Playing with scissors
Last fall, I was thumbing through some of my old art books when a bunch of papercuttings fluttered out from one. Back when I was an art teacher, I had fooled around with the craft in preparation for a unit on papercutting, intending to take it further *someday*.
After those cuttings reappeared, I couldn't stop thinking about it. All of a sudden, papercutting was popping up everywhere...Rob Ryan's fabulous folky work, a new book, Papercutting, by Claudia Hopf, whose little pamphlet on scherenschnitte has been in my bookcase since the seventies and then, even on the blogs. Amy K's been doing some charming work recently. I promised myself that once we got through the holidays, I was going to have some fun with it myself.
This afternoon I pulled out a few sheets of computer paper to try out my new Iris scissors (which ironically arrived last week while I was frantically trying to stop the bleeding from my x-acto knife incident. Message from the universe? You decide.) 45 minutes later, I had cut this little piece (4") that I sketched from a German valentine. Instant gratification! The wheels are turning now. More to come.
I have gotten so much done this week that I almost can't believe it. Nothing that needs revisiting here, just lots of check-offs on lists that have been nagging at me for weeks. Such a relief! If I can just catch up on my email, next week should be a blank slate. It's been a long time since one of those appeared on the horizon. Happy weekend!
Wow! Amazing!
Posted by:Anina | January 11, 2008 at 04:47 PM
Beautiful! Destined for fabric applique or for paper crafts? My paper cutting thesse days is limited to the cyber version--those virtual paper snowflake sites online.
Posted by:KathieB | January 11, 2008 at 05:20 PM
Love it! I have been interested in papercutting since someone mentioned it to me last year -- well they mentioned scherenschnitte and I had no idea what it was so I started researching. I even checked some books out from the library last month -- but of course they were abandoned in the shuffle of the holidays and I had to return them before I got a chance to play. This is the year of "doing" though, so I think this weekend I'll join the bandwagon!
Posted by:Julie | January 11, 2008 at 05:24 PM
Gorgeous! Makes me want to try it too!
Posted by:Sarah | January 11, 2008 at 06:10 PM
Very pretty! I have also been interested in paper cutting, kirigami and paper folding. I should get back into some of that too.....even if only to use up some of the pretty papers I have purchased!
Posted by:Diana | January 11, 2008 at 08:46 PM
Beautiful!
Posted by:Kristin | January 11, 2008 at 10:10 PM
I LOVE that Jan! The paper cuts that I've been lately around have been really inspiring. There seems to be a new interest in all things paper -- I've also liked reading about making books.
Posted by:Kathy | January 12, 2008 at 12:03 PM
Beautiful... At this January gallery walk there was an artist's studio open with wonderful old style black on white silouttee paper cut-outs with modern subjects. wish I wrote down the name...
Posted by:shebaduhkitty | January 12, 2008 at 07:07 PM
Beautiful! I may have to try my hand at this.
Posted by:Michelle | January 13, 2008 at 01:45 PM
An art teacher, eh? Well, that explains a lot! I've been intrigued by Scherenschnitte for years. Many years ago at an antique show, I came across a tiny papercut design of woodsy animals. It was very expensive and I've always regretted not buying it, since it haunts me to this day.
Posted by:Diane B. | January 13, 2008 at 05:14 PM
It's very beautiful, and your post was very interesting ... Always inspiring :)
Posted by:Ann | January 13, 2008 at 07:48 PM
Scherenschnitte or paper cuttings used to be all the rage in my childhood. My cousins' profiles were immortalised by a paper cutter once and I thought that was the best picture ever. Oh, the memories ...
Posted by:Dorothee Klein | January 14, 2008 at 03:57 AM
Wow! YOu did that in 45 minutes? It's beautiful and I can see it translated into an applique block in a heartbeat.
I've also noticed the proliferation of paper cuts. There's a beautiful one on the cover of a book I read in the fall - The Book of Lost Things. Keep cutting!
Posted by:Loretta | January 14, 2008 at 07:59 AM
beautiful!!! makes me want to try it as well. :)
Posted by:amandajean | January 14, 2008 at 10:09 AM
That is truly magnificent!
Missy
Posted by:Missy | January 15, 2008 at 02:01 PM
Absolutely beautiful! I did something like this once. Have to try and find it now that I see yours. You should frame it!
Posted by:Anne | January 15, 2008 at 09:35 PM
That's so pretty...It must take such skill. And I thought making snow flakes was difficult!
Margaret and Noreen
Posted by:the homely year | January 16, 2008 at 05:58 AM
Oh, wow. That's gorgeous!
Posted by:samantha | January 16, 2008 at 04:14 PM
once an art teacher, always! i love these jan. you simply amaze me... they are lovely hearts!
Posted by:susan | January 16, 2008 at 10:03 PM
This is amazing. I would love a copy of this pattern to cut out of freezer paper to use in quilt applique! Feel free to email me one! In any case, your work is beautiful.
Posted by:Marisa | January 17, 2008 at 12:59 AM
i love it. especially the thistle (?) at the top. this would be such a good freezer paper stencil.
Posted by:melissa f. | January 17, 2008 at 04:35 PM
next time, take a photo of your sketch so I can guess how I can do something similar! :-)
it's just so beautiful! what a great paperartcraft thing!
Posted by:iHanna | January 19, 2008 at 08:52 AM
so good!!!! I love this!!
Posted by:amy k. | January 23, 2008 at 01:56 PM
That is so gorgeous!
Posted by:Celestial | February 01, 2008 at 10:58 AM