In the realm of art, where brush meets canvas or fingers glide over clay, there lies a delicate dance of blade and paper known as paper cutting.

In 1997, on one particularly cold and rainy New England winter day, a splash of vibrant origami papers brought to mind the California sunshine, and Jian Gao suddenly had an urge to resume an art form that she had learned as a hobby growing up in China.

About The Artist

In China, Jian’s story did start,

Then to America, dreams filled her heart.

…a wife, a daughter, a sister, an artist, an author, a retired teacher, an animal lover…

Many more roles, yet she’ll discover.

Forever grateful for each moment’s grace,

In life’s tapestry, finding her space.

Love for all things beautiful, a constant chase,

In gratitude, life’s wonders embrace.

About The Art

With paper, a craft knife, and a self-healing mat,

intricate artworks come to life.

 each slice of paper tells her tale,

The craft knife traces the outlines of her sail.

Every cut a window, each piece a mirrored scene,

 Reflecting the inner worlds where she has been.

The dance of blade and paper, a delicate art,

Expressing life’s fragments, each close to her heart.

Through contents and images, her experiences unfold,

In the silent language of papercut, her story is told.

Statement

In my art, I am in constant search for the image that best reflects my emotional and spiritual journey. Paper cutting provides a uniquely descriptive medium for this exploration.  The whisper of the knife, the gentle curves of the cuts on paper, and the evolving image all merge into a rhythmic cadence that lulls the mind.  Each precise cut is a moment of focus. Each curve and slice is a meditation in itself.  The world’s noises fade into background, and I am engulfed in the tactile symphony of blade on paper.  The act becomes rhythmic, almost trance-like, inviting a profound sense of calm and presence.  There is no room for distraction.  One misstep, one lapse in concentration, and the artwork could deviate from its intended path.  Awareness of the present moment, a necessity in paper cutting, mirrors the principles of deep meditation, where one’s consciousness is anchored firmly in the here and now.  The play of contrasts, the presence of the paper, the absence created by the cut, describe the sunlight and the night in an image, the full moon and the new.  The flow of the curves reflects the motion in an image, the water, the wind, or a butterfly’s wing.  The jeweled patterns mirror the many symmetries in nature and in our relationships.

CV

Teacher - Author - Consultant 1982 - Present

www.chinesewithease.com

避开席卷而来的喧嚣   远离数字时代的虚拟

我时常沉浸在

用一把刀在纸上镂图刻画的操作里

我面前的纸张是超越时间的空间

是记忆与梦交汇的地方 

刻着剪纸

尽享眼前和手边细碎的美

这份清喜

不多不少  不轻不重  不粘不腻

恰恰好

岁月缝花  万物染韵

这些作品

是我用刀在纸上镂出来的故事刻出来的诗行

是我跟时光的对话

这些作品

记录了日子里的痕迹   讲述了岁月里的沉香

是我被瞬间美俘虏了的见证

是我写给大自然的一封封情书

是我心里的画廊

这些作品

更是我对天地的感恩

对生命的热爱

All Right Reserved 2023 By Jian Gao