Modern Times

I *love* making paper cuttings!!!  I can't emphasize that statement enough!  I love the whole process involved.  I love the finished result.  I love the way I lose myself for hours in cutting, the meditative experience of it.  I love taking a piece of paper and seeing a picture evolve from nothing as I slowly carve away the pieces, resurrecting the finished image.  I love analyzing the piece at the end, looking for imperfect cuts, cleaning it up, and later mounting it and adding my signature.  I love the feeling I get that can only be describe as a mix of satisfaction and awe, when a piece is matted or framed and the knowledge sinks in that I had a hand in creating something I feel is beautiful.  I feel great pride!  I feel accomplishment!  I feel, in that moment, like I could take on the world!!  That's how good making art makes me feel.  Any of you out there who creates any number of things will know what I'm talking about.

But I'm not going to lie.  I also love the way I feel when a piece sells.  It has nothing to do with the dollar amount exchanged.  Believe me, it doesn't!  But knowing someone is willing to spend hard earned money on something I've created is validating in a way that compliments aren't.  Of course, like any human being, I love to receive a compliment.  Who doesn't?!  And to receive a compliment on something I've created is best of all!  But when someone thinks enough of your work that they're willing to pay money for it, whether to give as a gift or hang on their own wall...well, there's just no other feeling out there like it!  It is quite the honor!!  And I wish for each and everyone of you out there to have an experience like that -- for something in your life to give you the kind of joy I feel in that moment!!

To say I feel passionate about what I'm doing is an understatement!!!  It is my passion for making art that keeps me going.  It is my passion that propels me forward into growing my art into something more.  Making art excites me!!  What excites you?

I am like every other modern-day woman out there.  I have commitments, responsibilities...who doesn't?!  I work a full-time job in a very stressful corporate environment.  I have a home to take care of, a family to support, and a young son to raise.  I have extended family I enjoy spending time with and friends I love to have adventures with.  Each week I make time for reiki and mediation, as my spiritual practice is just as imperative to my sanity as my art is!  And once the weather here in Pennsylvania starts to warm up, I'll be making time for hiking and "communing" with nature - also imperative to my sanity!  But I still find time for making art.  I make time for my art, because I love it so very much!!!  When my little boy goes to bed at night, I cut.  When there is a free moment on the weekend, I cut.  I wish I could devote much more time to cutting than I do.  This is why there are delays for me in my rolling out the different lines I have in mind, such as my literary series, my multi-colored pieces, and - gleeful whisper here - my super secret squirrel line that I just can't tell you about for fear someone will produce it before I do (shush, don't tell!!!)!  Someday soon, my art will be my mainstay.  But alas, that day is not today.

We are a fast-moving society.  We must acclimate ourselves to our environment in order to keep up.  But along with that, I believe it is of extreme importance that we find time each and every day to devote to something we love.  We must have an authentic expression or we'll go crazy!  I want to know - What is YOUR authentic expression?  What do you do that excites you?  What can you lose yourself in for hours that compares to no other form of release in your life?  What is your passion?

And without further ado, I shall step down from my soap box and add some pictures for your viewing pleasure.  Here are some pieces I did in the last few months that have a more contemporary flavor to them.  A traditional art form blended with contemporary flavor for these modern times.  Enjoy!!!



Willow Tree on some wavy green paper ~ Really makes that black pop, don't you think?



Chrysanthemum ~ again, posted on bold color paper in the hopes of appeasing those who prefer a more contemporary look

Bookmarks, anyone?



Octopus ~ holiday gift to my dearest friend (she loves octopi), which she hung in this totally awesome frame she found.  I love how the swirling pattern is a perfect compliment to those tentacles!





Commissioned holiday gift ~ contemporary sihlouette ~ I apologize for the crookedness of the photo

Housewarming gift for my sister & bro-in-law, who are proudly "owned" by 2 daschunds ~ mounted on brown polka-dot paper ~ get it?  brown paper?  The Browns?  hahaha, I slay me!

Versions

In my previous post, I showed you a cutting that was given as an anniversary present.  I explained that it was based on a more traditional look, using imagery and symmetry commonly found in traditional German pieces.  In this post, I'm going to show you another anniversary cutting that I did just two weeks ago, but this one is not so traditional in its look. 

I was commissioned to make this piece in celebration of a 10th wedding anniversary for a couple that was married one Valentine's Day.  When I was originally contacted, the woman who requested the piece had liked a more modern looking tree cutting that was pictured on my Facebook page.  The tree in question was originally cut as a gift for a teacher.  The client really liked the look of the tree and wanted something similar.  I must admit, she made it easy for me as she already pretty much had in mind what she wanted so it was easy to flush out details with just a few back-and-forth messages. 

She asked specifically for a black tree and gold parchment background.  She also wanted a heart or multiple hearts thrown in there and some writing, specifically "Happy 10th Anniversary" as well as her original wedding date.  Through our brief messages, it was decided to include 10 gold-leafed hearts to represent their 10 years together and frame it with a gold speckled black mat.

This was a fun project to work on as it was something unique and involved more than just the cutting.  I had fun speckling the mat by using a toothbrush to "flick" the gold paint onto it.  And as for the gold-leafing...well, in the past that was always a touchy task to do.  Anyone who's ever done gold-leafing with those flimsy pieces of paper knows what I'm talking about!  But I found a new product to use this time around and after sampling it found that it worked beautifully and gave a perfect finish!  As a matter of fact, I'm looking forward to using more of this product on the commissioned wedding piece I'll be starting next week!!

close-up of speckled mat



close-up of gold-leafed hearts

 Here is a picture of the finishing piece.  A more modern folk-arty tree for a more modern couple!  I wish many happy anniversaries to come for Nicole & Steve and I'm ever so grateful that I was given this opportunity to make a piece for their wall!!!

You must forgive me for the quality of my photos.  I am a poor picture-taker to begin with and it seems that I'm even worse when photographing my art.  Do me a favor and overlook my cock-eyed portraits.  Thank you!  :)

50 Years & Counting!

So what's new and exciting with you?  Hopefully you're answering with lots of enthusiasm as you detail happy little tidbits from this past weekend.  As for me, I had the privilege of attending a very special surprise anniversary celebration for my great-aunt & great-uncle who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Saturday.  Below you will see pictures of the piece I made for them marking this special milestone in their lives.  As I made this piece, I took progress photos to post on my Facebook page as a "how to" for those who are curious about the process.  Allow me to share those photos with you along with a picture of the finished product!



 The design for this piece is from a pattern I bought.  As you can see, I have the pattern drawn out on parchment paper that is folded in half to create a piece with symmetry.  The imagery seen here is commonly found in traditional German pieces - birds, flowers and hearts.

For this particular piece, I used both scissors and a blade for cutting in some details, which you will see on the last picture in this post.

When cutting, it is best to start in the center of the piece and work your way out.  And most importantly, take your time!  Each cut MUST be precise.  Erroneous cuts for the most part mean trashed piece.  That does happen sometimes.

 Here is the piece with all the major cutting finished.  Unfolded, you can see the symmetry.  You'll see in the final pictures below that I did some detailing cuts to add definition to the birds and flowers. 

Here is the finished piece, pressed and mounted but prior to framing.  The parchment is mounted on black paper, which you can see through the cuts.  After pressing out the center crease, I added a little calligraphy flourish to personalize and voila!   




close-up showing detail cuts

 As mentioned above, there are times when a piece goes awry.  The original of this piece did just that, but not because of faulty cutting.  The "how to" pictures shown above are from about a month ago, which is when the 1st piece was originally cut.  Then earlier last week I did the calligraphy and put it aside to frame Thursday night.  Prior to framing, I cleaned the glass with Windex and must not have wiped it completely dry on the inside.  When putting the piece in, my calligraphy smudged.  Ack!!  Needless to say, I was not pleased and after yelling out a few choice words, knew what must be done.  So Friday night I cut a whole new piece and early Saturday morning I did the calligraphy so that it would have plenty of time to dry before being framed and wrapped for the party.  I must say, the Universe indeed works in mysterious ways because even though I was quite upset Thursday night with what happened, I definitely liked the look of the redo much better than the original and was glad that that was the piece to be gifted! 

In closing, I guess I should try to explain why I chose Doppelganger for the name of my blog.  I realize that the term has quite the sinister meaning.  But I just love the look and sound of the word!  From Day #1, it was at the top of my list when determining a name for my blog, with no logical reason as to why except to say it's catchy!  When looking up all the variations of definition, most frequently mentioned is "a ghostly double."  That describes what this blog is for me in terms of being the counterpart to the art of Preservation Art.  It's the modern written form running concurrent to my classical art expression.  Not that all the art I'm creating could be described as classical, but the creation of even the most modern imagery piece I make is based on a classic process of cutting from paper with tiny scissors (and sometimes blades).  Whereas this blog is being typed and displayed by a web-based medium -- a most modern expression.  Quite the "ghostly double" of the art it details, wouldn't you say?  So now, does my choice of blog name make sense?  In my muddled mind it does.  Bottom line is, I wanted a title that was catchy, provoking and intriguing.  I wanted something to pull people in..to trick them into entering my layer...ensnare them in my web!  Mwah~ha~ha~ha!!  And I guess it worked!  You're here, aren't you?! 

"Who are YOU?"

Willkommen!!!  Welcome to Doppelganger - my Journal of a Journey!!

Oh my...  First blog entry here!  Feeling lots of pressure!!  I must knock your socks off, otherwise you'll never want to come and visit me again!  And that would make me sad.  You have no idea how many times I have re-written this initial post.  Or how many times I have worked on tweaking the appearance of this blog.  Maybe I'm procrastinating its release... 

So what's the magic formula for a first-ever blog entry?  What will make you curious enough to come back for more?  I would think that choosing Doppelganger as a blog title would be enough to intrigue you.  But alas, if that isn't enough, then maybe I should explain who I am, what the purpose of this blog is, and why the heck I chose Doppelganger for its title.  (Btw, I know there should be umlauts over the 'a' but I can't figure out how to add them...)

Let us begin with a simple introduction.  "Who are YOU?"  The imperious caterpillar so aptly asked Alice as she made her way through Wonderland.  So who am I??  My name is Danielle and I am the proud owner/artist of Papercuttings by Danielle.  And what, pray tell, is Papercuttings by Danielle?  Glad you asked!  Papercuttings is the creative venture I officially started in October 2012 with the release of a Facebook page.  In the Spring of 2012 I had a conversation with a local shop owner that helped give me the push I needed to take a leap of faith and try my hand at said creative venture (after much hand-wringing and gnashing of teeth, that is).  And before I get completely off of track, let me come back around to the question at hand and explain that Papercuttings by Danielle is my little side business for making both traditional Scherenschnitte and contemporary paper cuttings. 

My long-term goal here is more than just paper cuttings.  Hence why I'm entitling my ENTIRE creative venture Preservation Art.  In the long run, I hope to make available multiple types of creations, most of which will stem from German folk art forms, in the hopes of keeping these art forms relevant in the present -- hence Preservation Art.  In striving to keep them relevant I hope to pique people's interest by creating varied types of visual presentation to attract those who, say for instance, wouldn't desire a piece of scherenschnitte in traditional nature imagery or fraktur painted in traditional primary colors.  But more on that later...  My goal is to roll out different projects and side ventures and title them all under the umbrella of Preservation Art.  

But wait, there's more -- the preservation aspect!  I also hope to teach people about the history of these art forms.  Where do they come from?  How were they traditionally made?  Etc, etc.  All in hopes of keeping these art forms alive and kicking for many years to come.  Granted, I'm sure these art forms are just fine on their own and will be desired and admired for hundreds more years.  But maybe not, and that's my fear.
  

I was born and raised in Berks County, Pennsylvania.  My birth place is rich in German history, that being one of the predominant nationalities of its original settlers.  My family came here a long, long time ago and worked hard for hundreds of years as farmers and coalminers, never losing sight of their heritage and in turn, their familial pride.  Their primary language for quite some time was Pennsylvania Dutch.  Today, it is rare to find someone who speaks PA Dutch fluently.  Most of us only know phrases or miscellaneous words anymore because, as a language, it has been dying out.  My paternal grandfather spoke PA Dutch at home but learned English for school.  You find that is still the case for Anabaptist families in this area, but not for the rest of us who are the descendants of these Pennsylvania Germans.  In seeing this, I realize how something we take for granted as an everyday norm can quickly turn a different direction and die out. 

I am quite proud of my heritage.  I wish to celebrate my ancestry.  Therefore, I'm hoping to do so with my art and with the creation of this blog.  In my posts, I will cover LOTS of territory, from tidbits about newly created pieces and new line releases to brief history lessons.  I'll share with you the triumphs and hopefully very few trials of being a first-time sole-proprietor as I strive to grow Papercuttings, and eventually Preservation Art, into a business.  I'll make announcements of upcoming appearances and offers treats for those who come out to see me at them!  I also hope to introduce to you other local artisans and celebrate the rich culture in this, the area I was born and raised in.  And maybe, just maybe, I will amuse and entertain you enough to bring you back again and again.  So join me on a journey -- of creation, self-discovery, and preservation!

Thank you for visiting and thank you in advance for your patience as I find my way in this attempt at blogging.  Tune in next time when we will discuss "Why Doppelganger" and "What's New With You?"  Auf wiedersehen! 


View completed works on my Facebook page - Preservation Art