“I’m Ellen Golla. I make my artist’s books and
related work under The Paper Chipmunk Press imprint. I used to mostly make
pictures in the form of finely detailed paper mosaic collages. My longtime
studio and alter ego is Zebra Crossing Picture Factory. And what, you might
ask, does a chipmunk have to do with a zebra? Good question. Zebra Crossing
Picture Factory came first. In the background to my paper mosaic collages, I’d
long been making little books and doing other things with paper. I didn’t
consider these to be my “real” work, and often gave them away as gifts. Over a
decade ago, I developed an undiagnosed condition that affected my hands and
concentration, among other things. As my ability to intensively use tweezers
and scissors declined, I turned increasingly to those handmade books and other
paper-based creations. The world of artists’ books became a fascination and a
solace. I started a blog about paper art and artists’ books to entertain
myself. I chose the Paper Chipmunk to differentiate it from my usual studio
output. But as I became more and more involved with making books–and this
blog–Zebra Crossing and The Paper Chipmunk began to evolve together. Artist’s
books and related matters became my regular work, and I adopted The Paper
Chipmunk Press as my imprint. I call it the bookmaking division of Zebra
Crossing Picture Factory. After ten years of various diagnostic guesses that
included a pain syndrome to having a neurologist tell me that I’m an overly
imaginative artist with a “fantastical interpretation” of my “bodily
sensations,” I discovered that I actually have Multiple Sclerosis (or, in
doctor speak, “probably Multiple Sclerosis”). Fortunately, I can still fold and
sew paper and dream up ideas for books. I’ve noticed that people sometimes
arrive here because they have Googled “chipmunk made of paper” or “papier maché
chipmunk.” Alas, I don’t offer those. But I do love paper, collage, cut paper
and artists’ books. Here are my random chewings on these as well as other
topics from my life as an artist. Papier maché chipmunks aside, I hope you find
something useful.”
Art work by Ellen Golla
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento