Creative Paper Cutting Workshop in Toronto!

March 8, 2017

At the beginning of April I will be in Toronto visiting family, and I’ve arranged to teach a paper cutting workshop hosted by The Paper Place while I’m in town.

In this hands-on workshop I will introduce students to the joys of creating intricate art through paper cutting. During the class participants will work on two small projects incorporating traditional techniques with a modern twist, and a focus on abstraction and pattern. The goal is to help students develop knife skills, discuss tools and materials, as well as inspire ideas for how to integrate paper cut elements into their own work.

Visit The Paper Place website for the full details and description. Register in person at the store or by phone at 416.703.0089.

Creative Paper Cutting at The Paper Place
Date: Wednesday, April 5th
Time: 6:30-9:30pm
Cost: $90 + $10 Materials fee
Location: 887 Queen St. West, Toronto

Work In Progress: Multiple Paper Cut Sketches

February 20, 2017

Before starting another 3D paper cut piece last week I decided to do a few small sketches to work out an idea I’ve had in my head for the last while. I wanted to make two half circles slightly offset at the centre, and cut these with 3D leaf shapes.

I drew outlines on a scrap piece of paper and did two different sketches, one working from the centre outwards and the other moving from one side to the other. I didn’t actually like the results (which made me so glad I’d decided to sketch this idea first), because it felt clunky and stiff.

I decided the outer shape needed to be curved and graceful to guide the flow of the cutting, so I roughed out a third sketch and only partially finished it because it felt right at last. I moved onto working with a large piece of paper, and will shared progress on it another time.

One of the things I’m hoping to do with the finished piece that has come out of this sketching is frame it with the 3D bits hidden. What is usually the back of these will be displayed as the front. It looks something like the backlit example I have included here (but it won’t have light within the frame).

I’m glad paper cut sketching is becoming an important part of my process once again.

Work in Progress: Changing Patterns in Paper Cutting

February 9, 2017

My sketchbook explorations in January have led to the beginnings of a few new pieces of work. I want to find new shapes and patterns to cut that are variations on what I’ve been doing for years. The piece pictured here is the first of those. It’s still a work in progress because I’m sitting with it for awhile to give me time to work out how it should be finished and displayed.

I want these new pieces to have space to cast shadows and fill three dimensional space rather than flat under a mat. I did an experiment with another finished piece using pins to mount the work within a frame. I also want to break the work out of the remains of the border of uncut paper to further showcase the delicacy of the work, which is what I did with the aforementioned piece.

The actual size of the piece is 11″ x 11″, cut from a piece of 98lb Canson mi-tientes paper. It looks good in person, and will be even better once I figure out the finishing.

Etsy Shop Update: Valentine’s Day Paper Cut Work

January 30, 2017

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.

Studio Sale!

January 17, 2017

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

From Sketchbook To Finished Work

January 13, 20172 Comments

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.

Revisiting My Paper Cutting Sketchbook

January 11, 2017

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.

Recent Commissions: Paper Cut Letter and Wave

December 19, 2016

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…

French Knots on Paper in Blue

December 14, 2016

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!

Looking Towards The Moon

December 12, 2016

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.