A group of Polk County Schools AIG students spent a week turning paper and scissors into works of art while learning how paper-cutting traditions developed across cultures around the world.
Students participated in the Cuttin’ It Up! summer camp during the week of July 6, exploring Scherenschnitte, the Swiss-German art of creating intricate designs from a single sheet of paper. The camp was one of several free Summer Seminars offered through a grant from the Polk County Community Foundation.
The camp combined art with history. Students learned how the invention of paper traveled along the Silk Road and how cultures developed their own paper-cutting traditions.
They studied several styles, including Wycinanki, a colorful Polish tradition that has been created using sheep shears; French silhouettes; Scherenschnitte; and Chinese paper cutting, where the tradition began.
Students then put those ideas into practice.
Campers used their names to design symmetrical abstract compositions inspired by Wycinanki. They also created three-dimensional paper spinners by cutting matching designs, layering them and sewing the pieces together through the center.
A highlight of the week was a virtual visit with master paper-cutting artist Marie-Helene Grabman. According to information provided by the camp, Grabman’s work has been exhibited at the Swiss National Museum, galleries and the White House.
After learning about her work, students designed and framed an original paper cut in a style of their choice.
The camp concluded with a gallery walk, giving families an opportunity to see the artwork students created throughout the week.
Through the projects, students combined creativity with lessons in history and culture while seeing how a simple material such as paper can become an artistic tradition shared across generations and continents.
