Conversations with Robert Klose

Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert Klose. 

Hi Robert, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I spent 15 years working as a backstage technician in live entertainment. Most of that time was spent working for two shows. The Magic of David Copperfield tour and Cirque du Soleil big top tour. During this time, I was constantly working on design solutions for these shows. There was an endless need for small parts to make the show run smoother. And a lot of times these parts would be in plain view of the audience. So, it was my job to design a part that would not only solve a problem but also look good while doing it. So, when I finally moved on from live entertainment, I still had this urge to design and make things which led me to making layered plywood designs. Over the last few years, these designs have become more and more complex as I’ve been able to explore the limitations of this medium. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Up until now, things have been going very smoothly. And even now there is more and more demand for my work every day. Which is really exciting. My current challenge, and maybe the biggest challenge I’ve faced yet is material supply. Supply chain issues are making it harder and harder to find the materials I use in my work. So hopefully we’re seeing the worst of it right now and things will normalize soon. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I almost exclusively work with laser-cut birch plywood. By stacking layers of thin plywood on top of each other I’m able to bring my digital designs to life. I start by creating a design in an illustrator program. The design is done in an almost topographic way so each layers cutouts are offset from the last. Once the design is cut into individual layers of plywood and the layers are re-stacked on top of each other the design becomes visible again. 

What do you like and dislike about the city?
During my time working in live entertainment on tour, I’ve had the amazing experience of traveling and living in cities all over the world. I’ve traveled Europe several times, lived in Australia for a year, Japan for a year and a half, and many other places. It was an amazing experience! But one thing I learned was that the big city is not for me. So, when I decided to move to Colorado to be close to family, I spent some time in Denver and realized it was too big for me. It’s a lovely place to visit but after exploring Colorado a bit more I decided Fort Collins is the right city for me. I think the thing I dislike the most about big cities is the traffic and congested infrastructure. I just need my surroundings to be a bit more open. From my house in Fort Collins, I’m able to get to many trails that lead into town or into the Rockies. That’s my type of place! 

Contact Info:

• Email: rmklose@gmail.com
• Website: https://www.robertkloselaserart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert_klose_laser_art/