Paper Cutting Artist Addie Boswell Reveals Her Process to Creating a Children's Book

Portland artist Addie Boswell works in many different mediums; such as paint, cut paper, and calligraphy, and in many different scales; such as mural size public art, painting size fine art for galleries and lap size art for children's books.  Since she gets a lot of inspiration from play, family, children and community, it's only natural that she has illustrated many children's books.  Today, she reveals some of her process to make her children's book, Five On The Bed.  

​​Tell us briefly about your art:​ 

My faith is in people. There is always extraordinariness in ordinary life, and there is always a story to tell. The stories I find myself returning to are about family, shared work, growth, the seasons, and a sense of community or place. Children are a constant source of inspiration. They have inherent creative power, raw courage to experiment, and they ask astonishing — and altogether ordinary — questions. Much of my artwork has a playful, childlike exuberance to it, and often my stories come directly from things kids say or do: But ducks don’t have lips! Will people ever end? Originally an oil painter and printmaker, I am drawn to the disciplined process of color and layer but the spirit of recycled and street art. I also have a strong practical bent that wants creativity to be useful. These are the reasons I gravitate to public art and picture books, both of which make art accessible — imperative really — to everyday life. Both forms allow me to meet people of all ages and backgrounds and chase ideas through place and time. And I get to read like a fiend and call it “research.”

​​​​​​What is your main medium of art?

acrylic paint and paper collage

​What are your website and links?

www.addieboswell.com

​​​​​​Please share your techniques & tips with us:

Though I loved printmaking in college, I never had the materials to continue the process. Now I find paper cuts and paper collage an easier and faster way to get the same strong lines I love in prints. In my latest book Five on the Bed, I used colored paper in a limited palette, with simple shapes to create the five characters in the story (which was inspired by my own life.)

To check out more of her process and learn more about her children's book, Five On The Bed, click this link.

Make sure you check out more of ​​Addie Boswell's art on her website where you can find all of her published children's books and her mural public art projects.  We certainly admire the magic and play she brings to all her art projects.

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