Tell us a little bit about who you are.

Woefoep is the name I go by when it’s about collages. I was born as Mark Wouters and I live in the Netherlands. I’ve been making collages for a long time, digitally as well as by hand. For the last two years I’m showing my work on the internet. The reactions are overwhelming, which makes me feel very grateful.

Thanks to everyone.

How did you first get into collage/art?

I started at the age of 11.  With a friend I started to exchange a lot of collage-like letters. At the Willem de Kooning Academie I started to make collages and assemblages in a more serious way. About ten years ago my first digital collages saw daylight.

Do you have any formal training in design/art?

Yes, I studied illustration at the Willem de Kooning Academie in Rotterdam. This was valuable because so many techniques and materials were offered and made available. Also the people you meet at the academy and their ideas are important for your personal development.

What else do you do other than creating collages?

Apart from collages, creating remains an important factor in my life. I make a lot of Assemblages. Also I like to create music. Copy/paste always play a major role in the creative process. Without cut and paste (Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V; Apple-C, Apple-V) life wouldn’t be the same for me.

What kind of places do you source your images from?

A main aspect is that the source material is found or for free. This goes for all my work, digital and handmade collages. All my digital work originate from the google picuresearch function. For my traditional work, the material was given or found literally. There are rare occasions that I buy an old magazine. It’s not a purpose in it’s own to use found objects, they just happen to have that raw, vintage look that makes them so suitable for my work.

Who and what inspires you?

The biggest inspiration is the material itself. A nice picture, an object even a small piece of paper can trigger an idea. Coinsidence is an important factor in my work and I’m always open for changes.

I’m also inspired by the work of Kurt Schwitters. His combinations of materials are without boundaries. He invented “Merz” as a way of describing his way of using materials without limits. I keep using the verb ‘Merz’ in his memory. Long live KS.

How does the Netherlands affect/influence your work?

Old Dutch proverbs and stereotypical Dutch symbols are recurring themes in my work. It’s not hard to find the stereotypical windmills, wooden shoes and tulips in my work, but combining them with other material is what makes it work.

You can see more of Mark’s work on Flickr and DeviantArt