Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron Kane
Hi Aaron, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
A New Hampshire native, I was born, raised and attended school in the city of Manchester. For college, I graduated from The New Hampshire Institute of Art in 2017 and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration. Currently, I reside in Goffstown NH and devote and balance my time as a full-time freelance artist while having a full-time job. My medium of choice is my hand cut paper designs, which cover a vast array of subjects, primarily focused on architecture and portraiture. The idea to work with strictly paper and knife was discovered in my time at school when a friend suggested I break out of my comfort zone. originally working with charcoal, pen and Ink, I was challenged with working with nothing but paper. So basically, I was dared to create something with only a single sheet of paper. Which to my surprise received a lot of praise from my professors. After graduating, I devoted my time building an audience through social media and by networking at local galleries. Meeting other artists and gaining connections as well as new opportunities outside of my home state. Today, I now have a consistently growing clientele, with work in galleries and in homes throughout the country. My work has recently made its way in galleries across Europe as well over the past year.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I can honestly say it has not been a smooth road. After leaving college I was by myself with no clear direction on how to build up an audience as well as submitting a body of work to galleries. I had to start small and work on building up my presence on social media. While also breaking out of my comfort zone by networking at galleries. I believe most artists can be introverted so putting ourselves out there can be quite a task for us. There was a time I went an entire year with out selling anything, but I kept on making art even when I didn’t want to. Being faced with a lot of rejection during that time was more of a motivator for me and taught me to be consistent above all else. Upon doing that I was able to build upon those connections and begin to reach out to potential customers and local galleries. One of the biggest struggles however, was my medium of papercutting. Which isn’t well known around where I live, so most people were unsure how to react to my work. People didn’t know what it was and therefore brushed aside the work and time I had put in to my work. That’s what lead to a lot of my rejections from galleries early on. One harsh reality of trying to be a full time artist is that it doesn’t happen over night. It may happen sooner for others but for me it has taken quite a long time which is why I also have a full time job. That job allows me to afford working as a freelance artist, and It’s only recently that I have been making more with my art that I could make papercutting my one and only full time job. The challenge truly is being patient and staying consistent even if you don’t get immediate results. You just have to keep pushing through, and in the end it will all be worth it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a hand cut paper artist, meaning everything I create is done with a single sheet of paper and a surgical blade. This medium of choice is what makes me stand out amongst other artists in my area. It’s different and unique but took some getting used too for some people. My papercutting is what I am known for, so much that most people only know me as “The cut paper guy”. The growth within my work is what stands out the most for me. How I am able to create depth, and manipulate the paper to create realistic portraits or cityscapes. Compared to when I first started when I was ripping the paper and having to start over again and again. I am also proud that I was self taught in papercutting. Even in school all of my professors were painters or illustrators so I had no clear guidance within the medium. This lead me to experiment with all sorts of themes within my body of work. I have done pieces based in pop culture, portraits, places, logos and abstract designs. I’ve even begun to sell prints and stickers of my work Once again making me stand out amongst other artists.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I believe people need to understand the importance of art in the community, and supporting local artists. In this day and age so much of the craft of art has been pushed aside due to technology. It undermines and creates the disconnect of the craft we have taken so long to learn. I hope to bridge that gap and take the time to show that the art I create has a story behind it and is worth having the conversation. We are more than just a print button.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thecutpaperguy.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecutpaper_guy/
