Meet Erich Meager | Ratiolaminartist & Gallery Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erich Meager and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erich, why did you pursue a creative career?
Since I was a kid, I have always found a refuge in creativity. I was a relatively shy kid, one of five children and art was the one things that I did better than any of my siblings, but more importantly, it was the one place where I could confidently be myself. Strangely, I am also very good at science and math, so I tried to combine those skills and went to school for architecture, but about halfway through my degree program I realized architecture wasn’t going to be the best fit. I spent most of my career in the lighting industry, working for manufactures and designers. During the pandemic, I began creating pieces based on breezeway blocks, mostly for myself, but it got to the point that I created so many pieces I thought I would try selling them. I worked with a gallery in Palm Springs, Rubine Red, who sold my work and I participated in The Palm Springs Modernism Show and Sale. After moving from my home studio to a larger space, I partnered with Kathleen Strukoff and Ernesto Ramirez and we have have opened Kee Gallery, which is located in the Backstreet Arts District in Palm Springs at 2600 Cherokee Way.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The comment I get most often about my artwork is, ‘I’ve never seen anybody create work this way’, which I take as a positive sign. The other question is, ‘Do you cut out your pieces by hand?”, which always makes me laugh. I know there are some extremely talented paper cutting artists that use an X-acto on their work, but I am not one of them. I only thought to create these pieces when I figured out a way to make them using a Cricut. There is a level of precision, because each layer builds on the one below, that would have quickly driven me insane if I attempted to make them by hand. It was an involved and error prone learning process. To create my designs I start with either a shape or pattern in mind. Using AutoCAD, a computer drafting program, I organize and define each layer that will be cut out as an individual piece. Initially I would design and cutout pieces, only to discover during assembly that I had incorrectly mapped out the layers. Now, after several years of creating pieces, mistakes like that rarely happen and I’m able to visualize final pieces much better. The most important thing to know about my work is that I can create just about anything. There are some limitations, like the available size of materials, but aside from the restriction, I’m confident that I can create a custom piece to meet any clients needs.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Being big fans of cabaret, my husband and I know where to go for live entertainment in Palm Springs. Our favorite place by far is The Purple Room, which has Tony award winning entertainers, wonderful cabaret artists and fantastic drag shows. Our go to places for dinners include Miros, 849 and Jakes. For the best burgers and shakes, Tylers is the place to go. We’ve had a home in Palm Springs for more than 20 years and it’s exciting to see how much it has grown and changed in that time. I would recommend visiting during Modernism Week, during the BNP Paribas Tennis tournament, or Pride Week, but there is always something fun to do year round in the desert. The biggest change that I’ve noticed is that Palm Springs is now a year round destination.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The most influential person, and someone I have stayed in contact with, is my art teacher, Celeste Topazio. She was my teacher in elementary and grade school, and all through junior and senior high school. She always encouraged me to pursue my art, and gave me the confidence and belief I have today in my creative endeavors.

Website: https://www.erichmeager.com

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Linkedin: erichmeager

Image Credits
Erich Meager