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The Art Of Paper Cutting

Bovey Lee

Henya Melichson

11– 26

Eiko Ojala

Calvin Nicholls

41– 54

55 – 68

Peter Callesen 27 – 40

Yulia Brodskaya

Patrick Cabral

69 – 84

85 – 98

THE ART OF PAPER CUTTING

Jian Zhi

The Art Of Paper Cutting Henya Melichson May 2009

Paper cutting is the art of paper designs. The art has evolved uniquely all over the world to adapt to different cultural styles. One traditional distinction most styles share in common is that the designs are cut from a single sheet of paper as opposed to multiple adjoining sheets as in collage. Paper cut art appeared during the Han dynasty in 4th century AD after the Chinese official, Cai Lun invented paper in 105 AD. The oldest surviving paper cut out is a symmetrical circle from the 6th century Six Dynasties period found in Xinjiang China. Paper cutting continued to be practiced during the Song and Tang Dynasties as a popular form of decorative art. By the eighth or ninth century paper cutting appeared in West Asia and in Turkey in the 16th century. The knowledge of Paper making did not reach Europe until the 13th century so paper cutting could only have arrived after that. In Switzerland and Germany for example it was not until the 16th century that paper cut art or scherenschnitte was established. Paper Cutting Around The World Paper cutting is an ancient craft that is practiced in diverse forms in cultures around the world. In some cultures, only white and black papers are used; in others, colored papers and paints are favored. In some cultures, paper cuts are done done only with scissors; in other cultures, sharp

blades are used. In some cultures, the paper is folded once, twice, or several times before cutting; in other cultures, the paper is never folded. Despite these differences, there are also many similarities. For example, paper cutting is generally connected to other arts, and may borrow ideas and patterns from other areas. In ancient China, paper cuts were used to transfer embroidery patterns, and for adding decorations to ceramics. Wood carvings had an impact on paper cutting in England, France, and Holland, while the patterns featured in Persian carpets inspired paper cutting for book covers in ancient Iran and Iraq. At the same time, diverse art forms have also been influenced by paper cutting. Lace patterns have been influenced by paper cut designs in Europe, the United States, and Mexico. Asia — Paper cutting likely originated in China, the country where paper was invented. It is known here as jian zhi, and was traditionally used to transfer patterns, adorn walls and windows, and decorate presents. Chinese paper cuts are often cut from red paper; common motifs include flowers and animals. In Japan, paper cutting is known as kirigami. A cousin of the widely known craft of origami (the art of paper folding), kirigami combines both folding and cutting. In ancient times, kirigami was used to cut the symbols of great Samurai families. Paper cut stencils were used to transfer these symbols to people’s clothing and property.

The Art Of Paper Cutting

Cai Lun — Cai Lun, a Chinese eunuch court official of the Eastern Han dynasty who is traditionally credited with the invention of paper.

Photo — The earliest paper-cut fragments unearthed in Turpan, Xinjiang, China

Shadow puppetry is an Asian craft based on paper cutting. In these plays, puppets are cut from paper using sharp knives, and shows are carried out in front of an illuminated surface. These plays likely originated in China, but eventually spread throughout Asia, and are popular today in Thailand and India. The Americas — The United States, as a center of immigrants, attracted people from all over Europe, and when they came, they brought with them distinct paper cutting traditions. Paper cuts were used for diverse purposes, including decorating religious texts, public documents, and cards. Traditional U.S. paper cuts may depict homes-

tead scenes or images associated with holidays. Paper cuts are particularly favored on Valentine’s Day, when people often send frilly heart-shaped cards to their loved ones. Mexico features a distinct form of paper cutting known as paper picado or punched paper. In this technique, artists use a hammer and chisel to punch designs onto stacks of thin colored paper. They may produce tens or hundreds of paper cuts at one time. The paper cuts are often cut into long banners, and used for decorations during Día de los Muertos celebrations, and other holidays. Europe — Paper cutting arrived in Europe during the fifteenth century, and was quickly embraced

Jian Zhi

Photo — Alive, but Dead Peter Callesen 2006

The Art Of Paper Cutting

Samurai — Samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century to their abolition in 1876. Paper picado — They are made of brightly coloured paper and are cut (often with 40 or 50 sheets at a time). Different paper colors represent different meanings.

by crafts people in several countries. Known as scherenschnitte in German, the craft became very popular in both Germany and Switzerland by the 1600s. It was used to cut stencils for furniture, embroidery, and lace patterns. One style that was particularly popular in these cultures was using paper cuts to decorate the front of greeting cards, while the inside featured a religious sign or the image of a saint. Another popular style, known as marques, involved cutting very delicate bookmarks. Paper cuts here are usually made with a blade, and the paper is not folded. Common motifs include mountain images, vases with flowers, rural scenes, and portraits. In England, paper cutting became a pastime for people in the upper classes during the nineteenth century, alongside embroidery and other handicrafts. Silhouettes were a popular form of paper cutting all over Europe during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. They are an excellent method for reproducing the likeness of a person or place without using a camera. In Holland, paper cutting is known as papiersnyden. It is traditionally done on white paper, without any addition of color. Dutch paper cuts are almost always cut with scissors, and though they may be either symmetrical or asymmetrical, the paper is almost always unfolded. One distinct Dutch style of paper cutting involves cutting small serrated scales. In Poland, paper cutting is known as wycinanki, and dates to the

nineteenth century. Polish paper cuts generally involve various colors of paper, often affixed in layers. These papers are cut, clipped, or torn, then assembled into a composite image. Peacocks, flowers, roosters, and star-shaped medallions are common motifs. Types Of Paper Cuts Bookmarks — Paper cuts can be used to fill a variety of functions, both practical and aesthetic. In the following pages, you will see examples of my favorite types of paper cuts, and get ideas on how you can put your own paper cuts to use. If you are just starting out in paper cutting, bookmarks are excellent first projects. They are relatively small, which means you can likely complete one in just a few hours. Bookmarks aren’t only for beginners, though, and you can integrate any type of design you like, be it simple, intricate, or something in between. Insert a piece of colored paper into a folded paper cut to add a colorful background to your design. Both functional and aesthetic, bookmarks make lovely gifts. Decorative wall hangings — Paper cuts of any size can be mounted, framed, and hung on the wall. The subject of your paper cut may be anything under the sun, and use a range of colors. Paper cuts can be used to make blessings for the home, recreate a scene from a story, or convey meaning through the use of symbols

Jian Zhi

Photo — Goldfish Pippa Dyrlaga 2021 Photo — Bonsai Tree Raya Sader Bujana 2019

and text. Frames — Paper cuts can be excellent frames for mirrors, photographs, drawings, or paintings. Frames are often symmetrical and made with a vertical fold down the middle. Measure carefully before you begin cutting to make sure that the open area in the middle of the frame suits the object you are framing. In planning this type of paper cut, keep in mind that you want the paper cut to add beauty to

The Art Of Paper Cutting

Día de los Muertos — Or Day of the Dead, is a celebration of life and death. It largely originated in Mexico. Symmetrical — Symmetrical balance occurs when you have two identical sides of a design with a central point of axis.

the central object, but you don’t want it to steal the show. Greeting cards — There are so many reasons to send greeting cards; making them yourself with paper cuts means you never have to rely on something from the store. You can make christmas cards, new year cards, valentine’s day cards, birthday cards, or anniversary cards. Paper cut designs are also excellent for making invitations—just bring your finished paper cut to a print shop and make high quality photocopies. Paper cuts made for this purpose can be mounted on metallic paper first, then onto card stock, for added festiveness. Techniques Symmetrical — In symmetrical paper cuts, two sides of the paper cut are mirror images of each other. Paper cuts may be vertically or horizontally symmetrical, or both, depending on how they are folded. In these paper cuts, the paper is folded, and the design is drawn onto one side. The paper should stay folded until the entire paper cut is cut, since unfolding and refolding the paper can weaken the folded seam, and cause it to rip. Asymmetrical — In asymmetrical paper cuts, the paper is not folded at all. The design is drawn onto the back of the paper before cutting. Combined symmetrical and asymmetrical — Many of my paper cuts feature both symmetrical and asymmetrical elements.

To make this type of paper cut, I draw and cut the symmetrical elements first. I already know how the asymmetrical elements will look, and usually sketch them on a piece of tracing paper in advance. I don’t draw them on the paper cut until the symmetrical elements have been cut. After cutting the symmetrical elements, I carefully unfold the paper cut and flatten the fold. Using the asymmetrical design that I sketched on the tracing paper as a guide, I sketch these elements onto the paper cut. When it comes to cutting the a symmetrical elements, I recommend using a knife rather than scissors, since

Jian Zhi

using scissors at this stage can be tricky, and can cause the paper cut to rip. Positive — In positive cutting, elements of the design remain in the paper, and the background is removed. For example, if the paper cut is cut from white paper and mounted on black paper, the white paper will feature the design, and the black paper will show the back-ground. In such paper cuts, all positive elements must be connected; otherwise, they will fall out when the background is removed. Negative — In negative cutting, elements of the design are cut out of the paper, and the background remains. For example, if the paper cut is cut from white paper and mounted on black paper, the white paper will show the background, and the black paper will feature the design. Combined positive and negative when starting out, it is easier to make the whole paper cut either positive or negative. However, as you gain experience, you’ll find that combining the two cutting styles in a single design introduces a world of possibilities in terms of creating shade, movement, and three-dimensional effect. Tools And Materials Part of the universal appeal of paper cutting is that the supplies are inexpensive and very easy to find. All of the items below can be found in craft stores and online. Cellophane — This translucent, light material can be used to enhance

your paper cut by adding a touch of delicate color. Cut the cellophane to size and affix behind your paper cut before mounting it on the desired background. Cutting mat — You’ll need one of these if you use a blade for paper cutting. I suggest selecting a self-healing mat, comprised of layers of PVC, since this type of mat won’t disintegrate with use. Using this type of mat also reduces dulling of your blade. Make sure the cutting mat you use is a little larger than your paper cut. Cutting tools — Paper cutting artists use either scissors or a blade to cut the paper. The choice is simply a matter of preference, so try your hand at both tools to determine which is most comfortable. Note that if you use a blade, you’ll also need a cutting mat. Scissors — If you opt for scissors, choose a pair that is very sharp, and has short, straight blades. The shorter the blades on your scissors, the easier it is to make tiny and precise cuts. Blade If you opt for a blade, choose one that is very sharp. I generally use a doctor’s scalpel, but utility blades that can be sharpened or replaced easily are also excellent. Glue — Use acid-free white craft glue to affix colored paper, metallic paper, or cellophane to your paper cut, and to affix your paper cut to its background. Apply the glue in carefully placed dots; do not try to spread the glue, as this can cause the paper cut to tear. Letter and phrase decals — Add a perfectly written personalized

The Art Of Paper Cutting

Asymmetrical — It means that the two halves of the work of art are different, however, try to create balance.

Photo — Solstice Pippa Dyrlaga 2020

Jian Zhi

Photo — Ghost Coral Colour Variation Rogan Brown 2020

The Art Of Paper Cutting

Positive — Positive space is best described as the areas in a work of art that are the subjects, or areas of interest. Negative — Negative space is area around the subjects, or areas of interest.

message to your paper cut using letter or phrase decals. Many companies sell phrases in prepared formats, and some even offer personalized phrases, allowing you to select the words, font, size, and color. Paper — Virtually any type of paper can be used for paper cutting, though you should keep in mind that the quality of the paper has a direct impact on the longevity of your work. At the same time, you don’t want your paper to be too thick, since this can make cutting it more difficult. Here are some tips to keep in mind when selecting paper: Cardboard or matboard, this is the paper upon which you’ll mount your paper cut when it is finished. Choose a color that harmonizes with the color of the paper cut. Colored paper — Polish-style paper cuts often feature several layers of brightly colored paper. Select colors that harmonize with each other and make sure that the paper isn’t too thick, so that it doesn’t bulge upwards from the paper cut. Metallic paper — This type of paper can be used to make shimmering paper cuts, or to add a festive touch to a paper cut cut from regular paper. If you are cutting the entire paper cut from this paper, make sure it has a white or light-colored backing for drawing your design. Also, make sure the backing is well attached; otherwise, it can become separated from the metallic paper while you are cutting. Silhouette paper — This type of paper is black or dark-colored on one side, and white or light-

colored on the other side. If you decide to make a dark-colored paper cut you’ll need this type of paper, as the light-colored side provides the surface upon which you can draw. Tracing paper or vellum, this is perfect for making a preliminary sketch of your design. When you’re happy with how the design looks on tracing 10 paper, transfer it to the paper you’ll be using for your paper cut. Variegated paper — This type of paper features at least two colors that blend gradually from one to the next. When using it as a background for your paper cut consider the orientation of the paper before mounting the paper cut. White paper — most people start out using ordinary white paper (the type used in most home printers) for their paper cuts. I like to use slightly glossy paper, but paper with a matte finish is fine too. An advantage of using white paper is that you can add color to the final work if you like.

BOVEY LEE

Artworks

Photo — Rescue Mission Bovey Lee 2009

Bovey Lee was born in Hong Kong and moved to the United States in 1993. She works with and combines a wide range of media, including drawing, painting, digital media, and most recently paper cutting. Since 2005, Bovey’s paper cutout drawings seek to preserve, promote, and extend an ancient Chinese folk art through invention by adding personal and contemporary elements that have not been used in the traditional craft before.

Jian Zhi

Photo — Roots Bovey Lee 2014

Bovey Lee

Artworks

Jian Zhi

Photo — We Are All Mountaineers – Entry Bovey Lee 2018 Photo — Tiara – White Picket Fences Bovey Lee 2018 Photo — Tiara – Iron Gate Bovey Lee 2018

Bovey Lee

Artworks

Jian Zhi

Bovey Lee

Artworks

Photo — Bonsai – Wired Cities Bovey Lee 2016

Jian Zhi

Photo — Hope – Orchids (Indoor) Bovey Lee 2021

Bovey Lee

Artworks

Photo — Hope – Orchids (Outdoor) Bovey Lee 2021

Jian Zhi

Cut Paper Artist Bovey Lee: Work of Precision

Creative Mapping Oct 08, 2014

Chinese Paper Cutting, or Jianzhi was the first type of papercutting design, since paper was first invented. Bovey Lee is keeping this highly specialized art form alive. This art form was used a lot by the Chinese nobility of earlier times who could afford such luxuries as skilled papercutters to entertain. Born in Hong Kong and based in Pittsburgh, US, Bovey Lee spoke with Creative Mapping about her exquisite and delicate work.

Where do you live? What & where did you study?

I was born in Hong Kong and live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. I studied fine arts at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. After finishing my Bachelor of Arts degree there, I went to University of California at Berkeley for my first Masters of Fine Arts degree in painting and drawing. Subsequently, I earned a second Masters in digital arts from the Pratt Institute in NY.

Bovey Lee

Interview

Chinese calligraphy — Chinese calligraphy is the writing of Chinese characters as an art form, combining purely visual art and interpretation of the literary meaning.

How did you become a professional creative, who are your clients and how do you market yourself?

When do you know your cuts are truly a finished work?

I decided to become a full-time artist after nearly a decade of teaching in higher education, shortly after the success of my first cut paper solo exhibition in 2007 at my Hong Kong gallery – Grotto Fine Art. I exhibit my works nationally and internationally. It’s what most artists do to reach their audiences. Bovey Lee Studio is my creative sanctuary where I work and meet with curators, critics, and collectors. Bloggers and online art journals feature my works and I do a lot of interviews. I’ve a website (boveylee. com), blog (BoveyBlog), and Facebook page. My works are also included in books, magazines, and newspapers. The two galleries that currently represent my works, Grotto Fine Art (Hong Kong) and Rena Bransten (San Francisco), are integral in bringing my works to collectors and major art fairs. My first commission was two original cut paper works for the Hong Kong boutique of F. P. Journe, a Swiss luxury watch company.

Over the course of making a cut paper work, I spend time looking and thinking as it progresses. To know a piece is completed, I need to find certain rhythm and balance within the play of solid and void. I look for a kind of flow, elegance, and integrity. I’m always immensely gratified the moment a cut paper work is finished.

Jian Zhi

Where does your passion for Chinese calligraphy come from?

I am a cut paper artist and work with Chinese xuan (rice) paper. Power, sacrifice, and survival are the three themes that connect all of my works. A grade school teacher taught me Chinese calligraphy when I was ten. I love calligraphy because it suits my personality well; I like its immediacy and how much precision, focus, and patience it takes. It trains the eye, hand, and mind co- ordination like no other. In many ways, these are the same qualities that attracted me to cut paper.

Work environment, preferred working programs/tools/materials/music?

I use fairly simple tools and materials. To create the digital templates that guide me to cut, I use Photoshop, Illustrator, and a printer. For cutting I use Chinese xuan (rice) paper, X-Acto knife and blades and cutting mat. I prefer working in silence. If I listen to music, it’s on repeat, so my emotion stays constant for that block of time. Some of the musicians I listen to repeatedly are Tom Waits, My Morning Jacket, Teddy Thompson, Adele, and Bob Schneider.

Bovey Lee

Interview

X-Acto knife — An X-ACTO knife is also known as an exacto, utitily or craft knife. This tool used by crafters and quilters for precision cutting making it the perfect tool when cutting plastic or heavy paper for templates.

What’s your creative process, from inspiration, through to the execution of your paper cuts?

My creative process is three-fold; drawing, digital rendering, and hand-cutting. I form ideas by sketching before creating a digital template. The template is a visual guide that consists of downloaded images, my own photographs, scans from magazines and books, and vector graphics. The final step is for me to hand cut the image with an X-Acto knife.

Your biggest achievement to-date?

My biggest achievement to date is to be able to do what I love.

Biggest challenges as a creative such as blocks, loneliness etc...how do you deal with it?

Because my process is naturally slow and labour intensive, I don’t produce a large amount of works. It’s been the biggest challenge because the world we live in loves to rush and hurry. People are always surprised by how much time is necessary for me to complete a single work. They tend to have hours and days in mind, while it’s really weeks and months most of the time. I’m finding ways to increase the number of works I create and having studio assistance helps.

Jian Zhi

Where’s your favourite place to escape to?

I like going to a trail near where I live and take long walks. I’m lucky to be in western Pennsylvania where Laurel Highlands are so beautiful and offer lots to do. There’s also reading, and watching movies which takes me to imaginative worlds for moments separated from the hustle and bustle of everyday.

What inspires you the most in your city?

Pittsburgh’s landscape is rich with rivers, bridges (the most in the world), hills, industrial remnants, high rises, and green spaces. I created several large cut paper installations referencing that in a solo exhibition entitled ”Paper Streets.” Paper streets are the steep staircases that go nowhere but exist on maps as legal streets in many Pittsburgh neighbourhoods.

Are you part of a creative community?

I believe in giving back to the arts community and sat on a board in the past. I’m a member, and have been supportive of, the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council. There’s a group of cut paper artists I also talk to.

Bovey Lee

Interview

Xuan (rice) paper — It is a kind of paper originating in ancient China used for writing and painting. Xuan paper is renowned for being soft and fine textured, suitable for conveying the artistic expression of both Chinese calligraphy and painting.

Dream project and collaboration?

I have many dream projects; one is a solo exhibition that allows me to create large and site-specific installations. I also want to experiment cut paper techniques in architectural sites and public spaces. I’d love to collaborate with musicians, writers, animators, and filmmakers.

Favourite blogs and magazines?

I read DesignBoom, Art Radar Asia, Huffingtonpost and the New York Times online. I subscribe to Time.

Which national and international festival/ trade-shows are a must for you?

There are several art fairs I participate annually, including Art Asia and Pulse in Miami, ART HK and Fine Art Asia in Hong Kong. In March this year, I’ll also have works in Scope in New York.

Favourite suppliers?

The Chinese mounting master who hand mounts the xuan (rice) paper on silk for me.

PETER CALLESEN

Peter Callesen

Artworks

Photo — Paperman Peter Callesen 2008

Peter Callesen works with white paper in different objects, paper cuts, installations and performances. He transforms it into playful sculptures, people, animals or nature motifs. For Callesen, the A4 white sheet of paper is ‘a material that we are all able to relate to and at the same time the A4 paper sheet is neutral and open to fill with different meaning.’ The thin white paper gives his sculptures a frailty that underlines the tragic and romantic theme of his works. Callesen’s paper cuts explore the proable and magical transformation of the flat sheet of paper into figures that expand into the space surrounding them.

Jian Zhi

Peter Callesen

Artworks

Photo — Hanging Image Peter Callesen 2008 Photo — Cut To The Bone II Peter Callesen 2008

Jian Zhi

Photo — Fall Peter Callesen 2006

Peter Callesen

Artworks

Photo — Alive But Dead (small) Peter Callesen 2012

Jian Zhi

Peter Callesen

Artworks

Photo — Heaven and Hell Peter Callesen 2006

Jian Zhi

Photo — The Lost Sheep Peter Callesen 2006 Photo — Water Always Finds Its Way II Peter Callesen 2015

Jian Zhi

About Peter Callesen: Contemporary artist with a romantic spirit Peter Callesen Denmark

Danish artist Peter Callesen doesn’t so much create works on paper, but rather works from paper. Callesen uses paper as his medium, creating sculptural works by folding paper. But his work is more complicated thann cutting and pasting pieces of paper. Each work is made by cutting a single sheet and using only the removed paper to create figures or buildings. These sheets can be as small as a4 size or as big as 7m by 5m. Callesen states, ‘‘my paper works have been based around an exploration of the relationship between two and three dimensionality. I find this materialization of a flat piece of paper into a 3d form almost a magic process.’’ The meticulous works definitely hold a sense of wonder that comes from their precise detail capture through such a common material.

Lately I have worked almost exclusively with white paper in different objects, paper cuts, installations and performances. A large part of my work is made from A4 sheets of paper. It is probably the most common and consumed media used for carrying information today. This is why we rarely notice the actual materiality of the A4 paper. By taking away all the information and starting from scratch using the blank white A4 paper sheet for my creations, I feel I have found a material that we are all able to relate

Peter Callesen

Essay

A4 Paper — To many people wordwide, excluding North America and Canada, the most familiar paper size size is A4 (a familiar 210mm x 297mm). It is commonly used for letters and correspondence in the UK and it is the standard paper size for most home printers.

to, and at the same time the A4 paper sheet is neutral and open to fill with different meaning. The thin white paper gives the paper sculptures a frailty that underlines the tragic and romantic theme of my works. The paper cut sculptures explore the probable and magical transformation of the flat sheet of paper into figures that expand into the space surrounding them. The negative and absent 2 dimensional space left by the cut, points out the contrast to the 3 dimensional reality it creates, even though the figures still stick to their origin without the possibility of escaping. In that sense there is also an aspect of something tragic in many of the cuts. Recently I have worked with the notion of complexity in the piece ‘White Diary’. It presents a human head with a sketchbook in the centre. Out from the pages of the book grows a complex thought-process as an imaginative landscape filled with details and fairytale stories. This maze mapping of the brain shows at the same time confusion and a feeling of getting lost in the detail, which in turn disables any rational overview for a while. Not until the sculpture is seen at a distance and its entirety drawn in can you create order in the chaos. Some of the paper works are coloured and framed. Others are larger installations such as one to one copies of stairs and ladders made out of thin white paper. These works derive from

Jian Zhi

“A large part of my work is made from A4 sheets of paper. It is probably the most common and consumed media used for carrying information today. This is why we rarely notice the actual materiality of the A4 paper.”

earlier pieces such as ‘Bridge’ and ‘Still Life’. They deal with dreams and the impossible. But the stairs and ladders represent a more fragile and almost sublime form. The trashy style in earlier works has developed into a more precise aesthetics. These works exist in the gap between the recognizable everyday object and the fragile and spherical condition and material in which they appear. The whiteness, the ideal pure copy of something real as well as the vertical direction coherent in most of my paper works, could also indicate the aspect of something platonic or religious. Another returning theme in my work is the reinterpretation of classical fairytales associated with a more general interest in memory in connection to childhood. This theme is also present in ‘Crossing’, ‘Castle’, and ‘Jukebox’ which are examples of playful performances that exist in the lost land of childhood between dream and reality. It is in this meeting or confrontation of these two conditions, in a kind of utopian embodiment, that these works become alive, often in a tragicomic way.

Peter Callesen

Essay

Platonic — Platonic describes a relationship that is purely spiritual and not physical.

A continual figure in my earlier performances and later drawings is ‘The Dying Swan’, who can be described as a hybrid between ‘The Ugly Duckling’ and a human figure. ‘The Dying Swan’ reveals different layers of identity, and often he strives at being somebody or somewhere else or tries to achieve the impossible. He is, however, always confronted with reality and failure. In his interaction and power play with the audience his physical presence often creates an intense and uncomfortable atmosphere. In the drawings ‘The Dying Swan’ creates his own universe, where he seems to be trapped in impossible situations and circles, dealing with death, rebirth, self-creation, and self-destruction.

EIKO OJALA

Jian Zhi

Photo — Herman Miller Eiko Ojala 2014

Eiko Ojala, an illustrator and graphic designer from Estonia, gives a new meaning to cuttingedge digital illustration, by combining the warmth and texture of traditional materials with the technical and expressive potential made possible by digital design tools. He creates illustrations depicting landscapes, portraits and cartoon-like figures through the use of an illustration technique that combines real paper-cut patterns with digital editing. Ojala doesn’t use 3D software to create his images; instead, he creates a trompe-l’oeil of three-dimensional depth by hand, through a careful study of form and shadow, and a minimalist approach to illustration.

Jian Zhi

Eiko Ojala

Artworks

Photo — World Religions I Eiko Ojala 2012

Artworks

Photo — Risk Eiko Ojala 2019 Photo — Hunger for Love Eiko Ojala 2013

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Photo — Hunger for Love Eiko Ojala 2013

Eiko Ojala

Artworks

Jian Zhi

Eiko Ojala

Artworks

Photo — Herman Miller Eiko Ojala 2014 Photo — Hugs Eiko Ojala 2020

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Quiet Art Speaks Strongly: Eiko Ojala

NY Times Aug, 2016

Eiko Ojala is an Estonian illustrator who also works as a graphic designer and art director. His graphic design illustrations are particularly aimed at and published in books and magazines, from ads to covers. He likes to keep his illustrations minimal and well-adviced. Combining craftmanship with a healthy sprinkling of wit. Eiko was nominated for the “Young Illustrators Award” at Illustrative.de as well as the YCN professional Award and was featured on multiple platforms and forums, including Trendland, It’s Nice That and Etapes.

I know that you love nature and spend a lot of time hiking, sailing and trekking. What role does nature play in your illustration work?

It’s really important. To able to do great work I need to be empty of things and thoughts I don’t need. Then I have more room for ideas, inspiration and so on. Hiking, sailing and trekking are activities that lead me to places where I can unload these unnecessary thoughts and tensions.

You’ve also worked as a graphic designer. How does that influence what you do as an illustrator?

It has influenced my illustration work quite a bit. It has kept my work as simple and precise as possible. My work process is more about getting rid of things than rather adding them.

Eiko Ojala

Interview

Cross-section — Or sections, as they’re commonly called, are architectural drawings that are orthographic projections of structures with a cut transecting them. This type of projection shows a three-dimensional drawing in a two-dimensional view.

When approached by a client, what kind of input do you need to do the best job you can?

It really depends on the project. But most important thing I like to find out is what kind of mood or feeling the client is after. Is it serious, ironic or just funny.

52 Does it make you feel something, and does it make you want to engage with the idea/ text/information/product/service?

As above, all the illustrations communicate ideas or descriptions in the text, but the cross-section illustration is the stand-out work that really engages your interest and imagination. While the other illustrations are technically impressive and very elegant, they lack an energy or playfulness to really make them pop. In the cross-section illustration, it is the smallest elements that give life to this work: the puffs of steam, the dripping water and the small splashes of sewage. The illustration still conveys information – how the pipes, tunnels and tubes are organised in different layers, and what they transport – but the cross-section structure is something you would never be able to see in a photograph. It sparked me to imagine what could be in the street below me – undoubtedly there is a similarly jumbled mess of pipes and tunnels weaving beneath Berlin’ streets.

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What do you wish you could teach yourself as a 20-year-old?

Learn how to dream. Then dreams come true.

As a freelancer, how do you stay disciplined?

I think it’s really personal. There is no tool to stay disciplined. My motivation is not the deadline. It’s more like getting things done few days before the deadline so I would have a bit more time to make changes, add new ideas. This makes me happy.

How does the work sit in relation to contemporary or historical contexts (artistic, stylistic, cultural, social, political etc.), or in the artists own practice?

Paper-cutting and paper-art has a long tradition (from as far back as the 4th Century), and many artists continue to work in the field. Over the last few years paper-art has been a popular trend in advertising, perhaps due to the contemporary fetishisation of anything ‘hand-crafted’. But, this contemporary focus on hand-craft and its echo of the modernist idea of ‘truth to materials’, is being challenged by these works. Ojala’s illustrations are clearly well crafted, and he is peerless in digital paper-art, but what is most exciting is that in working with ‘digital paper’ and creating works tailored for digital media, Ojala’s work utilises all that digital media has to offer and shows new possibilities for paper-art style illustration.

Eiko Ojala

Interview

Freelancer — Freelancers are self-employed people who don’t work at a particular company but a lot of them.

You’ve put out a lot of personal projects. How do they come about? Do you have a concept in mind when you start creating?

I usually do. And these concepts come with so big energy that I have to pause all other projects. But I know these personal projects are seeds for some bigger projects or commercial projects.

54 How is the work presented, published or displayed, and does that play a role in, or influence the work?

I’m not sure if the article and illustration work was also published in the printed version of the New York Times, but the online version takes advantage of the benefits of digital publishing. The large opening illustration sits under the main heading, filling the full width of the browser. It is a bold, graphic start to the article and leads you down into the text. Utilising the website’s simple contemporary scrolling format, the user scrolls down through the content of the article, where the illustrations are interspersed with the text. The illustrations are placed on equal footing to the text of the article, and sometimes even threatens to overwhelm it: the illustration of symbols [above] fills the width of the browser, dissects the text, and loudly demands you pay attention to it. In the illustrations, tones of grey and black depict concrete and asphalt, and are punctuated with bright yellow road markings, blue and green water and sewage, or red cars, wires or symbols. The text is also designed in blacks and greys, with lines in bright yellow to highlight certain salient points in the article.

Calvin Nicholls

Jian Zhi

Photo — Against the Cold – Mourning Dove Calvin Nicholls 2020

Calvin Nicholls, a Canadian paper genius, has discovered ways of turning plain white paper into a breathtaking masterpiece. He studied Graphic Design in the late 1970’s in Ontario. A year after graduating he went on to open his own freelance design studio in North Toronto. But it wasn’t until 1984 that he started using paper as his dominant medium for his design projects. Since then he has combined his passion of wild life with his passion for art.

Jian Zhi

Calvin Nicholls

Artworks

Photo — Goldcrest Calvin Nicholls 2020 Photo — Splash Dance Calvin Nicholls 2019

Photo — Dolphins in the Surf Calvin Nicholls 2018

Jian Zhi

Calvin Nicholls

Artworks

Photo — Found a Peanut – Blue Jay Calvin Nicholls 2020 Photo — Nuthatch Calvin Nicholls 2015 Photo — Plover Calvin Nicholls 2019

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Photo — Zig-Zag Calvin Nicholls 2020

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Paper Artist Calvin Nicholls Finds Inspiration in the Forest

DOMTAR Newsroom Jan 22, 2021

In Calvin Nicholls’s sculptural forms, feathered and furry creatures are meticulously crafted from small pieces of white paper. When viewed up-close, their texture resembles the fullness of a wintery landscape, but in full form, the Canadian artist’s animals are so vivid that they appear as though they could leap, fly, and spring out of the canvas. Nicholls (previously) seamlessly examines and sculpts every detail of an animal’s body, from the difference in plume texture in doves to the strained muscles of a giraffe to the intoxicating stare of a tiger stalking its prey.

Why did you choose paper as your medium?

There was a class when I was in art school that provided a focus on paper as a medium. We made three-dimensional models, and I quite enjoyed it. That was in the late 1970s, so I had the idea of paper in my mind when, as a freelance designer, I discovered the artist in Toronto. That prompted me to look into other paper sculptors, and I found several of them were using very different approaches. None were doing wildlife though. That would be my path as I had time to do my own pieces. Eventually I stayed very busy with commercial projects, first in Canada and then in the United States, where gradually almost all of my work came from.

Calvin Nicholls

Interview

100% cotton papers — 100% cotton rag papers are traditionally used for printmaking and publishing, but are also ideal for drawing, watercolor and mixed media techniques.

How long have you been working as a paper artist?

What type of paper do you use and why?

I was incredibly inspired after hiring a paper sculpture artist in Toronto to provide sculptures for a menu design I was working on. The menu was a huge success, and I was hooked. Experiments began immediately, and the first presentable ones were completed in 1986 or so. One was done for a travel brochure cover. Another of a rag doll was completed as a promotional poster for a printing company in 1987 or 1988.

The papers must be resistant to airborne acids and resist fading over time. These are archival qualities, and because collectors asked for pieces to be framed, these issues became very important. I’m finding that the 100 percent cotton papers are very soft and readily accept “tooling,” whether it be scoring, burnishing or embossing. I also like how I can get various weights in these high-end commercial papers. They come in several text weights for fine detail and heavier cover weights for structure and underlying support. There are Japanese handmade papers that offer a high degree of strength and varying finishes, and those have added some nice accents in more recent pieces.

Jian Zhi

What are your favorite properties of paper?

Score lines in the paper cause the light to abruptly change from highlight to shadow. Curling or burnishing provides a subtle transition from highlight to shadow in an endless array of grey tones due to the smooth surface. The tactile surface and delicate quality go hand in hand with the images of nature I enjoy most as subjects.

Why is photography so important to the process?

My first sculptures were produced for the print media so a photograph was required. Large format film was used to capture the detail and to assure that sharpness would be at it’s ultimate. In 1992 I purchased my own large format equipment and have enjoyed the process thoroughly often spending a day playing with strobe set-ups and the camera. My process is not complete until I see the detail and form come to life in strategically placed light. It’s a fascinating process to watch light play over the surface of the artwork. It serves as a reward while pointing out areas that require touch up or final tweaks. The resulting photos whether digital or on film provide an archive and the opportunity to create art prints of the images.

Calvin Nicholls

Interview

Burnishing — Burnishing is usually done with burnishers. A burnisher is a hand tool used in woodworking for creating a burr on a card scraper.

What is your process?

How long do they take to finish?

Clients and I start with a discussion about concepts and subject matter, materials and size as well as budgets and timing. Rough sketches are sent to the client to review and prompt further discussion before starting on the actual final drawings. Research often includes consultation with biologists, world-renowned photographers and trips into the field to witness the subject first hand. Final drawings identify the changes in plane and define the individual surface layering and detail. A tracing paper “map” allows me to keep that final drawing close at hand while cutting the components and positioning them on the body form. Each piece is embossed, scored and formed to present the desired texture.

Detailed fur is slow and feathers can be equally challenging so predicting accurately how long a piece will take is very difficult. The largest sculptures I’ve done require several hundreds of hours while the more modest pieces keep me busy for two or more weeks. Familiarity with the subject is a big factor as well. My love of birds often propels me through pieces much faster than when sculpting subjects with emphasis on musculature and structure.

YULIA BRODSKAYA

Artworks

Photo — Seeing Yulia Brodskaya 2019

The British artist Yulia Brodskaya found herself in her art when she transcended from digital expression. Instead, she developed a modern and self-made form of quilling. Today, she paints with paper and expresses herself in 3D, instead of 2D. She has clients all over the world and has done commissioned work for Wimbledon, Godiva and Hermes, to name a few.

Jian Zhi

Yulia Brodskaya

Artworks

Photo — Autumn Leaves Yulia Brodskaya 2017 Photo — Pond Leaves Yulia Brodskaya 2017

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Photo — Seeshall Yulia Brodskaya 2019

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Yulia Brodskaya

Artworks

Photo — Holi Yulia Brodskaya 2019 Photo — Textile Market Yulia Brodskaya 2016

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Photo — Flame Yulia Brodskaya 2020 Photo — Put To The Light Yulia Brodskaya 2019

Jian Zhi

Spotlight: Yulia Brodskaya, Artist and Illustrator

Create Whimsy Aug 07, 2020

What’s in a name? In illustrator Yulia Brodskaya’s case, her name was instrumental in discovering her unique process of creating paper art. Reaching for a way to illustrate “Yulia” in a distinctive way, she saw the potential of paper as her signature expressive medium.

When was the first time that you remember realizing that you are a creative person?

My parents sent me to an art school when I was just about 6 years old, so I was head-deep involved in creative art practices long before I gained any conscious realisations; I grew up thinking that creativity is an integral part of life, that’s how it is supposed to be.

How is your process of paper art different from traditional quilling? How is it like painting? What makes your work stand out as yours?

With my first paper artwork ‘Yulia’, I, unknowingly, invented Quilling from scratch for myself. (I never even heard the term Quilling before my work started to appear on the Internet). It turned out that my method is not really the same as traditional Quilling: the key difference is that I use heavy paper or card which I shape and manipulate any way I want to, as if I’m drawing or painting with paper strips (instead of rolling thin paper into basic shapes).

Yulia Brodskaya

Interview

Quilling — Quilling or paper filigree is an art form that involves the use of strips of paper that are rolled, shaped, and glued together to create decorative designs.

How long have you been creating paper art? How did you get started?

I always had a special fascination for paper as a material, but I studied Graphic Design and Illustration (I was advised that it is a good reliable option to make a living in the creative industries); I never thought that paper art will become my true passion. About 10 years ago, I was mainly interested in creating hand-drawn illustrations, especially letterforms, and after working at them for a year or so I had put together a number of typographic designs good enough, in my opinion, to get me editorial commissions from magazines and newspapers. My idea was to make a little self-promotional booklet featuring some of these designs and send it out to potential clients. The crucial thing that was missing was an eye-catching cover image that would make certain my booklet would be noticed. I decided that it had to be my name illustrated and featured on the cover. I created several hand-drawn versions of my name—Yulia— but none of them seemed to be good enough, so I discarded them. At some point, somehow, the idea to cut a sheet of card into strips came to my mind, and I began gluing these strips edges down, repeating the letter outlines. As soon as the ‘Yulia’ paper design was ready, I realised that I’m onto something very exciting, I immediately dropped the illustrative booklet idea and instead immersed myself into this new world of paper.

Jian Zhi

What is the most important takeaway you want readers to gain from your book, Painting with Paper: Painting on the Edge?

In my new book Painting with Paper: Paper on the Edge I share everything I’ve learned (and, of course, continue learning) about quilling and paper art. This is not a project-based book, but instead an insight into my creative process with practical tips on how to work with my methods in various ways of your own. What I’m trying to encourage through sharing my experience and practical advice is creative freedom. We create in order to feel joy from making something beautiful with our own hands; this feeling of joy is many times stronger when you create art inspired by something that moves you deeply as a person. That’s why it is important not to get stuck and develop a habit of always needing somebody else to outline and plan every creative decision for you. The real unique creativity comes from inside when you find the courage and learn to make your own decisions (and, sometimes, mistakes), but ultimately create the art that is a unique expression of yourself rather than a replica of somebody else’s vision. This book will provide you with tools needed to advance your creative thinking and find your distinctive creative voice.

Yulia Brodskaya

Interview

Painting with Paper — The book by Yulia Brodskaya was published on September 28, 2019.

What inspires you? Are there recurring themes in your work? Do you do series work? How does that affect your approach?

Do you think that creativity is part of human nature or is it something that must be nurtured and learned?

Nature is my infinite source of inspiration whether I’m looking what to depict or just need a visual reference for choosing a colour palette. My current interest lies in conveying a deeper emotional complexity into paper artworks. I feel a new urge in choosing my subject matter, so it feels that depicting just a beautiful flower, a pretty shell or a decorative wave on it own is simply ‘not enough’… A human presence is needed to deepen the visual experience, the feel & emotional charge coming from the artwork, so I end up combining the natural motifs with human faces (ultimately we all are part of nature).

I believe creativity is inherent in human beings, but gets obscured by all the superficial activity of the mind, daily worries and problems. We don’t need to learn creativity, but we need to learn how to access it within ourselves.

Jian Zhi

Do you form an emotional connection with your subject matter?

There is no other way to create in my eyes… Even when I work on commercial projects (e.g. typography based), every colour or composition choice I make comes from the need to create the best design possible, with all elements balanced and in harmony. Personal self-initiated projects evoke much deeper connection of course; I invest all my energy and care about every artwork I happen to work on at some particular moment.

When it comes to creating, are you more of a planner or an improviser? How do you make the leap from an idea in your head to the art you produce?

I balance both sides: in the beginning I create detailed sketches trying to plan ahead as much as possible, however once the actual paper work starts, an improviser side comes into the picture. It is not possible to predict exactly how a 3D artwork will look, so I have to keep an open mind, observe the developing artwork and adjust to its current state instead of pushing the initial plan forward no matter what. Sketch is like a map that would always be handy at times when you lose your way and need help to get back to the right path, but a map never shows you each single step that you have to take to reach your destination. Once you arrive, you will discover what your destination (=finished artwork) actually looks like.

Yulia Brodskaya

Do you work actively on more than one project at a time?

Interview

Usually I prefer to fully complete one project before starting a new one. However I do work on multiple sketches at the same time, so I usually have several new ideas and projects already waiting for me to execute them in paper while finishing a current artwork.

How has your work changed over time? Tell us about a challenging piece. What were the obstacles and how did you get past them?

The evolution was substantial. Sometimes I can hardly believe it myself, but I can’t explain it here properly. The best way to understand my journey is to read my book. It also covers the challenges and obstacles that I had to (or still need to) overcome in my art practice.

How do you deal with creativity blocks?

I don’t get creativity blocks anymore; once I learned to follow the process that I described above, they never came back. I do need breaks after working for a long time, but this a fatigue caused by prolonged concentration and physical tiredness rather than a true creative block.

PATRICK CABRAL

Jian Zhi

Photo — Wolf+Cat Patrick Cabral 2017

Patrick Cabral (best known as Darkgravity in Instagram) is a Multi-disciplinary Designer and Type Artist based in Manila, Philippines. His love for calligraphy started when he was just 11 years old, when he took an odd job of writing the names of graduating students’ high school diplomas. This was his first foray into the world of letters and typography. He then began his career as a web developer and animator, and worked for various clients ranging both local and abroad, from corporate branding, digital advertising to fashion websites.

Patrick Cabral

Artworks

Jian Zhi

Patrick Cabral

Artworks

Photo — Endangered Species – Rhino Patrick Cabral 2017

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Photo — Endangered Species – Panda Patrick Cabral 2016

Photo — Endangered Species – Tiger Patrick Cabral 2016

Patrick Cabral

Artworks

Photo — Endangered Species – Polar Bear Patrick Cabral 2017

Photo — Endangered Species – Snow Leopard Patrick Cabral 2016

Jian Zhi

Patrick Cabral

Artworks

Photo — Endangered Species – Asian Elephant Patrick Cabral 2017

Photo — Dinagyang Mask Patrick Cabral 2021

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Patrick Cabral in the Philippines

British Council Jul 11, 2020

We caught up withtrick Filipino art director Patrick Cabral, who we have featured as part of our Crafting Futures programme, to find out how he’s keeping creative amid the challenges that Covid-19 has brought. He is a freelance Art Director based in Manila, Philippines. He is known for his work in typography and paper cutting, applying traditional craft skills and sensibility to create contemporary and cutting edge work.

How has Covid 19 affected your work and life?

I mostly work on my own, so initially it hasn’t felt like a lot had changed. The biggest blow so far is a big client cancelling a project, which would have supported us growing into a bigger studio and hiring staff. It’s disappointing but understandable because of this crisis and I am used to adapting to things not going as planned. In my personal life day-to-day, my wife and I usually rely on takeaway meals but we don’t feel safe eating that way now, so one unexpected outcome of this time is that I have learned how to cook. I’ve been surprised to find out that I can actually cook delicious food! I miss visiting my nieces and nephews but I’ve been able to keep in touch with friends and relatives over Skype and Facetime. When things begin to open up again, I’m looking forward to having a big family gathering.

Patrick Cabral

Interview

The most challenging I’ve found is buying supplies for my work. A lot of my suppliers were closed for a long period so some of the work that I was finishing has been delayed. I don’t have a health card so now I am extra paranoid about going out. We stopped going out to get groceries few weeks ago so now everything is delivered. We are starting to build the system that everything we do will be conducted inside the studio. We have decided that we are not going out until there’s a vaccine.

What innovative ways have you seen artists and arts organisations adapt the way they work to cope with the pandemic in the Philippines?

Some started doing live drawing over Instagram and Facebook stories. Some had made free portraits that they can donate the revenue to charities that support the fight against COVID. A lot of local business started their online stores. A lot have started pivoting their business online and a lot of creatives shifted to careers that are mostly done online. I have a lot of photographer friends who went back to creating websites and apps. I have friends who started selling baked goods and food online.

Jian Zhi

Could you recommend 3 artists in your country that we should check out?

Camy Francisco-Cabral, Mitsuko Ono and June Digan.

Have you learnt anything new about yourself and your country during this time?

To be honest, I feel like whatever is happening now around the world is something that I already experienced while growing up. I grew up in a very small town with a very protective single parent at the time because my father was working abroad, so it always felt like we are in quarantine. The job insecurity has always been a part of my career, so this is nothing new. I don’t really go out a lot usually, so there’s not a big difference. There’s really nothing that surprises me on what is happening. I actually feel like my lifestyle is tailor-made for this kind of scenario.

Patrick Cabral

What one piece of advice would you give other artists in this difficult and uncertain time?

Interview

Learn new skills. What has been tried and tested with me is new skills will always bring new job opportunities. Your job could become irrelevant at any moment but having a lot of different skills will improve your chance to weather this storm.

Jian Zhi

Exhibition Checklist Bovey Lee

Peter Callesen

Rescue Mission 2009 Chinese Xuan paper on silk 21 x 21 in

Paperman 2008 Acid free A4 115g paper, pencil and acrylic paint 47,5 x 37 x 7 cm

Roots 2014 Chinese Xuan paper on silk 20 x 20 in

We Are All Mountaineers – Entry 2018 Chinese Xuan paper on silk 20 x 30 in Tiara – White Picket Fences 2018 Chinese Xuan paper on silk 7 x 11 in

Hanging Image 2008 Water colour and pencil on 120 gsm acid free paper, glue, and oak frame 139 x 107 x 13 cm Cut To The Bone II 2008 Water colour and pencil on 120 gsm acid free paper, glue, and oak frame 139 x 107 x 13 cm

Tiara – Iron Gate 2018 Chinese Xuan paper on silk 7 x 11 in

Fall 2006 Acid free A4 80g paper, pencil and acrylic paint 47,5 x 37 x 7 cm

Bonsai – Wired Cities 2016 Chinese Xuan paper on silk 32 x 28 in

Alive But Dead (small) 2012 Acid free 115g paper and glue 50 x 40,5 x 7 cm

Hope – Orchids (Indoor) 2021 Chinese Xuan paper on silk 34.5 x 24 in

Heaven and Hell 2006 Acid Free paper, glue, acrylic paint in painted oak frame 134 x 127 x 11,5 cm

Hope – Orchids (Outdoor) 2021 Chinese Xuan paper on silk 34.5 x 24 in

The Lost Sheep 2006 Acid free A4 80g paper, glue and acrylic paint 47,5 x 37 x 7 cm

Water Always Finds Its Way II 2015 Acid-free 160 gsm A4 paper, pencil and acrylic paint 48 x 37 x 7 cm

Eiko Ojala Herman Miller 2014 Illustrations for Heman Miller magazine “Why” World Religions I 2012 First illustration in series “World religions” Risk 2019 Poster design for exhibition “Individuality” Hunger for Love 2013 Illustrations for Estonian weekly newspaper “Eesti Ekspress” Hugs 2020 They are made support www. peaasi.ee who promotes mental health of Estonian youth

Calvin Nicholls Against the Cold – Mourning Dove 2020 100% Cotton Archival Paper by Strathmore 19 x 15 in

Checklist

Goldcrest 2020 100% cotton white and MI-Teintes Canson papers 11 x 14 in Splash Dance 2019 “Splash Dance” is made of a Japanese hand made paper for its incredible sheen 21 x 20 in Dolphins in the Surf 2018 100% cotton paper 45 x 40 in Found a Peanut – Blue Jay 2020 100% cotton white and off white paper for chair and landscape, long fibre Japanese hand-made papers for accents on bird and peanut 12.25 x 17.5 x 1.5 in

Made of hundreds of edge-glued paper strips 1 x 1.5 m Autumn Leaves 2017 Paper Graphic Series inspired by Japanese art Made of hundreds of edge-glued paper strips Pond Leaves 2017 Paper Graphic Series inspired by Japanese art Made of hundreds of edge-glued paper strips Seeshall 2019 Fine Art – Portrait Made of hundreds of edge-glued paper strips

Nuthatch 2015 Produced on 330gsm hot press 100% cotton paper 11 x 11 in

Holi 2019 Fine Art – Portrait Inspired by Holi - Festival of Colours; and @mauritsbos photography Made of hundreds of edge-glued paper strips

Plover 2019 100% cotton with Japanese hand made paper accents 9 x 9 in

Textile Market 2016 Fine Art – Portrait Made of hundreds of edge-glued paper strips

Zig-Zag 2020 One of Calvin Nicholls’ largest private commissions to date. 52 x 40 in

Flame 2020 Fine Art – Portrait Made of hundreds of edge-glued paper strips

Yulia Brodskaya

Put To The Light 2019 Fine Art – Portrait Made of hundreds of edge-glued paper strips

Seeing 2019 Fine Art – Portrait Based on the travel photography by @matthieu.rivart.official

Patrick Cabral Wolf+Cat 2017 This is a private commission from a collector based in Hong Kong Rhino 2017 One of Endangered Species Collaboration with WWF and Acts of Kindness Panda 2016 One of Endangered Species Collaboration with WWF and Acts of Kindness Tiger 2016 One of Endangered Species Collaboration with WWF and Acts of Kindness Polar Bear 2017 Endangered Species One of Endangered Species Collaboration with WWF and Acts of Kindness Snow Leopard 2016 One of Endangered Species Collaboration with WWF and Acts of Kindness Asian Elephant 2017 One of Endangered Species Collaboration with WWF and Acts of Kindness Dinagyang Mask 2021 These pieces were inspired by the Dinagyang Festival, with its usage of vibrant color and the overall intricate festiveness of the masks and costumes of the event

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Selected Exhibition Histories Bovey Lee Solo Exhibitions 2019 Bovey Lee: We Are All Mountaineers Rena Bransten Gallery, San Francisco, US

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2017 Bovey Lee: The Sea Will Come to Kiss Me Rena Bransten Gallery, San Francisco, US 2016 Bovey Lee – Invertigo Grotto Fine Art, Hong Kong Bovey Lee – Divertical Gavlak Gallery, Los Angeles, US 2013 Bovey Lee – Water Has A Memory Gavlak Gallery, Palm Beach, US Bovey Lee – Conundrums Rena Bransten Gallery, San Francisco, US 2012 Bloom – Bovey Lee Grotto Fine Art, Hong Kong 2009 Bovey Lee: New Works Grotto Fine Art, Hong Kong

Group Exhibitions 2021 When Nobody’s Watching Rena Bransten Gallery, San Francisco, US

2020 Cut Up / Cut Out Massillon Museum, Massillon, US Cut Up/Cut Out Lamont Gallery, Exeter, UK 2019 Cut Up/Cut Out Art Museum of West Virginia University Cut Up/Cut Out AMoA, Amarillo, US Cut Up/Cut Out Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, US 2018 Cut Up/Cut Out Museum of Arts & Sciences, Daytona Beach, US Cut Up/Cut Out Ellen Noël Art Museum, Odessa, US The Portrait Show Rena Bransten Gallery, San Francisco, US Cut up / Cut out Pensacola 2018 Pensacola Museum of Art, Pensacola, US The Foster Emporium Fost Gallery, Singapore 2017 Cut Up / Cut out Huntsville Museum of Art, Huntsville,US Cut up/cut out Bellevue Arts Museum, Bellevue, US Flaming June VII (Flaming Creatures) Gavlak Gallery, Los Angeles, US Left / Justified Gavlak Gallery, Los Angeles, US

2016 Cut up/cut out Bedford Gallery, Walnut, US Between the Lines Rena Bransten Gallery, San Francisco, US 2015 Ten Year Anniversary Gavlak Gallery, Palm Beach, US Ten Year Anniversary Gavlak Gallery, Los Angeles, US Glimpse of Water Grotto Fine Art, Hong Kong Palm Beach Summer Show 2015 Gavlak Gallery, Palm Beach, US Wearing Identity Grotto Fine Art, Hong Kong 2014 Reigning Cats and Dogs Rena Bransten Gallery, San Francisco, US Group Show Grotto Fine Art, Hong Kong Inaugural Exhibition Gavlak Gallery, Los Angeles, US 2013 Follies of a Species OV Gallery (Oriental Vista), Shanghai, China All F@*#ing Summer Gavlak Gallery, Palm Beach, US 2011 Pure Paper Rena Bransten Gallery, San Francisco, US 2010 Shifting Definitions OV Gallery (Oriental Vista), Shanghai, China

Histories

2009 Urban Spirituality Rossi & Rossi, London, UK Liners’ Paradox Grotto Fine Art, Hong Kong

Biennials 2010 Holland Paper Biennial 2010 Paper Biennial Rijswijk, Apeldoorn, Netherlands

Art fairs 2018 Dallas Art Fair 2018 Dallas Art Fair, Dallas, US 2017 Art Basel Hong Kong 2017 Art Basel Hong Kong, Hong Kong 2016 Art Basel Hong Kong 2016 Art Basel Hong Kong, Hong Kong Art Basel Miami Beach 2016 Art Basel Miami Beach, Miami Beach, US Expo Chicago 2016 Expo Chicago, Chicago, US 2015 Art Basel Miami Beach 2015 Art Basel Miami Beach, Miami Beach, US Expo Chicago 2015 Expo Chicago, Chicago, US

Peter Callesen Solo Exhibitions 2016 Peter Callesen – Inside Out Kunstforeningen GL Strand, Copenhagen, Denmark 2011 Peter Callesen – House of Thoughts Sørlandets Art Museum, Kristiansand, Norway

2010 Out of Nothing Mjellby Konstmuseum, Halmstad, Sweden Peter Callesen: Skin of Paper Kunsthallen Nikolaj, Copenhagen, Denmark

2015 Full House Kunsthalle Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany Delicate Creatures Foley Gallery, New York City, US Sculpture by the Sea Aarhus, Denmark

2009 Out of Nothing Trapholt, Kolding, Denmark

2014 The Baroque Garden And Secret Garden Gl Holtegaard, Holte, Denmark Imaginarium LARMgalleri, Copenhagen, Denmark Secret Garden III Gl Holtegaard, Holte, Denmark Drømmeland KUNSTEN Museum of Modern Art, Aalborg, Denmark Ritagli Ricami Ricalchi Effearte, Milan, Italy

2008 Peter Callesen – Folded Thoughts Perry Rubenstein Gallery, New York City, US Peter Callesen: Paperman Helene Nyborg Contemporary, Copenhagen, Denmark 2007 Peter Callesen. “Unfolding” Emily Tsingou Gallery, London, UK Peter Callesen: Heavenly Space Kunsthallen Nikolaj, Copenhagen, Denmark 2004 Peter Callesen Emily Tsingou Gallery, London, UK Peter Ravn Callesen – “Mirage” Koch und Kesslau, Berlin, Germany 1997 Little Peter Spiderman III rum46, Aarhus, Denmark

Group Exhibitions 2017 Theses – Danish Contemporary Artists In Dialogue With The Reformation Rundetaarn, Copenhagen, Denmark 2016 Between Black And White Galleri Specta, Copenhagen, Denmark Paper Works Kunstpakhuset, Ikast, Denmark Paper Works Skovhuset Kunst & Kultur, Værløse, Denmark

2013 El espectro, la palabra y el cáctus Galeria Bacelos, Vigo, Spain Coda Paper Art 2013 CODA Museum, Apeldoorn, Netherlands Secret Garden II Gl Holtegaard, Holte, Denmark The First Cut Djanogly Gallery, Lakeside Arts Centre, Nottingham, UK Kill Two Birds With one Stone Charlotte Fogh Gallery, Aarhus, Denmark Deja Vu – Contemporary Art From Malmö Art Museum’s Collection Turku Art Museum, Turku, Finland 2012 Rock-paper-scissors Magrorocca, Milan, Italy The Red Room Kunstverein in Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany The First Cut Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester, UK Rock-paper-scissors LARMgalleri, Copenhagen, Denmark i – SELF-PORTRAITS Kunsthal Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark

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Made in Paper Charlotte Fogh Gallery, Aarhus, Denmark The End Jacob’s Island Gallery, London, UK The Circus Crew LARMgalleri, Copenhagen, Denmark paperless Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA), Winston-Salem, US Humour – Seriously Esbjerg Art Museum, Esbjerg, Denmark Deja Vu – Contemporary Art From Malmö Art Museum’s Collection Turku Art Museum, Turku, Finland

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2011 HABITAT Galleri Specta, Copenhagen, Denmark Human Galleri Specta, Copenhagen, Denmark Gifts of Intimacy Tensta Konsthall, Spanga, Sweden Pure Paper Rena Bransten Gallery, San Francisco, US When The Fairy Tale Never Ends fordPROJECT, New York City, US 2010 NOT A CHRISTMAS SHOW ROHDE CONTEMPORARY, Copenhagen, Denmark The Cutting Edge Galería Valle Orti, Valencia, Spain 2009 Scherenschnitte – Kontur pur Museum für Gestaltung, Zurich, Switzerland Scherenschnitte – Kontur pur Museum Bellerive, Zurich, Switzerland Christmas group show – Nice sizes, good prices! Galleri Christina Wilson, Copenhagen, Denmark Havnen Kunstmuseet Køge Skitsesamling, Køge, Denmark

Cut & Paste Galleri Susanne Ottesen, Copenhagen, Denmark Til Vægs Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Copenhagen, Denmark A Winter’s Tale Gl Holtegaard, Holte, Denmark 2008 Fresh Out of the Box The New Art Gallery Walsall, Walsall, West Midlands, UK 2007 Group Show. “Ten years” Emily Tsingou Gallery, London, UK Paper Cuts Oriel Davies Gallery, Newtown, Powys, Wales, UK Fairy Tale: Contemporary Art and Enchantment Chapter Gallery, Cardiff, Wales, UK Spor Esbjerg Art Museum, Esbjerg, Denmark 2006 Fuori è un giorno fragile Galleria Studio Legale, Caserta, Italy EXPORTABLE GOODS – Danish art now Krinzinger Schottenfeld, Vienna, Austria With no trouble at all Palais für aktuelle Kunst, Kunstverein Glückstadt, Glückstadt, Germany Paper Cuts Smiths Row, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK Paper Cut Voges + Partner Gallery, Frankfurt/ Main, Germany Inner go go Vamiali’s, Athens, Greece 3D WONDERS 1 DUNK! , Copenhagen, Denmark INAUGURAL SHOW Helene Nyborg Contemporary, Copenhagen, Denmark

2005 To be continued... Nils Stærk Contemporary Art, Copenhagen, Denmark højde bredde dybde Galleri Susanne Ottesen, Copenhagen, Denmark 2003 From Dust to Dusk – International exhibition of contemporary art Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Copenhagen, Denmark Turmsturm Kunsthallen Nikolaj, Copenhagen, Denmark 2001 The difference between you & us Five Years, London, UK Masculinities Kunsthallen Nikolaj, Copenhagen, Denmark 2000 Self-service Five Years, London, UK

Biennials 2006 6th Shanghai Biennale – Hyper Design Shanghai Biennale, Shanghai, China

Art fairs 2017 Art Herning 2017 Art Herning, Herning, Denmark

Eiko Ojala Group Exhibitions 2014 Kubrick Spoke Art Gallery, San Francisco, US

Histories

Calvin Nicholls Group Exhibitions 2013 PaperWorks: The Art and Science of an Extraordinary Material Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield, US

Yulia Brodskaya Group Exhibitions 2014 Paper Cuts Spoke Art Gallery, San Francisco, US

Patrick Cabral None

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Colophon Zita Wang Art Center College of Design Typography 4 Instructor: Jimena Gamio Valdivieso Typeface: Akzidenz-Grotesk Phone: +86 18190808033 Mail: wangzitong_gra@163.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any other storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. First Edition 2021 Printed in United States