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gene mason toutsi biography
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[Biography] [Gallery]
Lived: - present
GAP Member Since: 2002-10-10
Type: Papercuttings
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7621 Dowdy Drive
Richmond VA 23231-6444
USA
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Laura's Menorah
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Visitors to the Crossroads Art Center in Richmond, Virginia
often ask me how I became interested in papercutting. An art
teacher in the Henrico County Public School System [VA] until
my retirement in 2002, I was in my thirties before I focused
on papercutting, being introduced to it two separate times by
artists who taught “Polish Paper-Cutting” workshops. I was
immediately drawn to it, and some of my past loves from art
history seemed to fall into place. |
As a small child, my favorite book contained photographs of
Matisse cut-outs. I loved the shapes and colors and made up
stories about them. Later, as an art student at Virginia
Commonwealth University, I loved the compositions of Piet
Mondrian and Romare Beardon. While teaching art, I focused
on a balanced curriculum of the visual arts and always included
papercutting and collage. I still love all areas of the visual
arts, but now that I am in my retirement years, my favorite
media is papercutting and it has become my passion. |
Maymont-Friends in the Park
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Owl and Friends
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Since I was originally taught by Polish papercutters, my early
work represents that imagery. Though I have retained many of
those familiar Polish papercutting elements ever the years,
such as the black framework and the round format, I have gone
off in many other directions. Animals seem to get my attention
more than any other subject. The colors and patterns fascinate
me, as do different kinds of paper. |
I enjoy taking on new challenges and discovering different
techniques. I love the cleanness of paper and the multi-dimensional
look of the surface of each papercutting. Each composition is
unique since I do not copy previous pieces or use stencils. I repeat
subjects, but never in the same form. For example, I have created
several compositions of cardinals, but no two are alike. |
Peaceable Kingdom
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Sailboat
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The papercutting process starts by drawing a whole or folded
circle on the white side of the black silhouette paper after
deciding if the piece will be symmetrical or asymmetrical.
The design is drawn and cut on the white side using scissors,
exact knives, and a small hole puncher. After the black framework
is complete, I decide whether to use color or not. I try to use
permanently dyed papers that will not deteriorate or change.
I love color in papercutting, but often black and white is
stronger left alone. I sign finished pieces and have them framed
for preservation and enhancement. |
Over the years I have studied and explored many of the cultural
and historic traditions in papercutting. I love them all! I have
a growing collection from many people and places. I still count
Matisse, Mondrian, and Bearden as three of my favorite artists.
Robert Sabuda and Eric Carle are two of my newer favorites.
Craftsmanship and skill are tremendously important in papercutting,
but I will always believe that creativity, originality, and
elements of design must also be present to truly be a part of the
visual arts. |
As a retired teacher, Gene still participates in promoting art
with young people. She has agreed to work part-time in the public
school environment assisting with the visual and cultural arts
programs. With this part-time status, Gene is now able to further
pursue her love of papercutting as she says “by opening new media
adventures. . . creating, jumbling, and solving a puzzle with
intricate pieces. The more I study it as an artform and do it,
the more I learn about it.” |
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