"This piece in inspired by the mountains of knotty wood we chop to keep ourselves warm. They say that firewood warms you twice, and sometimes I think it warms you 3 times over: chopping, hauling and burning."
The cut-paper artwork all starts as a sheet of black paper. Carving away at the background using an Xacto knife, the images are revealed in an intricate lacework of lines. Using the black as Valisa's foreground, she fills the negative space by piecing together layers of paper in vibrant colors and textures. As a finishing touch, adding the last details and shading with watercolor. Valisa's work reflects her love of community, nature and all things nostalgic.
