Design Rapid Fire

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Witness six creative masters of art – who can simply cut, fold and mould paper into a creative artwork Impressions: Benoy Sebastian

What challenges did you face while working with paper? There is the physical challenge of

making sure you don’t cut too far and accidentally cut something that you didn’t intend to. You just have to stay in a place of concentration to keep control. With regards to designing the piece, it can sometimes be a challenge to work with customers Julene Harrison who are vague with the brief or even change the brief half way.

What attracted you to take up What advice would you give to paper art? aspiring paper artists? I got into paper-cutting by accident If you are not confident designing in 2008. I made the original piece your own illustrations, you can buy as an inexpensive gift. Two more templates from paper-cut artists. followed as wedding presents. I There are some available on my site. started a blog with these pieces, and Just print them onto the back of the people seemed to like them. paper you want to cut and you’re That’s when I began getting ready to start. Use paper that isn’t too commissions, initially from friends thin because it may rip. Also not too and then from strangers. thick, as it will be hard to cut through.

What’s so special about the Your future plans? medium? I do feel very lucky to have made I like the ‘something from nothing’ a career out of my artwork. I am element. Turning an inexpensive currently working on two commercial sheet of paper into a piece of artwork pieces, one in the USA and the other or a treasured gift. I also enjoy that in Germany, plus a number of paper- it’s nice and clean. No mess apart cuts for private individuals that have from a little bit of sweeping up been commissioned as wedding/ afterwards. It’s meditative too. anniversary/birthday gifts.

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shape till you achieve the desired result. It takes its own time, has its own evolution, before becoming what the artist wishes it to be.

Bharti Pitre Do you handcraft your creations? What attracted you to take up Each piece I have created so paper art? far has been handcrafted and In 2002, I happened to attend unique. Being an illustrator, a workshop conducted I can visualise the forms I by a visual merchandiser build with ease. and freelance artist, Shri Sharad Kumar. He opened What advice would you give my eyes to the traditional to aspiring paper artists? technique of using paper and Respect the medium for its I fell in love with the robust unique character and don’t and spontaneous material try to change it. I would immediately, and have recommend that you stick been experimenting with it to its originality, because no ever since. other medium can give you this finish naturally. What challenges did you face while working with paper? Your future plans? What makes this material I intend to continue working particularly challenging is that with paper from my studio it is truly its own master. You in Pune, experimenting with have to build every piece layer different forms. There is so by layer, observing change in much more to explore.

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of the paper through age. It has a visible memory.

What challenges did you face while working with paper? The fragility of the material is challenging. I have to find ways Su Blackwell of strengthening the paper, without altering its aesthetic.

What attracted you to take up What advice would you give to paper art? aspiring paper artists? I began using paper after a Work with the material trip to South East Asia where everyday, and develop your I came across simple paper own way of working with cut outs used in spiritual it. Explore different weights ceremonies. Paper lends itself to of paper. There are so many my concept of impermanence. different applications for I use irreversible, destructive , hand made paper, processes to reflect on the , paper sculpture, precariousness of the world we explore them and discover inhabit and the fragility of our what works for you. life, dreams and ambitions. Your future plans? What’s so special about the To keep working with paper. medium? My dream is to write and It is a fragile, accessible medium, illustrate my own beautiful which shows human interaction, children picture book in the whether that be a fold, crease or next few years.

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What challenges did you face while working with paper? Since I’m self-taught, I faced many challenges in the initial days. Working on intricate cuts was difficult as I was using a normal paper cutter. I had no idea about the tools that are required to bring precision to your work, until Shailendra Patel I came across the amazing paper artist Jeff Nishinaka. His videos have taught What attracted you to take up a lot, I spent time watching him work paper art? and learnt the process. It’s still a long During my college days, I had a road but I feel I have made the right couple of assignments on packaging turn now. design, where I had to collect and study dissimilar packages and What advice would you give to redesign them. It was fun, and at aspiring paper artists? the same time, there was some sort I am too young to give advise. I am no of satisfaction working with paper. sage of the art yet. However, I would After that, I started adding more like to add that if you love paper, and detail to my work and used paper intend to use it as a medium then cutting techniques in my art and treat it with utmost respect. illustrations. Your future plans? What’s so special about the I hope to spend more time with my medium? mentor (paper) in future. I also plan Paper is familiar to everyone; we to conduct workshops. And, I would use it on a daily basis and handle love to explore the backlit layered it frequently. I find it accessible, papercut and the book sculpture simple and humble. technique.

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when working with non exclusive materials.

What challenges did you face while working with paper? Paper is an excellent, versatile material, but it is perishable. Sensitive to dust, touch, sunlight and humidity. As an artist you need to be very careful while handling this Cecilia Levy medium.

What advice would you give What attracted you to take up aspiring paper artists? paper art? There’s material everywhere I started experimenting with that can be used. Books, book pages and different magazines, newspapers, paper techniques, ending up receipts, , etc. Paper with thin, wobbly bowls with is cheap and environment- a delicate feel to them. They friendly. Experiment and allow were very appealing to me, yourself to fail, it is necessary to and I immediately felt I had make progress. found something I wanted to investigate further. Your future plans? I am currently working on What’s so special about the an artistic sculptural creation medium? in the main entrance of the I hate waste - when good New Karolinska Solna (NKS), materials are ruined, like when Sweden’s largest-to-be new expensive drawing paper is hospital situated in Stockholm. going in the bin, because I’m I am making a series of paper not happy with the result. So, I sculptures. My work will be like to find a new purpose for installed in 2017. I am thrilled odd materials, it’s a challenge. and honoured to be one of the My creativity flows more freely artists selected.

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to be still, breathe intently, think decisively and cut precisely. Bovey Lee What challenges did you face while What attracted you to take up working with paper? paper art? Like every material and medium, I work with paper, xuan () paper has its limitations. I found a in particular, because it’s the first way to incorporate digital process art material I knew while learning in my hand cut paper work. I use at the age of ten. the computer and software to create Paper and I have a lot of memories templates - composite images that and history together. As a material, I print and cut with. This allows xuan paper possesses exceptional editing with flexibility that balances properties, such as naturally mildew beautifully. But, I insist that technology resistant, acid-free, and is made of is a process aiding my final artwork renewable/sustainable materials. and not the final product. I am drawn to paper for its wide variety, creative possibilities and What advice would you give aspiring portability. paper artists? I would say choose a paper that What’s so special about the you love. medium? Cut paper is beautiful and alluring Your future plans? to behold. Its fragility and the slow It has been my dream to create large process of creating from it changes scale installations and experiment the way you behave around it. In this with materials other than paper. I aspect, cut paper is very powerful. look forward to working towards It is an art form that demands you those goals in the near future.

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