Papercuts
I have always felt the need to draw and “make things”. Papercutting is a very old folk art practiced all over the world. While traveling in Switzerland, I saw modern papercuts for the first time. I then taught myself how to design and cut in the traditional way; cutting only a folded paper so that both sides were identical. I love puzzles and try to cut each design out of just one piece of paper with all parts connected to the whole.
I majored in Art Education at Western Oregon University. I have been an art teacher and a school librarian, and have lived and taught in Sweden, Colombia and Germany. My influences have been the cut-outs of Matisse, graphic art of Eric Carle, prints of Sadao Watanabe and the folk art of the places I have visited. I cut only my own designs, using only scissors and a paper punch for small holes. I may use a knife on heavy paper. My papercut/collages are made from a combination of hand-painted tissue and traditional black papers. I am a member of the Guild of American Papercutters.