Karen Bernard

ARTISTS STATEMENT

Ottawa born, I am a graduate of the Graphic Arts Printing program at Algonquin College and worked in this field for 32 years before making my paper art a full time endeavour. I experimented with a variety of media before discovering the beauty of hand-made paper. With its flexibility, paper permits me to do more than decorate a flat surface. It inspires me to create three dimensional sculptures breaking through the barriers of two dimensional design. The unique properties and forms created by paper have no counterpart. This art form allows the freedom to leave the flat surface and return to the world of depth. My perceptions of our world are expressed in the precise intricate motion of each piece.
 

​My original designs can be seen in my most recent works of Paper Sculpture Relief, Iris folding and paper cutting .I display my works at the Valley Artisans Co-op in Deep River and participate in shows throughout the region.

 

Paper Sculpture relief

My paper sculpture relief pieces are abstract and use various papers I have collected over the years. The hand cut paper is then scored crumpled and layered to create abstracts with colour texture and balance. The selected mat board becomes an intricate piece of the work.

 

Paper Cutting

Paper cutting started off with a series of birds in flight that involve hand cut images that are folded and layered to give the piece motion and life. I use watercolour paper that I hand cut. The areas that I want to give motion to are hand moulded or curved and the rest I used positive and negative space to produce the image of the bird.

 

Iris Folding

The paper crafting technique of folding strips of coloured paper to form a design. Iris folding is a technique that originated in Holland and is called iris folding because the center of the design resembles the iris of a camera or eye. Originally, Dutch crafters would cut their strips from envelopes with patterned interiors

The paper is cut into long strips then folded lengthwise to get a straight edge, they are then  placed  behind cut out silhouettes of different designs. I use two patterned papers and two solid coloured tissue papers. Once the silhouette is cut it is flipped over and placed over the design so that I am working from the backside. Each strip of paper is cut and taped down from both ends and the next colour is laid down and repeated with the other paper strips working inward until there is only the square left in the middle which is filled with a fifth coloured pattern.

 

Concrete Coasters

With my interest in paper cutting, home décor and the need of some new coasters I came up with concrete poured coasters. I mix and pour the concrete into moulds that set and then once removed from the moulds are cured for three weeks to reach their maximum strength. Concrete coasters are sealed then sealed again after the paper cut design is adhered to the concrete. This process involves 6 layers of glue/sealant with a light sanding after each drying stage. They are then cork backed to protect surfaces.

My home items now include magnets and wine stops that are done using paper cut designs under glass or epoxy resin.

 

Paper Bead Pendant Necklaces

New for this spring I am having fun with paper bead pendant necklaces. I make paper beads using strips of card stock as well as magazine and handmade papers to make a focal paper bead. The paper is rolled in layers using a combination of choices until I reach the size needed. The bead is then sealed with a glue sealant and varnished with three layers or covered for protection using an acrylic coating.