Cut Stories

Beatrice Coron with her paper cut fan "Changing Air"

We're lucky to have paper cutting artist Beatrice Coron in town this weekend at MCBA. She gave a slide presentation to the book arts roundtable last night that was almost overwhelming in its depth and breadth. Starting with paper cuts in China and Japan and continuing to include her contemporary artists and friends, we saw beautiful examples of paper cutting from around the world.

Bronx Literature, 2006, faceted glass

She brought many photos of her own work (I've borrowed these images from her web site with her permission) and some some actual examples for us to look at after her talk. She is so prolific in the medium that it's almost impossible to focus on one particular work. Currently she's is doing a lot of designs for public art projects (baseball parks, subway stops and sculptures outside of fire houses), her own book sculptures and a series she calls "the whole 9 yards": literally papercuts that are 9 yards long.

Flower City

I think the work that I enjoyed most were the ones that showcased her unique combination of wit and intelligence. Many of her "9 yard" projects include cities of her own inventions: cities in trees, cities in hot air balloons, cities in water. Dogs run, people read and talk with their neighbors hung high up in the air. In her web site personal statement she says "Everything is time and space. The viewer is invited to find his or her own way in these worlds."

Fleurs d'Insomnie, 2005

Like so many generous book artists, her site is full of terrific links to other artists, research on the topic and places to find supplies and books for your own cut stories. She keeps a current schedule of her workshops there as well, and dropped a hint that she will be at Penland next summer.

Road to Heavens Above at Penland
@ 2008 Béatrice Coron All rights reserved

P.S. Did you know that the word "silhouette" comes from Mssr. Silhouette, a French minister of finance who drastically whittled down the budgets in his country in the 18th century.