Books are wonderful..
Books are absolutely magical, and all the magic can be found between the lines of the never-ending stories, between those thin layers of paper, in between words that reach the very bottom of your soul, and also the very deep of your heart, bringing back memories, bringing out emotions, giving new meanings to things that you haven’t given a second thought before.
Some people know how to write, some people love to read, but others use books to express feelings in a very different but spectacular way – it might break your heart a bit if you are a book lover, but you might as well find it amazing and you might love with all your heart this kind of art: book-cut sculpture.
Today I cam across an amazing artist: Su Blackwell.
She is a British artist best known for constructing delicate sculptures from pages of books. Her artworks are so beautiful, I can’t even put into words how much I love them all; her delicate hands can turn simple pages into incredible 3D images that will steal your heart.
The expression “painting with words” is now having an entirely different meaning, and I hope that you will enjoy her “paintings” as much as I did.
I often work within the realm of fairy-tales and folk-lore. I began making a series of book-sculpture, cutting-out images from old books to create three-dimensional diorama’s, and displaying them inside wooden boxes.
For the cut-out illustrations, I tend to lean towards young-girl characters, placing them in haunting, fragile settings, expressing the vulnerability of childhood, while also conveying a sense of childhood anxiety and wonder. There is a quiet melancholy in the work, depicted in the material used, and choice of subtle colour.
I leave you with this video from Su’s vimeo page and the reminder, that if you want to see more of her wonderful artworks, you should definitely check her website at: www.sublackwell.co.uk
PS: I am wondering.. maybe the books I didn’t like might become more enjoyable if turned into such stunning pieces of art, don’t you agree?
First I was like: noooooo, those poor books 🙁
But the sculptures are amazing! And you’re right. Books I didn’t like can become good books when they are turned in such beautiful arts.
Art is beautiful in every form 🙂
I was like you, at first rejecting a bit the idea because I love books (just the way they are, in a ‘book format’, LOL), but soon I became fascinated with these sculptures and all the wonderful things in which books can be transformed.
Love this post, Ari! I did an interview with Sue for my old craft blog last year, and it continues to be the most popular post I ever did, hah. Love seeing all this stuff again.
Thanks Wendy, Sue is really amazing and I am really glad to hear that many people enjoy her work. She deserves all the attention she gets and a lot more 🙂
What an awesome post! I love this artwork.. as a book-lover it’s hard to think of books used like this.. BUT on the other hand I love it too.. for books to really COME ALIVE and be accessible and meaningful to readers and non-readers alike – THAT is true art and beauty.
I have to say I LOVE your blog design too! Seriously amazingtastic! So many great features 😀
Thanks so much for dropping by my blog – I plan on visiting back often 😀
April @ My Shelf Confessions
Thanks April, I love her art too. Some people are too talented for words, and they can turn into amazing artworks even the most simple things.
Thanks as well for stopping by 😉
The images are beautiful! The second one looks like Hogwarts quite a lot! It is a bit painful to see books used in such a manner, however the designs are almost magical that I cannot stop myself from admiring them. It must have taken a lot of patience to make them.
Yes, a lot of patience and also it requires a lot of talent, I guess.
I’m as well still torn between my love for art and my love for books, but every time I see something similar I can’t stop admiring the beauty of these pieces of art. Beautiful indeed!