November 18, 2013
Paper artists and their ability to transform the simplest of mediums into complex and animated art forms is by far a continued interest of ours.
Image from My Life in Cardboard
Matthew Sporzynzki's sculptures have graced the pages of Real Simple magazine since 2005. His paper interpretations of everything from food to fashion give the viewer a new perspective on the home and illuminate the beauty and joy in everyday objects and experiences. Check out more of his work in these delightfully curated galleries from realsimple.com. Sporzynski works in New York City with his company Couturier de Cardboard.
Image from dumbelle.com
Brooklyn-based artist Elaine Pedlar brings paper to life in a different way. As the owner of Dumbelle, she invites families into her studio to color and create hip, modern paper dolls. Each of her three doll templates, May, Sunny, and Katie, have a unique story and style, but it is up to the individual artist to give them color and personality. Pedlar also has a line of coloring pages that are intended to engage the whole family, and then be displayed as art in the home. Head to the Dumbelle website to plan a visit with your little ones.
Image from shotwellpapermill.com
While we love Dumbelle's whimsical, modern take on the paper doll, we are fascinated by "Paper Dolls" by Pam DeLuco of Shotwell Paper Mill, who used this iconic "toy" to explore women in the U.S. military. This collaborative project began with a collection of twenty personal stories written by women who have served in the military over the past forty years. These stories were illustrated by Annemaree Rae and printed on paper made from the women's actual uniforms. Many of these service women featured came to the San Francisco paper mill and participated in the creation of the paper and the setting of the type. The stories, uniforms, and creative experience together make a multi-layered anthology that connects these women of all ages and branches of the military, and allows them to share their poignant stories with the greater world. The book is available as a handmade limited edition or a commercially printed trade edition.
Who are some of your favorite paper artists? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us @kindermodern