STANTON, Neb. -- Pablo Picasso once said that "art washes away from the soul, the dust of everyday life."

That statement is true for artist Rod Beyke of Stanton.

Beyke is a retired art teacher who taught at Stanton, Auburn, Howells, and Dodge public schools.

He put down the paintbrush and hung up his smock in 2019 retiring from the teaching life.

Soon after he created an art studio in his garage at home and continued to make work in his retirement.

Beyke specializes in a form of art he calls “painting with paper” an idea that a former student of his came up with.

"I had a project where students do a similar project I came up with and one of my students wanted to wear paper, rather than use scissors. I thought it looked really neat and I stole her idea," Beyke said. "Gradually, it evolved from there."

Beyke will shred magazine pages through a paper shredder for little pieces that he glues onto his canvas to create an image. 

Each piece of artwork usually takes 35 to 40 hours to complete.

The process took longer before his daughter and his son-in-law, who is an art teacher in Randolph, bought him a paper shredder.

He’s created numerous pieces of work and says that making art is what keeps him going and busy in retirement.

"Some people may look at me and think it's insanity gluing little pieces of paper on a board, but it's what keeps me sane," Beyke said. "Everyone has talents that they are born with, God-given talents."

You can stay up to date with his artwork and contact him on his Facebook page, Rod Beyke Art.