Cut for spring
a celebration of bulbous flowers
Paper cutting or clipping art is cutting shapes out of paper with scissors or a knife. Pasted on a (colored) background, the outlines give a nice contrast. The history of paper cutting goes back to the third century B.C. in ancient China. This art form has developed all over the world, adapting to different cultural styles. Even the famous modern artist Henri Matisse was into it. In the Netherlands, cutting and carving has been practiced for more than four centuries. In 1983, cutters united to form The Dutch Association for Paper Cutting with the goal of raising awareness of cutting. Today, cutters practice both the more folkloric side and contemporary subjects and techniques. The association is a platform for the leisure cutter and for the professional artist and has more than 300 members.