Discovered the incredibly beautiful book sculptures of Su Blackwell this week and just can't stop staring. The allure of something not only wonderfully expressive, but something I can nearly feel as I look at it. In the artist's words:
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.
Subject matter such as Wuthering Heights (click on any image to enlarge):
Pandora's box:
Alice:
Narnia:
Or Little Red Riding Hood:
Visit the artist's website for more images and her blog for recent updates. Or check out the greeting cards for an affordable temptation.