Nature Studies

Here are some new paper cuts I’ve been working on recently. Although still paper cuts they show a very new direction. I am looking for a freer, more spontaneous and abstract way to create. The inspiration for these new cuts were the natural patterns, shapes and colours found in the skeletal remains of leaves, soft moist green mosses, hard craggy worn rocks and the tiny animals that live within.

Blue Butterfly (73cm diameter): Search carefully for the tiny blue butterfly making its way around a sinewy forest.

Natural green (73cm diameter): Lush green moist moss

Detail

Purple Beetle (73cm diameter): A skeletal leaf was the inspiration for this one. I exaggerated the shapes and colours and added the remains of a few butterflies. The Purple Beetle is in there somewhere, too. Look carefully and you’ll find it!

Detail

Talks and Workshops

Recently I’ve given talks and workshops about my silk paper cuttings. One was at ARC (a meeting place/ restaurant) where I gave a speech to a group of Taiwanese designers / cutters / art lovers. The feedback was good and fun was had by all. Surprisingly no one fell asleep!

Here's me introducing my work and making shadows.

Designer, Ben, asks a question.

A local TV news programme did a feature on me for the lifestyle section of their show. It was a kind of ‘day in the life of’. I took them to my art shop, places that inspire me and even to one of my favorite restaurants.

Here we are in the artshop where I buy my silk. Standing next to me is the owner, John, who introduced me to silk paper many years ago.

I also did two workshops at ARC – one for kids and one for adults. Both took the theme of paper cutting as a way to tell stories about ourselves. Fantastic paper cuts were created and I think everyone had a good time… I hope! In the Kids’ workshop we cut symetrical figures based on an important experience moment in our lives, e.g. one was about learning to ride a skateboard.

In the Adults’ work shop we focused on round symmetrical cuts that told stories. This workshop was as much about designing the architecture of the work as it was about telling the story.