A Brief History of Assemblage Art

Assemblage as an art form has roots in the early 20th century, when artists began questioning the boundaries of traditional mediums. Instead of paint on canvas or marble carved into figures, they turned toward the overlooked, the discarded, and the everyday.

Early pioneers like Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque began incorporating found materials into their works, breaking apart the idea that art must be made from “pure” substances. Their experiments opened a door that others would soon walk through.

Joseph Cornell: The Poet of Shadow Boxes

One of the most influential voices in assemblage is Joseph Cornell, whose intimate shadow boxes helped define the poetic and narrative potential of the form.
Cornell collected ephemera—maps, trinkets, glass bottles, stars, birds, forgotten scraps of memory—and arranged them into small worlds that felt both personal and dreamlike. His boxes invite viewers to peer into a secret universe, one object at a time.

Cornell’s work has profoundly shaped my own approach to assemblage. His ability to turn quiet, humble objects into emotional storytelling mirrors the spirit that guides much of my studio practice today.

Louise Nevelson: Architect of Found Forms

While Cornell worked in miniature, Louise Nevelson expanded assemblage into monumental sculpture. Constructing vast walls and towers from discarded wood, she unified each composition with sweeping coats of black, white, or gold.
Her work transformed assemblage into architecture—bold, structural, and commanding.

Nevelson’s influence is deeply woven into my own artistic sensibility. Her instinct for balance, repetition, and dramatic presence continues to inspire how I build, layer, and compose pieces in my studio.

Assemblage Today

From these early visionaries, assemblage has grown into a respected and expansive art form. Contemporary artists use salvaged materials to explore personal histories, cultural identity, environmental concerns, and emotional depth.

In my studio in Bath, Maine, I carry this lineage forward—giving forgotten objects a second life, and shaping them into one-of-a-kind assemblage works that hold memory, mystery, and meaning.

My Place in the Tradition

My own assemblage work is rooted in this history but shaped by my particular obsessions: mechanical forms, weathered paper, and the stories embedded in discarded tools and artifacts.

Each piece is a small conversation between past and present—between traditional craft and the improvisation that assemblage invites.

Learn More About Assemblage Art

Want to go deeper? These articles explore specific aspects of the practice:

If you’d like to see how I’ve put materials together, visit: