Su Blackwell makes paper sculptures out of books. Amazing! I’ve heard of book art, and then there’s book art a la Su Blackwell. I’d give it a try myself, but I can’t bring myself to cut up books, I love them too much, and besides, I really hate getting paper cuts.

Here’s what Su says about herself, on her website:

”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.”

Paper has been used for communication since its invention; either between humans or in an attempt to communicate with the spirit world. I employ this delicate, accessible medium and use irreversible, destructive processes to reflect on the precariousness of the world we inhabit and the fragility of our life, dreams and ambitions.
Su Blackwell, 2007

Su Blackwell Studio Ltd. was set up in 2011 to work on a variety of projects, commissions and collaborations. The studio comprises of Su (director) and her assistant ‘Emma’.

Su is represented by Long and Ryle Gallery, London.

For more information about Sue, including her biography, and enquiries about commissions etc, please contact Su directly through her website.

Meanwhile, just sit back and enjoy these examples of Su’s superbly creative book sculptures or book carvings (courtesy of Su’s website and Google):