Art Blog
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My third papercut inspired by Michael Pollan’s line “Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants.”
I started making a series of animal art for the nursery. They are kind of papercuts, in that I started with paper and cut it, but I’m using construction paper, not any special kind of paper. Also different from my usual papercuts in that they are very colorful and I haven’t planned them out at all! Almost no drawing; just pick up the paper and cut. It’s been a lot of fun so far. I plan to make three desert creatures next. These first three are sea creatures.
This is the third in what I plan to be a series of four or five papercuts featuring this bridge.
This text loosely translates as “It is not for you to complete the work [of repairing the world]. Not up to you to finish it. But neither are you free to desist from it.” I had a little adventure with this piece, because I had it completely designed and had already started cutting it when I realized I had a part that wasn’t connected to everything else. Luckily, I realized before it was too late, and implemented a fix.
I’m really enjoying these two-paper/two-color skeletons. This is the third one I’ve done and it features the spine and pelvis, with some connective tissue.
See the piece here »
This piece was a commission for my fiance (very-soon-to-be spouse). I actually did the papercut months and months ago, but have been planning the watercolor background. Now that it is finally done, the piece is ready for viewing!
This is the second in what I plan to be a series of four or five papercuts featuring this bridge.
Here we go! This is much better. I painted a watercolor wash of green, green, and purple behind the round grapes. Now it’s done!
This very line-y piece features a cluster of grapes in the middle surrounded by grape leaves and vines.
I think it really needs some color … maybe I’ll try watercoloring a background.
This is a windy tree… as in “it winds around” not as in “the wind is blowing.”
Last night I added only a gross (144) squares. That’s because I ran out! I have to buy more steel and make more squares. Also, I did a lot of detail work, becuase after I finished the abdomen I had to patch up some empty spaces on the back and near the spinarrets, and then I had to start the transition to the cephalothorax (front part), which was tedious. I put a lot of extra welds in this area because this small transition ara will have to hold the entire weight of the abdomen.
I used two layers of paper, one white and one grey, to convey distance and space between the bones closer to you and the bones further away. I cut out of two pieces of paper then put them together just so, to create the ribs, arms and spine.
Last night I added another 212 squares to the spider abdomen. This makes for a total of 551 squares. The abdomen is almost complete. Now I will begin creating the cephalothorax…
This is my second papercut inspired by the first line of Michael Pollan’s article “Unhappy Meals.” I started with the words and worked outwards, and it ended up being very tree/forest imagry with the food text. But since all of these things are tied together, it still works. It just may make you think a little.
Last night I added another 170 squares to the spider abdomen. This makes for a total of 339 squares.
Two cranes chillin’ in a fantastical design.
Click here to see the whole piece.
I started a new metal sculpture that I’m building entirely out of squares (well, most are actually just rectangles and a few are triangles). You can’t tell right now, but it’s going to be a spider. The part I’ve built first is the top part of the back part … I have to learn some spider anatomy.
This piece was commissioned by Merrie, who gave me lots of free rein, asking only for a hamsa, with intricate work.
I’m kind of amazed that this papercut ended up holding together. I was worried the whole time that some part was going to be unconnected, it got so complicated!
The text from this papercut is the first line of an article ("Unhappy Meals") by Michael Pollan in the NYTimes magazine from January 28, 2007. “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” began the article. He went on to explain what it all means. Click here to read the whole article.