Ellen Sandbeck Paper Artist Exhibit

2018 has been a wonderful year of exhibits in the Gallery at the Bigfork Edge Center for the Arts, and the final showing of the year closes with another unique show. Ellen Sandbeck bills herself as a “paper artist”, but that hardly begins to describe the multi- faceted presenter of this final “exhibit” of the year.  Ellen is not only an artist, but a teacher, organic gardener, mother and others. It is hard to imagine how she fits in enough time for her art. At this exhibit you will see examples of work that you must get close to appreciate the detail and then back up to appreciate how it "fits'" together. It is one of those exhibits that makes one want to study.   Ellen Sandbeck's work will be on display from November 1 through December 1 during normal gallery hours and during Edge Events. The gallery is next to the Bigfork School and is open from 10 am to 4 pm on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, plus during Edge center events. Admission to the gallery and during the opening reception From 5 pm until 7 PM on Friday, November 2 is free.

Regarding her art, in her own words: “I have always been entranced by the natural world, and have been making nature-based art since I was a toddler. I have been doing papercuts since 1985, when my son was born, and the constant distraction of tending him made it difficult to do any form of artwork that involved drying time. I soon realized that papercutting was my true medium. Though every papercut I started during that first year fell apart in my hands, after a single, injudicious cut, I kept practicing. After that first year, I began sending samples to publishing companies, and within a year had landed my first book contract, with Dover Publications, for a stencil book. Ten other books of original graphics followed.

In 2009, I began a year-long project in which I executed a papercut of the historical Buddha every day. Like every project I have ever taken on, this project was far more time-consuming than I had anticipated, yet it was a year of very peaceful meditation. As the year progressed, so did I, and I began to feel as if I was getting a handle on my medium. Though papercutting could be considered rather limiting, and even clumsy, I find its limitations a challenge, and tend to regard it as a game or a sport, as well as an art. I also regard papercutting as a sort of hybrid between drawing and very very shallow bas relief, and as I am working, I almost get a sensation of working and feeling my way around the three-dimensional bodies of my subjects.”

 Even though the Edge Gallery is a “traditional gallery” at least in design, the Edge strives to bring to our audience a view of the wonderful diversity of what we call “Art on the Edge” and Ellen is a wonderful example of that effort.  Mark you calendar accordingly.  This is one you don’t want to miss.

Ellen Sandbeck will be showing her work at the Edge Center Gallery for the Arts November 1, through December 1 during normal gallery hours and during Edge center events. An open hose reception is on November 2 from five to seven P.M. at the gallery. This is an event filled with color and stories. You will art of incredible detail, vivid colors and unique beauty.