ARTIST STATEMENT
Exploring abandoned buildings has become something of a compulsion. At this point, my husband doesn’t even ask if he should pull over when he sees an abandoned hotel or shop. I’m going in. While these spaces are often indicators of decline, artists and nature give them new life. Vines grow, graffiti gets covered by newer graffiti, the unhoused take shelter, weeds fill in the cracks, the young and rebellious find a haven from supervision, and the sun finds its way inside. Although I now live in the rainforest, I grew up hopping cities up and down The East Coast. During a brief stint in the suburbs I became extremely homesick. I didn’t miss tourist sites and historic landmarks. I missed falling fences, crumbling bricks, and gum on sidewalks. I missed new construction and sloppily painted promotional signs. What I really missed was living in a place that is constantly evolving.
My papercuts are based on photos I’ve taken all over the world and at home. No matter where I am, I find myself drawn to the same sorts of things. Where others see an eyesore, I see proof that humans and nature are more resilient than we think. I see abandoned spaces like these as calls to action. They remind us of our obligation to leave the world better than we found it.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Between painting alongside my grandmother and watching my father build reproduction antique furniture, I grew up seeing no distinction between fine art and craft. What mattered was that things were made by hand and done well. It is with that in mind that I create my hand cut paper pieces. Each of my papercuts is cut by hand from a single sheet of paper using a knife. My cityscapes are based on photos I’ve taken in my hometown and all over the world. I’m best known for my ability to capture thin tangles of powerlines and intricate brickwork. I delight in bringing a modern, urban perspective to a traditional folk medium.
I’ve served on the board of The Guild of American Papercutters (GAP) and am a member of The Paper Artist Collective. I have exhibited my work throughout the United States, in China, and in Mexico. My work has been acquired by The Canton Museum of Art (Canton, OH), The Colored Girls Museum (Philadelphia, PA) and The Museum of International Folk Art (Santa Fe, NM). I am the recipient of a 2021 Maryland State Arts Council Independent Artist Award, the 2021 Municipal Art Society of Baltimore City Artist Travel Prize, and the 2023 360 Xochi Quetzal BIPOC Residency. I reside in Puerto Rico with my husband and chihuahuas, Chalupa and Refrito.
© Rosa Leff