Marion Glass: Senior Portfolio: Artist: Lena Wolff

I was first drawn to Lena Wolff's paper works because I thought they were gorgeous, somewhat whimsical, and made with impeccable craft. On closer inspection, I have become very interested in the process and meaning behind her collages. I have been toying with the idea of piecing together small collages to make something much larger, and I love that she has done exactly that, to create what she calls "paper quilts." Please read an excerpt from her statement below:

"As an artist I'm informed by an interest in folk art, anthropomorphic fables, allegory, organic abstraction and veneration for the natural world. Working with mixed mediums on paper, I draw from philosophies of the Arts and Crafts Movement and the re-contextualization of textile traditions as much as by contemporary drawing and painting practice.

Using paper-cut, collage and pinpricks on paper, I work to construct textured and layered images that appear otherworldly and fantastic. The pieces with darker backgrounds can appear black in reproductions but are actually a dark metallic gray that is affected by light. These surfaces are made by building up thin layers of dark gray paint on paper which is then rubbed with powdered graphite. The paper is punctured with a needle to create pinpricks and finally hand-painted cut and pasted collage pieces, along with various minute sizes of hole-punched paper are laid on top. By working on the front and back-side of the paper, the surface is handled by hand like fabric as much as paper itself, and often multiple panels are joined in a single piece to make paper quilts. "

I'm posting a few of my favorites from her portfolio below. I highly recommend checking out her website to view them larger, as well as to learn more about her.