I make a few heart-shaped paper cut pieces in the weeks leading up to Valentine’s day, and I’ve recently added two of these to my Etsy shop. I made one in deep red paper backed with white, and one in white paper backed in a bright red.
Red paper cut heart on Etsy »
White paper cut heart on Etsy »
If those don’t grab you, there are also heart-shaped gel pen drawings listed as well.
Join me on Saturday January 28th, 11:30am to 4pm, for a studio sale of EPIC PROPORTIONS!!!
I’ll have a mix of work created over the past ten years (or so) priced low to sell. The selection will include metal prints, liquid light prints, small collage work, paper cut pieces, and the last of my altered book art.
Four and Twenty Black Birds – Mixed Media Altered Book
The Bog Tree – 24″ x 24″ Image Transfer on Aluminum
Wind & Water (series)
The studio sale is generously hosted by fellow artist, Valerie Arntzen, at her studio in Strathcona. She will have a selection of mixed media assemblage work marked down for sale as well.
It’s about time these pieces of art find their forever homes, and it could be with you!
Studio Sale with Rachael Ashe & Valerie Arntzen
AMP Studio
Date: Saturday January 28, 2017
Time: 11:30am to 4pm
Location: 800 Keefer Street, at Hawks Avenue
I didn’t include the sketch that led to this finished piece in my blog post from the other day, but that is where this started on a smaller scale. I liked the sketch and felt it was time to work with the idea on a full sized piece of paper. The repeating shape is an elongated version of the leaf I’ve used in my work for years, but the shift in length/scale feels dramatically different to cut.
It’s amazing how the work appears to pulse and vibrate with energy. Even in these quick photographs it plays with the eye and appears to move.
I’m satisfied with how this turned out, and want to make one on an even larger piece of paper (this is 17″ x 14″). It’s not a dramatic shift from previous work, but it is an interesting iteration.
I want to take my paper cutting work in a new direction incorporating different shapes because the usual ones are starting to feel stale. I’ve been working with them for five years now, and it is time to expand my repertoire of shapes. I brought out the sketchbook I use for brainstorming paper cutting ideas and did a bit of testing. Some of the shapes are variations of the lovely crescent I use in much of my work, and I guess it’s because I love cutting a curve over a straight line.
I haven’t yet settled on an idea yet to go forward with because I have more sketchbook play ahead of me.
It’s hard to be in this place of not knowing what to do next, but I’ve been here enough times to know I need to give myself time and space to explore. It’ll lead somewhere eventually.
I’ve worked on a few small commissions over the last few weeks and have done a bad job of documenting them before they went on their way. I managed to take one quick photo of each of them, but not details.
I made this custom letter paper cut for a client who came across my work via The Georgia Straight instagram account. They reshared my time lapse video during Culture Crawl weekend, and from there she checked out my work and decided to commission this letter for her son. I don’t do these very often but it’s always nice when someone wants one. Check out the Etsy listing here.
The wave is one design in a series I made for a hospitality commission a few years back, and was recently requested to redo because the original was stolen from the client. It’s a bit flattering someone liked it so much they wanted it for themselves, but what a way to go about it. It was lovely to revisit this design and do an even better job of it than years previous. I am much more refined as a paper cutting artist because I have more years of experience under my belt.
I really should make some of these to sell…
I started working on a fourth French knots in paper piece during Culture Crawl weekend to keep myself occupied during the slow times, and also to demonstrate process to visitors. There are so many people who did not realize the framed embroidery pieces were made with thread, so it was perfect to have something on the go to show them how it’s done. I didn’t get very far with it during the Crawl because I can’t talk and stitch at the same time, but I decided to finish it in the following weeks.
With this piece I chose blue thread rather than grey as with the previous ones, but continued using Strathmore 90lb mixed media paper as the canvas. I went with a design where I alternated solid circles with dots. I really like making knots close together so there is a dense amount of thread, but it makes it tricky not to tear the paper while sewing. When this happens my solution to repair it is to use archival document repair tape as I do in paper cutting.
This may be the last of these thread and paper works for awhile as it’s time to get back to concentrating on paper cutting work!
I am more focused on thread than paper lately but I have managed to slip in some paper cutting projects as well. This is a piece of work I finished shortly after the Culture Crawl and it framed in record time. I decided to title it Looking Towards The Moon, which at first I thought was too dramatic but now I think it suits it.
The finished size is 11″ x 14″ cut from archival Strathmore Mixed Media paper, and framed in a white shadowbox.
I did another update to my Etsy shop and added more recent pieces, including three paper embroideries, and cut paper designs. All of the pieces come framed and ready to hang.
French knot embroidery on paper listed on Etsy »
French knot embroidery on paper, listed on Etsy »
3D Paper Cut work, listed on Etsy »
Paper cut with acrylic ink, listed on Etsy »
You can also browse the entire shop here.
This week the Christmas-related making came into play when I decided to make a second advent calendar for our home. The one I made last year wasn’t large enough to accommodate two small gifts in each drawer, so I quickly threw together a simple one using small paper bags and envelopes. I gave each one a fancy number and then used string, thumb tacks, and tiny clothes pins to hang it all on the wall. We’re now onto day two of getting into the treats hidden inside.
Using coloured paper left over from the sonobe artwork, I started making origami ornaments for the Steamclock office. It’s the first time we’re decorating for Christmas at the office and I’m making things festive and colourful, while steering clear of the usual tacky decorations. I made two different styles of modular ornaments in turquoise with white, and bright blue with white.
My co-worker Rach and I have been using these awesome chalk markers to draw on the office windows to also add a festive touch. I’ll share details of the office decor once it is all done next week.
A update to my Etsy shop has been a long time coming, and now you can find six new pieces of recent work available for purchase. The update includes three framed paper succulents, and three framed pieces from the microcosm series that combine drawing and paper cutting. All of the work is framed and ready to hang.
Paper Succulents 9″ x 9″ framed
Microcosm series 9″ x 9″ framed
Microcosm series 9″ x 9″ framed
Visit my Etsy shop to view more of the work, and to make a purchase.