Well - its nearly the end of January and my usual intention has gone out of the window. That intention is always to use this quiet time to get paper work done, get my tax done way before the deadline on 31st and not let January slip through my fingers. January of course has gone the way it always does... things have unexpectedly happened... the snow.... and unexpected opportunities have come to. So I am actually broadly grinning here today. Its good to know that the future isnt settled, that there are a whole load of little journeys out there I have yet to take.
Digging about in my box of photos...
I was going through my box of photos the other day to get a range of work ready for a presentation and I came across this one. Its actually the one piece that set me on the road of being a paper cutter. Its a stencilled head of Metatron. I had been reading Philip Pullmans' His Dark Materials trilogy and I couldnt get out of my head the idea of the ultimate fallen angel. I cut a stencil for the head and used a sponge to press through the paint. That technique is really useful, you can get very crisp painted lines onto material and I have always liked it. This time however, I kept looking at the stencil and realising its potential in itself. I had seen paper cutting before. My mother-in-law is Polish so I had loved the ones she has that are very much of the people, for the people. Chickens and birds and folk patterns feature heavily in Polish paper cutting with bright jewel like colours included with the black cut base paper.
Something happened though and the penny just dropped I suppose! I realised that this truly was a technique to grab me long term. It was possible at last to make something that seemed to completely fit its form and function, and to fit in with my ideals and interests, be practical, not too show-offy.... cutting paper ticked many, many boxes!
So that was the start. I will post on here soon my first few cuts to show everyone the first tentative cuts. It seems funny to see them now - but fab too. I like looking at old work. Its like seeing old friends.
I am glad you listened to your muse, your work is wonderful and intriquing- I had my ah haa moment making a poodle skirt for my daughter and wishing I could play with fabric all the time!
ReplyDeleteThank you Julia for such a lovely comment and encouragement! Its funny when thoughts strike us isnt it? its always when you least suspect it! The poodle skirt sounds cool. I have always loved the 50's ones with the lead running round as a braid. it just makes me smile!
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