Meet the Maker: Polly Finch

Polly Finch of Polly Papercuts is joining us for a very special workshop on Wednesday 23rd November. Participants will get to choose from a variety of designs to cut your own papercut! Use your papercut to make a photographic silk screen and then print 30 cards! Go home with your original papercut and cards. We asked Polly to tell us more about her work and process:

Describe your process.

I work in 2D and 3D. Everything is cut by hand using a scalpel and lots and lots of 10A blades. Each piece is unique – no lasers!

I do a lot of sketching, but no design is set in stone, and I like my work evolve over time. For a 2D piece I will cut from the back, having drawn some guidelines to work from (this is especially important with lettering, as everything is backwards, of course).

3D pieces are even slower to come to fruition as there are so many aspects to consider- the box, a base, different papers. I love this process.

How and where did you learn papercutting?

I am self-taught. I kind of stumbled across papercutting whilst trying to embellish a drawing, and it just went from there. I started with 2D work, but for the past couple of years I have also been exploring making 3D pieces, which have been popular – so that’s nice!

Where do you work?

I work from home in a tiny chaotic studio off my kitchen. Periodically I have to blitz everything as the mess builds up until I have no space to work at all.

Describe a typical day in your studio.

I don’t really have a typical day. I might do some cutting, a bit of sketching, think about a 3D piece, and then do some making. I work on commissions, so I’m always trying to keep on top of them, especially in the run up to Christmas.

How long have you been an artist?

I have been paper cutting for 5 or 6 years.

What inspires you?

I love the sea, and live on the South Coast, so my work often has nautical themes, but I am also inspired by the countryside and walk every day on the Downs with my dog ( lab/ spaniel cross called Stig).

What is your favourite art product?

I know its cliched but I would say my favourite art product is paper – I love sketch books, hand made papers, things created from paper.

What have you made that you are most proud of?

I have made several very large 2D paper cuts, which I am very proud of. One of them, ‘Into the Woods,’ won the Fusion 2013 Best Fine Art Prize.

Where can we see your work? Where do you sell and teach?

In the run up to Christmas I have one more weekend at the cowshed Studio Christmas exhibition; I am exhibiting at The VK Gallery; The HOP Gallery; and

doing two Christmas Art Fairs on the 4th December in Steyning and 10th December in Brighton. Please see my website for details.

What will we be seeing from you next?

Next year I am very exciting to be collaborating on an original story book about King Arthur with illustrations, papercutting, and collage. It’s my biggest project to date and I’m really excited about it!

Do you have any advice for other makers and creatives?

I would say to other makers, “keep doing what you love, not what you think other people want.”