Erin had a long and rewarding career with the U.S. Forest Service, traveling across the country and throughout Europe doing what she loved. Creativity within the federal government was rarely an option, so when she retired, she knew it was time to use the other side of her brain. The only problem was—she wasn’t an artist.
She had never attended art classes in school or during her career and had never felt the urge to paint or draw. Finding a way to express herself creatively was a challenge, and that’s where paper quilling began. Erin wanted to explore a “unique” form of art—something different, something few others seemed to be doing.
When Erin first started paper quilling, it was simply a way to stay busy after leaving her career and entering retirement. She wanted something portable, something she could take along while traveling. After she and her husband purchased an RV and prepared to explore the U.S., Erin knew she would need something to keep her hands occupied during those long miles as a passenger. Paper quilling was the creative outlet that caught her attention. She bought the necessary tools and started rolling. The rest, as they say, is history.
We had the chance to visit with Erin and talk about quilling and her artistic process.
Q: How do you decide on the themes or subjects of your pieces? Is there a particular message you aim to convey?
A: I tend to lean more towards abstract art. I find joy in looking out in the world daily, see something that strikes me and think, “I can quill that!” At times, it’s simply a design on fabric or paper that catches my eye. Sometimes it works, other times I find the design so brilliant, I overcomplicate it, and sometimes, months later, I see the photo or design again and decide to tackle it. I have a plethora of ideas, just not the time to bring them to fruition.
Paper quilling is an extremely intense and time-consuming form of art. It generally takes 30+ hours to complete a smaller 8x10, and if the piece has dimension and/or texture, then the hours go up considerably. I've made larger pieces (12x24 and 24x48) where the hours are too many to count.
Paper quilling is easy to learn, but not always easy to stick with. It takes patience, practice, and a constant desire to improve. You have to let your mind find the design as it unfolds. With paints, you can blend colors. With paper, creating that same sense of movement and depth is a challenge—it takes time and a lot of trial and error. My motto is “hand rolled and meticulously placed one piece at a time.”
I roll strips of paper because it consumes my time in a way that’s almost zen-like. I find it relaxing and productive all at the same time. The journey in the creating is what’s rewarding. Whoever said that something worthwhile shouldn’t take time?
Q. What are your future goals with your work?
A: While Paper Quilling is my first passion, I have a love of all things paper. I’ve taught myself the art of bookbinding, which I find to be fascinating. Journal making is a fun process which begins at making the book cover, to designing the pages inside, to the applying the finishing touches. It’s a very popular creative outlet and one that keeps me busy when not rolling strips of paper.
Q: How do you stay motivated and find inspiration, especially during creative blocks?
A: When I feel like my mojo has taken a dive, I just move myself onto to another paper form of art. I'm addicted to paper. My little studio is pretty much dedicated to paper. Not only do I store thousands of paper strips in all sizes and colors, but papers of all kinds. I love handmade papers from Japan to Nepal. I love the feel and texture of of the handmade papers. I make journals, art journals, accordion journals, and everything in between. I also make handmade boxes with the various papers, the Art of Cartonnage. So when one paper art creativity stalls, another form just takes its place.
Q: What is the greatest reward of your work?
A: There are several paper artists out there who I follow and inspire me daily, but I give a high praise to those who view my work, take my workshops and months later, show me what they've created while giving all credit to me for getting them started. It's fun to see the happy smiles on their faces.
Q: How long have you been a SAAG member and how has your membership benefited you?
A: I joined SAAG in 2019, by the mention of the Gallery from a neighbor. I quickly paid the Gallery a visit, and remarkably that day, I was juried in and began my venture as an artist in the Gallery shortly thereafter. I also served as Vice-President of the SAAG Board for two years. Now I serve as lead of the workshops committee and have held that position for a few years now.
Q: Any final thoughts you would like to share with our readers?
A: I'm most proud of the fact that my art form is unique, that not many have heard of it, and want to hear me talk about it. I'm also proud that I have been able to share my love of this paper art by teaching it to others. My workshop classes are very successful here in the Tucson area, and I have several repeat students who are loving this form of art as much as I do.
I did a lot of explaining (still do) to many who have never heard of paper quilling. It's part of the fun of having a unique creation, people ask a lot of questions and are consistently curious.
Erin Newman can be found online at:
Instagram: Erin_Quills_Paper - https://www.instagram.com/erin_quills_paper/
Facebook: Paper Quilling by Erin - https://www.facebook.com/PaperQuillingbyErin
Paperworks: Erin Newman - https://www.paperworks.info/gallerydirectory/erinnewman
