Michael Sjostedt is a collage artist, workshop facilitator, and creative entrepreneur who has been creating—in both artistic and editorial sectors—for more than 25 years. His first creative business began in college, hand-making clay beads that grew into 14 wholesale accounts, monthly classes at a local art store, custom commissions, and weekend markets. That early venture taught him how to build a creative business from the ground up—a lesson that continues to guide his work today.
As founder of Cut Loose Collage Workshops, Michael has led hundreds of sessions at libraries, universities, senior centers, museums, and organizations, helping people slow down, get off their screens, and reconnect with themselves and others through art. Please feel free to connect with Michael about running a collage workshops in addition to his Speakers Bureau programs.
Outside the studio, he’s an editorial handyman—writing, editing, and producing content that helps mission-driven teams and publishers tell their stories. His communications career has included leading content marketing campaigns for Emotional Intelligence author Daniel Goleman. As founder of Stötta Studio, he works with organizations to maximize their conference takeaways to support marketing, sales, and development efforts. Through both Cut Loose and Stötta Studio, Michael’s work centers on creative resilience—showing how side projects, storytelling, and community can spark new opportunities and personal growth.
What does it take to turn a creative spark into something sustainable—and maybe even life-changing? In this engaging and practical talk, collage artist and creative entrepreneur Michael Sjostedt shares how his creative side hustles evolved over the years, helping him navigate economic downturns and career transitions while building community through art.
Our seasonal “Words in the Woods” program allows Vermonters and visitors to enjoy our state’s natural beauty while listening to and reading literature in the outdoors.
Humanities Camps are filled with reading and writing projects, field trips, and outdoor activities.
We won a 2020 Schwartz Prize for best public humanities programming in the U.S. for Vermont Reads 2019: “March: Book One.”
We supported the Chandler Center for the Arts’ Global Connections Youth Outreach program, which highlights artists from around the world.
Our free public events help bring the power of the humanities to communities across Vermont.
