SNIPPETS

I’ve begun working on a new project called “SNIPPETS,” a collection of my art, poetry, scissorcuts, sermons, even Christmas cards.

Snippet: a small part, piece, or thing, esp. a brief quotable passage.                                From Merriam-Webster Dictionary

I’ve always been a detail person. Part of my O.C.T. – Obsessive Compulsive Tendencies. My art teachers always told me to “loosen up.”  But I love realism, and reality is so full of detail!  Some people say, “You must have a lot of patience to do those scissorcuts.”  But for me, it is an escape. Like a mechanic who loves working on cars, or a quilter piecing together an intricate quilt. Everyone shows patience with things they enjoy.

As I snip away at a scissorcut, very small pieces of paper fall to my lap, snippets. Sometimes a snippet will hang on by a microscopic fiber, and the tip of my tiny scissors just keeps pulling and twisting it . . . but it won’t fall off!  I snip and tug, and pray for patience . . . and a sharper scissors. Before the invention of laser surgery, these were used for eye surgeries. When the points become dull, I sharpen them on a whetstone.

I write poetry because I love language. Sounds and meanings and layers of meaning. I write sermons because I believe God has called me to proclaim the good news of his love for the world. God’s creativity inspires mine. My art is dedicated to the glory of God who is the true creator of nature’s beauty, infinite variety, and detail.

Silhouettes, the outline of a person’s face, have been used since ancient times; for example, the emperor’s portrait on the faces of coins.  The term silhouette originated in France in the eighteenth century.  Scherenschnitte or scissorcutting dates back to the 1500s in Germany, Poland, and Switzerland. Multiple figures, children, carriages, and trees combined elegant composition and exquisite detail. The Pennsylvania Dutch brought scissorcutting to America in the 1700s. Intricate paper cutting is also popular in China, Japan, and Mexico. Sometimes the paper is folded then cut, to form geometric designs of fine lacey patterns.

My contribution to the art form is to add depth to the scene depicted. Mountains, rivers, forests, birds, deer, flowers, lakes, and ocean shores are my favorites.  With a background in science and engineering, a passion for theology and people, and a love of nature, my mind bounces through all kinds of crazy places as I write personal reflections, poetry, and sermons; and as I try to decide what subject matter will challenge my tiny scissors. I hope this book will give you a glimpse of the small pieces or things I have created through the years.

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