Artist Bio from Courtney Duzyk

Welcome to another Artisan Bio from Boutique 208. When I received Courtney's Bio on her art of paper cutting I knew that it had a deep and long history. I researched the art and what follows is a short description on the history of Paper Cutting. Paper cutting is a craft dating back hundreds of years, yet it is still very popular today. Paper was invented only around A.D. 100 in China .The art of Paper Cutting began almost at the same time. Soon it became very popular in China, especially at the time of the Sung Dynasty (10th - 13th century). Paper Cutting in China was wide spread as folk art and people used it for many reasons, such as: window decorations, pasted cutout pictures for lanterns, house door decorations, etc. Large Paper Cuttings were used as decoration for sedan chairs, boxes, chests, and saucers that were burned at funerals. The patterns for Chinese Paper Cutting were mostly taken from Chinese mythology. Silk paper (a very thin paper) and parchment are generally used for this art.
Enjoy!
Amy Levier

I began paper cutting as an animation and design student at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. I was drawn to the organic nature and layered techniques of cutout animation, and even took the medium a step further in creating storyboards as cutout designs as well. Since then, I have incorporated multimedia collage techniques, and researched the history of paper cutting techniques to develop my own style.

Most of my work incorporates silhouette with original photography and textured papers. Many of my ideas stem from the free-flowing lines found in nature, which begin the contours for the layered pieces. I also prefer to balance traditional paper cut forms with abstract shapes. I enjoy that each layer of a piece could stand alone in form and style, but together the layers say something completely different. The layers draw the viewer in closer, to experience the paper cut in a whole new way.

My work focuses on using both modern and traditional paper cutting techniques. I enjoy the idea of combining two very different styles. My most recent work is a series of Victorian heart patterns layered with handmade paper, digital prints, and vellum. I am also working with incorporating other media such as watercolor, pen and ink, pencil, and found objects into my paper cuts. I am exploring recycling my own paper “scraps” into handmade paper, which will be used in future work. This is an effort to make the art form more sustainable, and give a sense of history with previous pieces. My goal is to do less planning with the cut designs and rather be more intuitive with the pieces to give the designs a more free-flowing approach.

I'm currently living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, soaking up all the creative energy that the city has to offer. I get endless inspiration from the rebirth of our historic city, as well as the incredible wealth of talented artists that are in the area.

Boutique 208 is full of some of those talented artists, so when you get the chance stop in and buy local, handmade!