Decoupage, the art of cutting and pasting, might be tied to Matisse, but for Mikey, it was Romare Bearden’s Pittsburgh Memory that really stuck. That collage—a mix of technical innovation, personal narrative, and cultural depth—grabbed his attention and never let go. Bearden showed that the cutout is more than just a medium; it’s a bridge between fine art and graphic design, commercial and cultural. It’s a perfect example of how an artist can take disparate pieces and turn them into something that’s not just visually striking, but personal and timeless.