The Squirrel King Shows No Mercy

Here is one of the small papercuts I did for the show. This one is pretty simple. I love squirrels.

Template Tuesday - Harry Potter Owls!

You know what happens at midnight tonight, don't you? The next Harry Potter is available for the American masses! I think everyone in Europe has already seen it. I thought and thought about what papercut to do for template Tuesday and when my friend Joe asked me to go with him to the first showing of Harry Potter, I decided that would be the perfect theme for today! I researched quotes from the movie and this one I thought was pretty nice and not too terribly dark. Most of the other quotes I found had to do with messed up spells and You Know Who. This one isn't accurate though, technically it's supposed to be, "Don't count your owls before they are delivered," but the design works well this way.

Here's what the template will look like. It's different than other ones in that I made the positive parts gray. Please remember to cut out the inside bits (negative space) first and then cut around the outside. This image is reversed so that if you print it directly onto the back of your paper it will read right on the reverse side. If you want to print this out and then tape it to your paper to cut it out, you will want to flip the image so that the words read right to you.



This has a lot of thin lines. When you cut these, it's easier to cut from the place where they start towards the middle of the line, then pick up your blade and do the same at the other end of the line, drawing it into the middle. I don't know why this works, but it seems to make it so that I don't cut through too many things. Does that make sense? Also, if you're right handed, be sure to work from left to right so that you can see the thinness of the lines you're cutting.

This papercut takes a bit of time to do. If you complete it, be sure to let me know!

To download your free scherenschnitte, click here: Harry Potter Owl

He Wasn't Very Coordinated But She Liked His Eyes

Here's my final large piece from the show. This was one of the first ones I did and I hadn't struck upon the cloud idea yet. Originally, for my theme, I wanted to have it about "The Things We Do For Love" and show all sorts of people in weird situations, good or bad, that they only got into because they were infatuated with someone. The theme is pretty much carried throughout all the pieces, but I think this one carries it's essence. Here is a guy who doesn't know how to dance. He's surrounded by a world of people enveloped in a new culture of dance, fashion and lifestyle. There's this girl he really likes who he wants to impress and he'd try anything to get her to be his.

Note: These new pieces are all on display at the Terra Nova Gallery.

P.S. If you're on Facebook, click on that little link on the right and be a fan!

Because They Have Taken Away My Lord

This is one that I've been thinking about for quite some time and I'm sure I'll revisit the theme again. The scene depicts the moment directly after Mary has seen two angels within the sepulcher and they asked her, "Woman, why weepest thou?" She replies, "Because they have taken away my Lord." She turns from them and looks into the garden and sees a man standing there who she identifies as the gardener. From that moment, to me, happens one of the most beautiful interactions in the scriptures. John 20:11-16

Note: These new pieces are all on display at the Terra Nova Gallery.

She Wasn't Nagging, She Was Telling Him How To Get There

My parents came to the show on Saturday. Even though they had no clue this papercut would be in the show, my mom spotted right off that it was about them. If there's one thing I dread, it's driving in the car with my parents. My mom tells my dad how to get to a place and he gets all mad at her for telling him what to do, but when she doesn't tell him what to do, he misses the turn or gets lost or whatever.

When I was a kid, my dad went away to go get a car. He towed it back to our house in Las Vegas. It was a 1959 Chevy Impala, the last year it had it's wings. It was a beautiful car.

Art Show!

I just got back from Nebraska so I don't have a Template Tuesday yet, but hopefully I'll have one tomorrow and I'll sneak it up and pretend like it was posted today.

What I DO have are pictures from the art show opening at the Terra Nova Gallery last Friday. Featuring Randel McGee, Ada Gardner and Rick James Marzullo. You're very excited, I know. Here's me with one of my coworkers, Hillary and her sister, Ashley. Kudos to Hillary for coming all the way down!


Jamie, who has a friend who likes my stuff but she didn't come along with her!


These are my old landlords who became friends from my college days, Mike and Jenni. I would someday like to be as cool as they are.


My mom and my dad are to my right, to my left is my dental hygienist and her husband. Random, right? Especially when you learn that they heard about the show because they were up here flying hot air balloons and Kim's parents told them about it.


Erin! One of my most favorite companions from my mission. She can sing like an angel.


Kim, who was such a wonderful help the whole show, and Stephen.


Marie, Lena, me and Rachel. I really like these ladies. I'm so glad I've gotten to know them a little better over the past little while.


Kim's parents, Ron and Carol!


Randel and his wife, Marsha! Randel is the reason I was in the show in the first place. He's a talented papercutter AND a talented puppeteer.


Kellie and Brigham! I was so excited to see them again and they even bought the roaring 20s piece. It was one of the ones that I got some of the most comments about the whole evening.


Ryan was someone I met that night but have known for a little while. I'm so glad he showed up!


El Stevo! Steve and Krista showed up too. The time is farspent in between viewings of these two.


Christian and Kirsten! It was so good to see them as well. Christian has a new movie coming out pretty soon.


Whitney with Mary poking her head in between us.


Michelle! Michelle bought this piece for her collection. I think she has the largest collection of Cindy Ferguson papercuts of anyone I know besides maybe my mom.


Erin. I can't even say how happy I was that she was there at the show.


This is David Hawkinson, the owner of the gallery where we had our show. He is such a nice guy and I was so glad to be able to work with him.


All in all, the show was a great success and I hope that if you haven't seen it, you can go down to the Terra Nova Gallery and take a gander (41 W 300 N, Provo). Thanks all!

They Said She Wouldn’t Like It But They Were Wrong

Happy 4th of July!

To all of you who came to the show last night, thank you! It was a great success and a whole lot of fun.

Here's one of the pieces. This was inspired by my mom's friend, Garnet. Garnet and her husband were sheep ranchers and would travel many miles transporting their sheep from place to place.

When I have more time I'll post more photos from the show.

Template Tuesday - 4th of July Liberty Bell

Sweet freedom. You know how you get to a point where almost all the things you have to do are done and you think you're about finished, but eventually a whole new slew of things gets thrown your way? I feel like I'm almost to that point. It's nice. I'll just trick myself into thinking I'll have a load of free time sometime soon.

It's been a little while since I've done a papercut template and I kept wracking my brain as to what I could do for the 4th of July. I kept thinking of doing fireworks, but that's kind of boring. Then, the other day, I got this awesome mirror at the thrift store with 13 stars and an eagle at the top and my friend Kim suggested I memorize the Declaration of Independence while I go swimming. Voila! I have a little bit of Declaration of Independence, a little bit of the 13 colonies and a little bit of the Liberty Bell. Happy Independence Day, America, enjoy a free scherenschnitte template!

Here's what the template looks like:

Download the free template here: Liberty

C'est Fini!

This weekend I took all my pieces down to the gallery in Provo. It is such a relief to have them all completed and in someone else's hands. I'm excited for Friday, if anything to see some old friends who I haven't seen in forever. I'm also excited to start back up Template Tuesday! Woot! Just in time for the 4th. You guys have no idea how guilty I felt not doing them.

This one is called, "He had No Idea what He Doing Out Here but He Sure Did Love to See Her Smile," or something like that. I can't remember what I wrote.

Mother Said This Would Come To No Good

Ooo, you guys, I finally got one of my pieces finished for the art show on July 3rd. Wanted to put up a sneak peek. Of course, this is my most favorite piece of any of them that I have done so hopefully if you come to Provo to see you won't be too disappointed.

July 3, 2009
6-9pm

Terra Nova Gallery
41 West 300 North
Provo, Utah 84601

Papercut Family Tree

Something fun I've been working on lately has been these three family trees. They are cut out of census papers of my ancestors. I scanned them in and blew them up pretty large and cut out these giant family trees.


It's interesting the different color variances you can get with different eras of census records. I think the first one is from the 1920s, the second one is from the 1910s and the third one from the 1880s.


I'm going to give one to my parents, one I'll keep for me and I'm still debating what to do with the third one.

Ugh!

Sorry for the lack of posts. I've been pretty busy. But a lot of busy doing papercuts, so that's pretty cool. Remember how I told you that I'm going to be featured in a book about papercuts? I think I might have mislead some of you into believing that this was going to be all my stuff. It's lots of other artists in it as well. Well, I just got word that it's definitely being produced and will be available January 2010! It's called
Papercuts: 35 Inventive Projects and I think about 8 of them are mine. Pretty exciting, no?

Also, and I'm sure I'll post more about this as it gets closer, but I'm going to be in an art show with two other papercutting artists down in Provo from July 3rd-31st at the Terra Nova Gallery! If any of you are in the area, I hope you can make it! The opening reception is on July 3rd from 6-9pm.

Template Tuesday - Memorial Day

Okay! I missed last weeks, but there's been lots of stuff going on. Here's a little Memorial Day papercut with some criss-crossed guns, poppies and flags. Oh, and stars. I don't have the template done yet, but I wanted to post this to show that there's something in the works! Hope you guys have a good long weekend, if you're here in the States!

Giant Squid Attacks A Frigate!

Remember that little boy I was trading artwork with? He sent me something back and it's taken me forever to return something to him. Last night I bit the bullet and finished another one for him. It's a papercut of a giant squid attacking a frigate. I kind of like oceaned themed stuff right now.

Template Tuesday - Mother's Day Deer

If there's anything I like, it's deer. I've been thinking about what to do for mother's day for a while and kept having all these elaborate ideas and then I thought, just keep it simple. A mother and her baby will suffice.

This is what the template looks like. Don't freak out about the little spots on the fawn. If you can't cut them out, don't. If you can, don't worry about following my outline exactly. Happy cutting!
Here's the free template: Mother's Day Deer

Template Tuesday - Mother's Day Hen

Mother's Day is coming up and I'm always so bad at remembering until it's too late or I procrastinate thinking that I have plenty of time. This Mother's Day, I'm prepared! I have a craft book and I think I'll give her this little papercut with the Mother Hen and her chicks.

Here's what the template will look like when you download it. Remember, cut out the gray part first and then the outer outline.

Here's the free template: Mother's Day Hen

Template Tuesday - Indian Princess

For a little while now, I've liked to draw people riding elephants. Maybe it's because I'm jealous of this guy, maybe it's because elephants are really cool to draw, I don't know, but that's what I drew whilst being bored in church this weekend.

Here's what the template will look like. Remember, you can either print this out directly onto the back of the paper you're going to cut or you can print it out onto another sheet and tape it directly to your paper. Either way works. Cut out the center (gray) areas first and then cut the outlines.

Here's the actual template: India Princess Papercut. Enjoy!

In other news, I got my first bad review on Etsy. Some lady accused me of not even drawing one of my cards. Should I send her her money back or just send her a new batch? Maybe I should just ask her. It would have been nice if she would have told me her problems before she muddied up my excellent feedback record.

Template Tuesday - Dove of Peace

This last weekend I went to Washington DC with some good friends to visit some other good friends. On Saturday we went down to Mt. Vernon, the home of George Washington. There were so many interesting things to learn there and so many beautiful things to see. One of my most favorite things I saw (other than his actual dentures) was the weather vane on top of his house. I thought it was beautiful that the man who helped to forge this country would have something so simple and delicate crowning his home. It's a lesson for all of us in that no matter how tough things get outside the confines of our own four walls, there should always be peace in the home.

Here is what the dove looks like. It has an olive leaf in it's mouth, another symbol of peace.
For the template, I put a whole bunch of little doves on a sheet of 8.5 x 11 paper. I put them in my plants. You can do whatever you want with them! George Washington Dove of Peace.

Illustration Friday

Cool! My friend Rama posts on the Illustration Friday blog and they featured me! Thanks so much!

Illustration Friday

Template Tuesday - Daffodilly and Chick

Oooo...so I'm way late on doing this Template Tuesday, but the appeal of a blog is that you can alter the date and no one will know! Unless I say something like this.

So the other day, we were throwing out names for stuff at work and I happened to like the name Daffodilly and no one else saw my vision. I asked my co-workers what I should do for another Easter papercut and Hillary said I should do a Daffodilly one. Brilliant! So I did. This one started out as a mirror image cut, but didn't look quite right, so I just made it a single image.

Here's the template and the below image is what it should look like: Daffodilly.