left hand, I produced three podcast series, and I wrote and performed a one-man comedy show as that know-nothing life coach. Then, 10 years ago, while getting ready for bed, I stumbled on an approach to art that incorporates analog collage, mobile photography, wheat paste, and acrylic paint. The results were odd, moody, and dimensional. I call it “Artsmashing”, and it’s become the unrelenting focus of my art practice today.”
Snapshot of my process
View Chris’ work in hi-res on Loupe, the streaming art player on the web, Apple TV, Juno TV, Xfinity, and other platforms. Check out the Surreal Psychedelic, Futuristic, and Curators Showcase Channels, as well as Chris’ artist channel (click the button below). You can also purchase prints of his work on his Loupe Marketplace page.
