Michael Velliquette (American b. 1971) is an artist who makes intricately constructed paper-based sculpture. Velliquette makes use of a humble, everyday material to open a view into imagined worlds.

In using an innately delicate everyday material, Michael Velliquette’s paper sculptures convey strength, intent, and durability in which temporality and perpetuity coexist. The visual experience of these works is of a sense of confident robustness, even grandiosity, yet it is underscored by the knowledge that they are lightweight and prone to damage, highlighting a unique duality. They are at once abstract layers and shapes made from colored paper, and also structures that from one moment to the next suggest fortress-like constructions, tiered mandalas, or complex mechanical gears. 

Velliquette challenges the unassuming nature of paper by creating pieces that appear dimensional, elaborate, and timeless, yet we know the material they are made from is susceptible to exposure to moisture, sunlight, fire, or the smallest pressure or fold, and requires conscious observation and care. Cut exclusively and assembled by hand, Velliquette’s works can take hundreds of hours to complete.

Velliquette’s process of making these works could be considered a meditative exercise, in a sense, as the sculpture comes together bit by bit, utilizing a range of simple tools. Through a meticulous and intuitive process of measuring, cutting, and assembling pieces of colored paper into complex structures and geometric systems, a simple material is imbued with the power to transfix. Art becomes a place where the present and permanence intersect. Some motifs seem almost elemental in their use across time, cultures, and geography.

A working artist for 20 years, Michael Velliquette has participated in over 150 exhibitions in museums and galleries in the US, Europe and Asia. His work is in the permanent collections of the Chazen Museum of Art; the Art Museum of South Texas; the Racine Art Museum; The Progressive Corporation; The West Bend Insurance Collection; The Abroms-Engels Institute for the Visual Arts; The Linda Pace Foundation; Boston Children's Hospital; The Pratt Institute Libraries; The John Michael Kohler Art Center; and The Microsoft Collection.

He has participated in residencies and cultural exchange programs including the Artpace International Artist-in-Residence; the SIM Residency, Reykjavik; the John Michael Kohler Art/Industry program; and EUARCA, Kassel, Germany. ​

In 2021 he was an artist resident at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft.

He received his BFA from the Florida State University-1993, and his MA & MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison-2000.

As an educator Velliquette is on faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he teaches courses in visual literacy and creative practice. He also teaches workshops on the paper arts and was recently a visiting instructor at the Haystack Mountain School of Craft and the Pocosin School of Fine Craft.

He is member of the Guild of American Papercutters and the Paper Artist Collective—a global community of artists and designers dedicated to the medium of paper.

Velliquette recently appeared as a guest judge on the Discovery Network's reality craft competition series "Meet Your Makers Showdown", alongside Mark Montano, LeAnn Rimes and Chrissy Metz for the "Paper Art Battle" episode which aired December 2021.

His work has been featured in numerous print and online publications including Colossal, Time Out New York and The New York Times. He has been included in several compendiums on paper art produced by such publishers as Thames & Hudson, Gestalten, Sandu, Lark Crafts, Hightone Books.

Two color monographs are available on his work titled Michael Velliquette: Lairs of the Unconscious (2012) and Michael Velliquette: What We Are Looking For is What is Looking (2017).

He lives in Madison, WI with his husband Tehshik Yoon, a professor of organic chemistry.

Selected CV

A full CV available is by request, velliquette@gmail.com.

Degrees

2000 Master of Fine Arts, The University of Wisconsin-Madison

1999 Master of Arts, The University of Wisconsin-Madison

1993 Bachelor of Fine Arts, The Florida State University

Solo Exhibitions

2022 Forthcoming solo exhibition, Duane Reed Gallery, St. Louis, MO

2020 Creations are Numberless, I Vow To Free Them, David Shelton Gallery, Houston

2017 Beginner’s Mind, Tory Folliard Gallery, Milwaukee, WI

2015 The Desire for Being, AEIVA, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL

2014 Serpent Worship, David Shelton Gallery, Houston, TX

2013 Their Arising and Passing Away, DCKT Contemporary, New York

2013 Into the Great Wide Awesome, Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, WI

2012 In Spaces and Other Places, Morgan Lehman Gallery, New York, NY

2012 Awaken and Free What Has Been Asleep, DCKT Contemporary, New York, NY

2009 Abundant Creatures, DCKT Contemporary, New York, NY

2007 Intuitive Jungle, DCKT Contemporary, New York, NY

2005 Still Lives of Saints, Ratio 3, San Francisco, CA

Public Art

2020 Pinney Library, Madison Public Library Foundation, Madison, WI

2015 PS320Q Elementary School, NYCSCA, Ridgewood, Queens, NY

2010 Goodman Library, Madison Public Library Foundation, Madison, WI

Recent Art Fairs

2021 Art on Paper, Duane Reed Gallery, Pier 36, New York, NY

Group Exhibitions

2021

Cheongju Craft Biennele, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, South Korea

In Residence, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, TX

Michael Velliquette, Gary Gissler, and Mary Heilman, The Suburban, Milwaukee, WI

The Art of Mending, The Brick Store Museum, Kennebunk, ME

2020 Cut, Fold and Handmade, Peninsula Arts Center, Newport News, VA

2019

Pulp+Process, Society of Arts + Crafts, Boston, MA

Art on Paper Fair, Cinders Gallery, New York, NY

Paper Trail, ABV Gallery, Atlanta, GA

2018

Paper: Medium and Message, Dubuque Museum of Art, Dubuque, IA

Wisconsin Artists Biennial, Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, WI

2017

Serpentiform, organized by Bulgari, Mori Arts Center, Tokyo, Japan

Serpentiform, organized by Bulgari, Art Science Museum, Singapore

2016

Super Natural, John Michael Kohler Art Center, Sheboygan, WI

Serpentiform, organized by Bulgari, Palazzo Braschi, Rome, Italy

Paper and Blade, Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA

Cut, Fold, and Form, Racine Art Museum, Racine, WI

2015 Cut/Create: The Endless Possibilities of Paper, UW-Milwaukee, WI

2014

The Stench of Rotting Flowers, Charlotte Street Foundation, Kansas City, MO

Pressed Flowers, Lesley Heller Workspace, New York, NY

Hoarding, Amassing, and Excess, Northern Illinois University Museum, Dekalb, IL

2013 Curiosities and Things of Wonder, Carthage College, Kenosha, WI

2012 Animal Nature, Racine Art Museum, Racine, WI

2011 Paperwork in 3D, Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, VT

2010

Art on Paper, Weatherspoon Art Museum Greensboro, NC

Wisconsin Triennial, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Madison, WI

Psychedelic: Optical and Visionary Art Since the 1960's, San Antonio Museum of Art, TX

2009 Slash: Paper Under the Knife, Museum of Arts and Design, New York, NY

2008 Troglodytes See Better in the Dark, David Castillo Gallery, Miami, FL

2007 Ornament, Bravin Lee Programs, New York, NY

2006 Boys and Flowers, Western Bridge, Seattle, WA

2005 With Us Against Reality, Galerie S.E., Bergen, Norway

2003 We Are Electric Deitch, Projects, New York, NY

Television and Media Appearances

2021

Expert Guest Judge, Episode 4 "Paper Art Battle!", Meet Your Makers Showdown, discovery+ streaming service, Michael Levitt Productions

Artist Residencies

2022 Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT

2021 Houston Center for Contemporary Craft

2012 EUARCA+2012, Kassel, Germany

2011 Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT

2009 John Michael Kohler Arts/Industry Residency, Kohler, WI

2008 SÍM Artist Residency, Reykjavik, Iceland

2008 Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT

2007 Millay Colony for the Arts Austerlitz, New York

2004 Artpace International Artist-In-Residence Program, San Antonio, TX

Grants and Awards

2012 Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission

2011 Vermont Studio Center Full Fellowship

2010 Madison Arts Commission Grant

2010 Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission

2008 Pleasant T. Rowland Fellowship

2007 Bay and Paul Foundations Fellow

2005 Dozier Travel Grant Recipient Dallas Museum of Art

Lectures and Workshops

2021 The Pixel Show Conference, Online, São Paulo, Brazil

2021 University of Arkansas

2020 Pocosin Arts School of Fine Craft

2019 University of North Texas

2019 Haystack Mountain School of Crafts

2018 Maharishi University

2017 Spence School

2016 John Michael Kohler Art Center

2015 Exchange Works Los Angeles

2015 University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

2015 University of Alabama-Birmingham

2014 Carnegie Mellon University

2013 Museum of Wisconsin Art

2013 Rhodes College, Memphis

2013 Georgia Southern University

2012 Ripon College

2011 Shelburne Museum of Art

2010 Texas State University, San Marcos

2007 Beloit College

2006 McNay Art Museum

Museum Collections

Chazen Museum of Art

Abroms-Engel Institute

Art Museum of South Texas

Racine Art Museum

Museum of Wisconsin Art

Western Bridge Collection

Linda Pace Foundation

San Antonio Museum of Art

John Michael Kohler Art Center

Corporate Collections

Microsoft Art Collection

Grande Cheese Company

Alabama Power Company

West Bend Insurance

San Antonio Health Systems

The Progressive Art Collection

First Western Trust Bank LA

Kohler Company

San Antonio Grand Hyatt

Boston Children’s Hospital

University and State Collections

Landkreis Kassel

Ripon College

University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Art

Madison Public Library

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Bexar County Courthouse

Private Collections

New York, New York

St. Louis, Missouri

Richmond, Virginia

Miami, Florida

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Bradenton, Florida

Birmingham, Alabama

Chicago, Illinois

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Madison, Wisconsin

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Dallas, Texas

Austin, Texas

San Antonio, Texas

Houston, Texas

Aspen, Colorado

Los Angeles, California

Hollywood, California

Lisbon, Portugal

Barcelona, Spain

Bergen, Norway

Selected Bibliography

• Worland, Gayle. "From art gallery to reality TV: Madison artist helps judge the competition", Wisconsin State Jounral, Arts and Culture, December 11, 2021.
• Exhibition Catalog, Tools for Conviviality: Cheongju Craft Biennale 2021, "Michael Velliquette", pp. 80-83.
• Bosciani, Lucia. Serpentiform: Art, Jewelry, Design. Exhibition Catalog. “Michael Velliquette” pp.54-61. Published by Bulgari, 2017.
• Bahadur, Tulika Inez. “Magnifying Our Impulse for Adornment: Paper Sculptures by Michael Velliquette”, On Art and Aesthetics, May 9, 2017.
• "Interview with Vibrant Sculptural Paper Artist Michael Velliquette", Strictly Paper, September 22, 2016.
• Adams, James. “30 Creative Paper Artworks—When Paper Said 1000 Words”, Desginzzz, April 26, 2016.
• Cook, Greg. “The Delicate, Dazzling Art of Paper Cuts”, The Artery, 90.9 WBUR, Boston, April 25, 2016.
• McLaughlin, Beth. “Paper & Blade: Modern Paper Cutting at Fuller Craft Museum”, Fiber Art Now, Vol 5, Issue 3, Spring 2016: pp. 18-20.
• Barry, Ramona & Jobson, Rebecca. The Handmade Life: A Companion to Modern Crafting, Thames and Hudson Australia, 2015: p. 350..
• “Thirty-Five Paper Sculptors You Need To Know” MIJLO, October 20, 2014.
• Paper Secret 1 & 2, Hightone Books, China, 2014: pp. 354-365..
• Paper Play, Sandu Publishing, China, 2014: pp. 74-75.
• Hong-Porretta, Souris, Ed. Outside the Lines: An Artist’s Coloring Book for Giant Imaginations, Perigee Trade, 2013.
• le Poole, Jaap. “Abundant Michael Velliquette” Color Objects, July 14, 2013.
• McHugh, Gene, Juror. 500 Paper Objects: New Directions in Paper Art, Lark Crafts, Sterling Publishing, New York, 2013: pp: 10, 42, 253, 372.
• Yuan (Yannick), Jianung, Ed. Paradise of Paper Art, Designerbooks, Beijing, China, 2013: pp. 131-140.
• Zimmer, Lori. “Michael Velliquette Transforms Cut Paper into Sculptural Human Forms” Inhabit Magazine November 23 2012.
• Sommerlade, Martina. “Ein bisschen wie dee documenta” HNA Kassel July 7 2012.
• Zimmer, Lori. “Michael Velliquette Transforms Paper into Colorful Textured Sculptures” Inhabit Magazine April 10 2012.
• Worland, Gayle. “Madison Artist selected for elite contemporary art festival in Europe” Wisconsin State Journal Mar 29 2012.
• Lark Crafts, Ed. Push Paper. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 2011: pp. 66-71.
• Slanted, Ed. FRESH Cutting Edge Illustrations Boxed Set: FRESH 1-OBJECT. Karslruhe, Germany: Magma Brand Design, 2011: pp. 108,111-112.
• Laster, Paul. “Michael Velliquette, Awaken and Free What Has Been Asleep : Magical is more than just an adjective in this show” Time Out New York 27 Apr. 2011.         
• Klanten, R., Meyer, B Eds. Papercraft 2: Design and Art with Paper. Berlin: Gestalten, 2011: pp.46-47.
• Amir. “Michael Velliquette’s Cut Color Exploration” Beautiful Decay Culture of the Creative Arts 28, Mar. 2011.
• Harris, Jane. “Slash: Paper Under the Knife” Time Out New York Issue 746 14–20 Jan. 2010.
• Rosenberg, Karen. “Art Review, Move Over, Humble Doily: Paper Does a Star Turn” New York Times 19 Oct. 2009.
• “Best in Mixed Media: Michael Velliquette Abundant Creatures” Time Out New York 27 May, 2009.
• Cotter, Holland. “We Are Electric at Deitch Projects” The New York Times: Art Guide 19 Dec. 2003.