Featured Artist - papercutsbyjoe

Joe was the featured artist on the etsy front page on Friday, and I saw this and was COMPLETELY blown away by the intricacies of his work. Here is the article. And here is his shop.


[go look]


I KNOW!!! CRAZY, eh? SO talented! The first picture I saw was the "Flour and Grain" picture, and I thought it was a photograph. But the second and third pictures of this listing show what it really is: beautiful masterpieces.


In the interview for the feature, Joe's words just oozed enthusiasm to me, and I love that about artists and artisans - they love what they do.


Here are my favourites from his shop:

great, eh? :)

His work is mind-blowing. I'm saying "crazy" and "amazing" out loud, and my husband is beginning to think I'm crazy. But he hasn't seen that beach picture. AMAZING!!!!


I would like to own the beach one, but, being a one-of-a-kind item, and such a time-consuming process, the cost is WAAAY over my budget. Great original works like this, unfortunately, are costly.


Joe's work is such a great example of what handmade really is. "Crafts" are no longer just glue and paper and cut-out felt shapes with your plastic kindergarten scissors, it's SO much more than that. Creating something original and beautiful out of raw materials, making it an extension of yourself is one of the most fulfilling things I have ever experienced. And, obviously, it is to Joe as well. He also has a LOT more patience than anyone else I have ever known - it would take me YEARS and many, many revisions to make something remotely close to that maple leaf, let alone the branches, or the boats, or the people riding bikes, or, well, anything!


I applaud you, papercutsbyjoe. Very inspiring.