Every Friday in ‘Women in Arts’ we bring you female artists from diversified fields. These women are redefining the creative world with their extra ordinary talent. We have explored fields from fine arts to studio crafts to textile art and today we are exploring the world of Paper. We are covering the works of 10 Paper Artists who have made some exquisite pieces of Art. These women have created life-like paper sculptures, frames inspired from the magical world of disney, intricate paper-cut works inspired from the life, paper-portraits, embellished paper art and some amazing illustration of stories through paper collages.

Paper is incredibly versatile, offering artists endless possibilities for creating intricate and detailed works of art. Whether it’s creating intricate lace-like patterns from delicate sheets of tissue paper, or using strips of newspaper to construct towering sculptures, paper artists are pushing the boundaries of what is possible with this versatile medium.

As paper art continues to gain recognition, artists from around the world are experimenting with new techniques and pushing the boundaries of what is possible with this versatile medium. From small-scale works to large-scale installations, paper art is emerging as one of the most exciting and innovative fields in contemporary art.

In this article, we will explore the work of some of the most exciting paper artists working today, and take a closer look at the techniques and processes that make their work so unique.

1. Tonia Boske

The artist- Summing up my life isn’t easy, and it’s not for pretending I’m an interesting person… I am just a “vintage” person… LOL. When I was a child, I spent my time drawing, reading, writing, playing with Legos, and modeling clay. They weren’t just a game; it was my way of being in the world. Unfortunately, my parents were a bit like Roald Dahl’s “Matilda” parents: I was forbidden to engage in anything artistic or creative. At school, I won some prizes for drawing and collage, but I didn’t find the necessary support either. So, by family imposition, I studied for a Bachelor’s in Psychology that, by the way, never helped me find a job.
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After collecting a lot of “junk jobs”, I looked for my life on my own and I learned some things in a self-taught way. That’s how I first worked as a critic and editor in an online film magazine. Then I have dedicated myself until today to be a web designer/developer, web content creator, SEO, and community manager.

My love story with paper art is, in fact, very recent. When the COVID pandemic broke out, and our government forced us to stay locked up at home for a month, I decided, suddenly, to start making paper stuff, specifically handmade 3D dioramas, during my spare time, as a way to escape the situation mentally. Simply, I learned by making, by trial and error. I had no idea that it was an artistic discipline and I just made it as a game/therapy/hobby, until I discovered that there were people who seemed to like my paper works and that many more people were creating similar things.

I started to take myself a little seriously when a blog contacted me to include me in an article about paper artists, and then when Behance awarded two of my works by selecting them for their Paper Works online gallery. Then I registered an Instagram account in which I only post the finished works (and the very long process in the Stories). In her interview (via https://www.nmillerillustration.com/blog/my-creative-life-tonia-boske-paper-and-clay )

Read more about the artist on her Instagram.

2. Becky May

The artist-  I’m Becky, 24 from the U.K. & I run my magical little Papercut business alongside my full time day job 💗 I learnt to Papercut during my A-level art programme, and then went on to literally spend 3 years of my fine art degree perfecting it and cutting paper by hand! It was only when I did my masters in marketing that I thought I could really make something of my paper talent & that’s when I started selling my work through commissions for weddings, birthdays, christenings, anniversaries, I even did 2 Papercut projects for the Ivy restaurant chain! 🍝🌿

Then, i ✨sparkled✨ some life into my artworks in August 2019, where I rebranded and papercut parade was born. The magical market followed where I made baubles and frames, whilst still doing commissions & I have met the most amazing people along the way. I’m both proud & appreciative of every single person who supports me to this day 💗

Read more abut the artist on her Website and Instagram.

3. Mary Chau

The artist- Mary Chau is a paper artist based in Vancouver, Canada. She grew up with a love of drawing and crafting at a young age. When deciding between art or design school, she chose the latter, thinking art was not a viable option. After working as an in-house graphic designer for a decade, Mary has since returned to her love of creating art with her hands.

Her intricate paper portraits are filled with personal touches. After all, it’s the little things that make each piece truly special.

Read more about the artist on her Website and Instagram.

4. Shelley Hanmo

The artist- My name is Shelley Hanmo Qian. I’m a self-taught freelance illustrator and paper artist based in Indianapolis, USA. I specialize in creating children’s book illustrations and editorial designs.
Born and raised in China, I moved to the United States for school when I was 18. I graduated from Indiana University with a Doctor in Music and a master’s degree in arts administration and earned my name as an award-winning pianist. In parallel to my academic and musical accomplishments, paper art has been my creative outlet for many years. In 2020 during the pandemic, I decided to pursue my passion for illustration, hence launching my art studio Junonia Arts.

My illustrations often feature diverse characters, fun animals, cultural stories, and imaginative plays while using mostly repurposed paper materials such as magazine pages, shopping bags, mailing catalogs, wrapping paper, etc. Besides paper collage techniques, I incorporate other mediums into my illustrations, including watercolor, colored pencils, and digital touch-ups. Since the start of Junonia Arts, I have worked with clients throughout the US.

Besides working on my illustrations, I enjoy teaching music lessons, performing concerts, exploring museums, and going on hikes. I currently live in Indianapolis with my husband.

Read more about the artist on her Website and Instagram.

5. Negar Fa’al

The artist- An art teacher and character designer, Negar’s use of color and paper textures are skillful and refined making her creations look like they’re straight out of a cartoon.

For me as a paper artist, the most important aesthetic points in this technique that make my work closer to reality are asymmetrical, messy, untidy, and old design. These features also help you to design your model faster, without any obsession. You can make something from the trash.

Read more about the artist on her Instagram.

6. Lucy Cuts Paper 

The artist- I am a self-taught paper and embroidery artist, who loves nothing more than to create unique pieces from paper and thread. I love the textures, colors, and finishes paper is available in, and love to show how you can manipulate the paper in different ways, by hand cutting it in different styles and adding hand-embroidered embellishments to create such individual and diverse effects.

Using the theme of modern filters you find on phones and social media, I love to give a fun, playful, and colorful twist to vintage photographs and postcards. The contrast between the black and white or sepia photos and the brightly colored embroidery thread gives a real wow factor to the pieces. This theme transfers beautifully to your photographs, which I love to design and create unique embellishments to suit your taste.

The styles of paper cutting I create include the fluid style papercuts; using 1 single sheet of paper cut into a doodle style, shown in the house, pet, and person portraits, and the layered papercuts, which include numerous sheets of paper, cut and layered to create a 3d effect.
Since May 2020, I have added embroidery to my papercuts, which adds a unique texture, and another dimension to them.

Read more about the artist on her Website and Instagram.

7. Martina Aiko

The artist- I’m an illustrator and author based in Switzerland. I believe that picture books hold magic in their pages. They can conjure laughter, they can give hope, and they can inspire. That’s why I love making books for children and their grown-ups to enjoy together.

My work is made entirely by hand using mixed media and collage. I love creating textures on paper, and then cutting them up to create new worlds.

When I’m not at my desk, I am usually outside in nature. I never leave the house without a sketchbook, and I get most of my inspiration from observing the world around me.

Read more about the artist on her Website and Instagram.

8. Zoe Linn Jarvis

𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙩.

MY STUDIO REPRESENTS A PLACE OF COMFORT
IT IS MY HOPE THAT THE THINGS I CREATE BRING JOY TO OTHERS.

The artist- Zoe Linn Jarvis is a Virginia-based full-time artist and small business entrepreneur. She is a colored pencil and paper artist, and her work has earned her numerous private commissions and exhibitions.
Zoe prides meticulous attention to detail, eye-catching color palettes, and clean craftsmanship in her client work and personal projects.

She is known for her signature large-scale colored pencil drawings. Zoe’s paper artworks capture scenes from life and imagination in bright, bold colors and layers upon layers of hand-cut pieces of paper.

Read more about the artist on her Website and Instagram.

9. Rossella Flagiello

The artist- My name is Rossella, I am 36 years old and I live in a village near Naples (Italy). I am in love with all things miniature and I spend most of my day wondering how to reproduce everything around me on paper. I love learning new techniques and over the years I’ve experimented with different materials (I have all kinds at home, I’m a bit of an obsessive hoarder 😅), although the paper is still my absolute favorite. I spend hours watching videos of stuff that I will definitely never try, but for my rotten brain, the only fact that I can understand the method in which they are made is kind of like I learned it. I have a soft spot for medieval illustrations, skulls, bones and anything gross.

Every time someone commissions me a paper reproduction, during the work in progress I feel like I know them and somehow be a part of their life, albeit for a very short time.
I like to work on different subjects, for example, memories of important moments, such as this married couple on their wedding day, or to capture in a few centimeters passions, dreams, desires, and hobbies of many people who are looking for something unique. ✨
I enjoy creating everything that is on my mind, real and non, with only one limit: my (and your) imagination! 

Rosella on her latest work- I’m not a fashion person but just saw the new collaboration with Louis Vuitton and I absolutely loved it! Have you seen the huge sculpture on the shop in Paris?? 🤯 Immense and brilliant, exactly like she is! 💕

To read more about the artist on her Instagram.

10. Monica Pasco

The artist- Not all artistic works are born from an initial sketch, there are those who overturn their ideas as they experiment with the materials, which I find fascinating. However, in my case, the presence of the sketch is essential, it is like a guide, which sometimes I respect to the letter and sometimes not so much. I use the tracing technique to go from sketch to work on paper.

My latest series- The series of pendants and hands. Representing life itself with open eyes and a designated destination that often cannot be seen.

Read more about the artist on her Instagram.

I hope you loved the work of these artists as much as I loved drafting them. Each artwork telling a story and taking us to their magical world. You can explore their work by following the links to their profiles. To read more about such talented artists, you can head over to our ‘Articles & Interviews’ section on our website for some inspirational reads. https://artstoheartsproject.com/category-articles-and-interviews/