Paper Art | Salutations

Oct

19

Paper Prodigy: Jen Stark

Artist Jen Stark is the creator of these amazing and colorful paper sculptures. Through the use of simple paper-cutting techniques she creates complex structures that reveal how remarkable common materials can become. The ideas are based on replication and infinity, echoing patterns and intelligent designs found in nature.

Says this paper prodigy about her work {in Artlurker},

The thing I like about sculpting in the way that I sculpt is that it can be done simply, although not so obviously. Just cutting and folding seems the most elegant, the most pure. With a few cuts and a few layers I can create pattern and depth and make my eyes dance around lines that aren’t really there. Its not so much the fact that everyone uses paper, it’s the fact that you can take something that is so set in its ways and find unique ways of working with it.

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Oct

12

Paper Prodigy: Elsa Mora

Information & Education / Miscellaneous

Elsa Mora is a Cuban born artist who makes all of her papercut pieces by hand, one cut at a time, using an X-Acto knife, a self-healing cutting mat, and paper.

Her work adorns the cover of Paper Cutting Book: Contemporary Artists, Timeless Craft, by Laura Heyenga, Rob Ryan and Natalie Avella, published by Chronicle Books.

This is one of her most recent miniature paper rings. Just look at the detail!

How about this bit of amazing called The Hand?

Or this one called Visionary?

Here is the description in Elsa’s words:

The girl had a vision, a dream about exploration and about going away. So she cut herself some paper wings. Her wings took her to the most unexpected and mysterious places. The journey was beautiful and painful at the same time. At some point the girl wanted to go back home, but she realized that her real home was her own mind, so she kept dreaming and flying until the end of her life.

You can see more of Elsa’s papercutting talent on her blog The Heart of Papercuts: A Blog Entirely Dedicated to the Magic Art of Papercutting. How cool is that?

Elsa Mora’s talents are multi-faceted. She also draws, paints, and makes dolls, dollhouses, jewelry, miniature books and works in porcelain.

Her main blog is Elsa Mora’s Blog. You can find many of her unique items on her Etsy store.

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Sep

28

Paper Prodigy: Su Blackwell

Information & Education / Miscellaneous

Edensor, Derbyshire

British-born Su Blackwell is an amazing talent. This paper prodigy frees storybook characters and structures from their two-dimensional homes and brings them to life through sculpting cut-outs from books.

Little Red Riding Hood

Little Red Riding Hood {detail}

About her work, Su Blackwell says,

I often work within the realm of fairy-tales and folk-lore. I began making a series of book-sculpture, cutting out images from old books to create three-dimensional dioramas, and displaying them inside wooden boxes.

Wuthering Heights

You can watch this wonderful video created by Crabtree & Evelyn about Su Blackwell and her work.

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Sep

21

Paper Prodigy: Brian Dettmer

Information & Education / Miscellaneous

The art created by Brian Dettmer is nothing short of jaw-dropping genius. This Atlanta-based paper prodigy works in the medium of what he calls “altered books.” Says the artist about his process:

In this work I begin with an existing book and seal its edges, creating an enclosed vessel full of unearthed potential. I cut into the surface of the book and dissect through it from the front. I work with knives, tweezers and surgical tools to carve one page at a time, exposing each layer while cutting around ideas and images of interest. Nothing inside the books is relocated or implanted, only removed. Images and ideas are revealed to expose alternate histories and memories. My work is a collaboration with the existing material and its past creators and the completed pieces expose new relationships of the book’s internal elements exactly where they have been since their original conception.

Brian Dettmer starts with old books, often those that are bound for the landfill, and transforms them into objects of wonder in a new form.

Take a look at this video of an interview with Brian Detter on CBS News, where you can get a glimpse into his incredible talent and the way he works.

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Jun

03

Paper on Parade

Miscellaneous

My jaw dropped open when I came across this blog post featuring 100 Extraordinary Examples of Paper Art.Â The word “extraordinary” simply does not do justice to this collection . . . “outrageously and ridiculously talented” might begin to come close to describing these artists.Â They make the paper-clad dress forms in our shops look like shabbily-dressed waifs!

Are there any paperophiles out there who findÂ themselves humbled by these masterpieces?

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