Carol Menninga
These original papercuttings are my own design and creation. Like other self-taught artists, my art springs from my intuition and experimentation rather than from a learned tradition. My greatest influence though comes from outside myself, in the world of nature, which gives me my subject matter and which guides my methods.
I start with a thin white paper. Folding emphasizes repeating patterns, like those found in nature. I always draw before I cut, creating several sketches of my subject before committing scissors to paper. My cutting tools are sewing scissors - my tool of choice - and an exacto blade - used to reach areas my scissors canŐt. Look for unexpected assymetries in some of the cuttings.
My primary painting medium is brewed coffee, reduced to several shades of brown pigment, which I apply with various brushes for shading and texture. Coffee has a rich transluscence as well as a tendency to puddle, which I utilize to achieve the dappled surface you see in my work.
Watercolor is used to detail often just a single flower or bird. A metamorphosis. As things come to life in nature, I like the way my work comes to life as you look at it. Viewing these papercuttings you can enjoy their detail, or you can lose yourself in their patterns as with an ancient mandala, inducing peace and tranquility.