These meticulously crafted cuttings are a refreshing alternative to the mass-produced impersonal decorations
found in big box stores.
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Each KaleidoCut is created painstakingly by hand with a craft knife, most often in a stack of six to eight pieces of tissue paper. Inspired originally by the Mexican folk art Papel Picados (also known as Picadas), KaleidoCuts are custom designed for you and tailored to your occasion.
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Although tissue paper is by its very nature impermanent, it holds up surprisingly well. Strong breezes will be damaging, and most colors will fade in direct light over time, but packed carefully away, KaleidoCuts can be brought out and enjoyed again years later.
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My first introduction to Picadas was through Margaret Barthelemy (1917-2011) who spent about twelve years in Michoacan, Mexico (ca. 1972-1984) with her husband Richard. These two, whose “creativity inspired and changed lives wherever they were,” organized local women in a successful revival of their ancient backstrap weaving traditions. Margaret and Dick shared all manner of textile and paper folk traditions with us at Folklore Village Farm. I was hooked!
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Margaret at Folklore Village (L to R):
at Festival of Christmas & Midwinter Traditions (1991?); Dancing with Ingvar Sodal; and with Jane Farwell (center) (both at Midsummer Festival 1992) |
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