This paper craft artist loves finding bits of paper, which would otherwise be tossed in the trash, and transforming them into these lively butterfly sculptures. A master of working with her hands, Rebecca Coles is “fascinated with the process by which three-dimensional decorative forms materialize out of flat sheets of paper.” To create these sculptures, Coles draws each shape onto paper, and then over the course of days, or sometimes weeks, she carefully and meticulously hand cuts each one out of the recycled medium.
The artist’s creative process varies. Some pieces are very well planned out and others are more organic, building from patterns of shapes and colors. Coles purposefully identifies specific colors, words, and bits of images on the discarded paper to add to the detail of each piece. She says, “My aim is to transform an every day object into a piece of work that invites the viewer to see beyond its original source.” She succeeds with this vision, as the sculptures come alive with the energy and flapping wings of beautiful butterflies.
