Kirigami is the art of folded and cut paper. Many cultures around the world have a papercraft they call their own. In Europe it is called Scherenschnitte (scissor cuttings.) In China, papercutting is a national pastime. Many people know Kirigami, the Japanese art of paper folding. Kirigami is paper that is both folded and cut. Pop-up art and paper snowflakes are both kirigami.
As
an annual tradition, I host a "Snowflake Party" at my Vermont home to
launch the winter holidays and start the season of paper cutting. Each year I cut about 150 one-of-a-kind snowflakes, mandalas and bifolds to
be displayed at my home and around town. Since so many people have
asked for them, I am now offering them for sale. Framed mandalas, hanging mandalas and bifold hearts, and cards are available all the time at my online Etsy shop HERE: www.EmerlyeArtsKirigami.Etsy.com
Want to order a custom kirigami papercut? Go HERE to the "Commission Kirigami" page on this site and fill out a request form.
To view a large portfolio of my kirigami work and to see what I am currently cutting, you can subscribe to my art blog, where I post all new work. HERE: www.EmerlyeArts.blogspot.com
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QUESTIONS I AM OFTEN ASKED HOW
MANY PATTERNS DO YOU HAVE? Unlike most papercutters, I do not use
patterns at all. Each of my papercutting is imagined as it is cut, thus
forming a completely unique
creation. Often I sit and look at the paper for a while to see what shape "wants" to come out. Occasionally
I look at reference books for the silhouette or shape of something I
want to cut. Other times, I just begin cutting and see what comes out.
HOW
LONG DOES IT TAKE? A small (8 inch) mandala or bifold heart takes an
hour or two to make. Larger (10 inch) works designed for framing take
two to four hours to cut. (In my art blog, where I post all my new
work, the time to cut is described in terms of movies - "this is a
two-movie cutting" - because I usually cut in the evenings while
watching a video.) WHAT MATERIALS & TOOLS DO YOU USE? I cut on
white paper rather than the traditional black. this works better with
kirigami, which is folded. I use a very bright, very thin, dense and
flexible paper. which folds and cuts easily, yet holds up to handling.
I use very sharp, spring-loaded scissors (I sharpen them every time) as
well as punches and exacto-knives. For the kirigami cards I use
heavier, artist-grade paper or card stock. WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS? For
a mandala, I first cut the paper into a square shape, fold four times,
cut into a cone shape and then sit and stare at it for a while, hoping
an image will present itself. After
cutting, I iron each papercut with a commercial-grade press, then (for
hanging ones) laminate to protect
it. I then trim off the excess lamination, punch and fit it with a gold
cord and tag for display
purposes. My framed mandalas are pressed between glass and cardstock
and a ridgid backing. I do not mount with glue so the backing color
can be changed. HOW LONG DO THEY LAST? While unprotected paper can be delicate, all my paper creations are designed to last a long time. I use acid-free paper. Framed mandalas will last for decades if not exposed to moisture or direct sunlight. Because my hanging mandalas and bifolds are laminated, they will also last many decades.
A kirigami bifold heart
A kirigami mandala
When you open one of my kirigami dimensional keepsake cards, this is the kind of thing you would see.
While each papercutting is unique, here are some examples of different designs I've created:
"House & Garden"
"Flights of Fancy"
"Circle of Peace"
"Dancing Goats"
"Smiling Sun"
"Curly Haired Mermaids"
"Shaking Hands and Waving"
"Growing Friendship"
"Just Ducky"
Retailers Please Note:
* Kirigami is not returnable.
*When buying hanging kirigami: While twelve are nice for a home display, a store display works best with at least two dozen. Optimal is three dozen, which feels like a "flurry" overhead and is very beautiful. I recommend hanging them in groups from a horizontal branch.
* I cut a finite number of hanging kirigami per year (about 150 ) and sells them on a first-come basis. Please consider this when ordering. * You will need a PayPal account to buy online. Signing up with PayPal is quick, easy, and secure. If you would prefer to send a check, go to the INFO page and fill out the response form to order. Checks must clear before items are sent.
