paper cut out in snow + aspen branches
Today I went out to a familiar aspen stand with my snow shoes. Though, I was excited to make some art with the new paper cut-outs I had brought along, I was feeling a little melancholy. It's been a strained few weeks of turbulence in my personal life- including someone close to me entering hospice. All of these little connections and moments were floating around in my mind as I maneuvered around the aspen with clunky snowshoes.
My latest cut-outs are based on "rorschach test" ink blots that I've been making the studio. I love the process of making ink blots because I am not really in control of what is going to happen. The dark shapes are funky and unexpected. They often remind me of the pelvis or vertebrae. Other times, they reference vessels, insects or stones. I decided these were the perfect, organic shapes to try for some cut-outs.
paper cut out + snow, on aspen trunk
As I placed these new, small cut-outs in the snow and breeze, it felt vulnerable. I feel this often when putting the fragile cut-outs in the out of doors. Tuning into fragility is purposeful and part of why I take the cut-outs into landscape. However, there was something more poignant for me today as a maker. I can't exactly see where some of this new work is 'going' just yet. It's not filled out or quite as strong as some other images I've made. I can't make out where much of the internal turbulence will smooth out. And hospice, I know where that ends, but I certainly do not know the 'when'. So, I was having one of those moments where the overlapping of metaphors were clear but the end results would have to be waited on and worked out over time.
paper cut out in aspen with sky
