A Real Cut-Up

I sent this to Clara for her birthday two days ago.

And this to Alissa for Handmade 2012.

Paper cuts

Sending my first official Handmade 2012 item out tomorrow, welcome back to the US, Alissa!

My brother-in-law graduated from college last sunday, way to go Will!

I am going to start drawing more. I went through a lot of my previous work two days ago and I had forgotten how much I use to draw. I draw in my sketchbook but nothing with much sincerity. So I'm going to endeavor to do more on that end.

Merry Christmas

My mom commissioned me to make a piece for one of their Christmas Eve services at church so I made a cut-out.

Cutting Inspiration

As I mentioned earlier, Nikki McClure was a big inspiration for me to start cutting paper. Then I somehow managed to go on an epic bunny trail of paper cutting and book sculpture last night. It started with an image search of the phrase "book sculpture" soon I was reading about the San Francisco Center for the Book and watching a TED talk by Beatrice Coron. My world has opened up and I wanted to share these beautiful things. First and foremost, the lady that started it all: Nikki McClure. I saw her work at the Portland Museum of Contemporary Craft and I was completely blown away.

As I mentioned, I started an image search for "book sculpture" last night and I was amazed at all the things that I found. Here is the work of Jacqueline Rush Lee. She doesn't have a proper website so if you are interested in more of her work Google is your best bet.

I also found Su Blackwell who I am momentarily infatuated with.

The work of Georgia Russell is also wonderful but in a less fantastic (as in fantasy) way and more of a dark brooding sort of wonderful.

As I mentioned earlier, I watched a TED talk by Béatrice Coron. Here is her work and that talk.

The cutter that I ended the night with was Elsa Mora whose work reminds me of Frieda Kahlo to a degree.

There are lots and lots of book sculptors and paper cutters out there and this is the tip of the iceberg, but some of my favourites to be sure.