Papel Picado

Papel Picado is an ancient Mexican folk-art tradition of taking paper and cutting out pieces to create images, symbols, shapes and figurines. In pre-hispanic times a type of paper, called Amate, was made using tree bark. Amate paper was used for a variety of reasons including every-day use and religious or ceremonial purposes. My papel picado art blends traditional concepts with my own nuance, always using a lot of color. Spirit figurines are the main characters in my papel picado art, as well as intricate scenes and geometric shapes. Each piece is individually hand-cut and uniquely painted.