Customer Spotlight: An interview with Herman Mhire

For the past three decades, I have been drawn to the possibilities of digital technology as a way of making art. What began as curiosity gradually became an important part of my artistic practice. I’ve always enjoyed experimenting, taking things apart, putting them back together, and discovering something unexpected in the process. The computer is not a substitute for traditional artistic materials; it’s simply another tool—one that allows me to work in ways that would otherwise be impossible.

My images are energetic, colorful, and sometimes deliberately frenetic. I’ve always been fascinated by the extraordinary diversity and adventurous experimentation that characterized visual art of the 1960s, especially the optical effects of Op Art and psychedelic graphics. Those influences continue to find their way into my work, although they are filtered through my own experiences and the digital tools available to me.

My digital collages also grow out of a more personal connection to the world around me. I value improvisation, ingenuity, and making something meaningful from what is readily available. Those qualities are familiar to me from life in a community where resourcefulness and a respect for the environment are part of everyday experience.

Ultimately, my work reflects my curiosity—about art, technology, place, and the endless possibilities of combining images. I’m drawn to those moments when creative ideas take unexpected turns, and digital tools open new possibilities for bringing them to life. It is that dialogue between intention and discovery that continues to inspire me to make images after all these years.