Lovely On-Edge Paper Quilling by Sobana Ashok Kumar

Recently on Instagram I was introduced to the dramatic, on-edge paper art of Sobana Ashok Kumar and learned she has been following this blog for a decade - nice! Sobana is a self-taught quilling artist and a full-time IT Engineer in France whose love of crafting was passed down to her by her mother beginning at an early age.

 

Enjoy a look at Sobana's quillwork and get to know her a bit. I especially love what she has to say about the essence of silence as it relates to creating:

"The journey commenced in 2012 when I stumbled upon a quilled greeting card online and was captivated by the intricate swirls and coils of colorful paper strips. Starting with crafting simple flowers, I became engrossed in exploring various colors, shapes, and the three-dimensional aspects of paper strips."

 

"Over the past decade I have dedicated my evenings to exploring greeting cards, embellishing photo frames, and crafting jewelry using paper quilling techniques. Inspired by the renowned paper artist Yulia Brodskaya, I found motivation in her methods and set out to create a quilled portrait of Buddha."

 

"During the challenging times of the Covid pandemic, I chose to dedicate more time to my passion, which proved to be a source of positivity. This dedication led me to complete the Buddha portrait successfully and encouraged me to create more figurative quilled and edge paper artworks."

 

 

"Sharing my creations with a colleague who encouraged me, I had the opportunity to exhibit my art at my workplace alongside two photographers."

 

"In the summer of 2023, I showcased my quilling at an art fair in my town of Villepreux in France, where one of my pieces was selected to be presented to the Mayor for a successful four-year tenure. Additionally, I participated in the Festival of India in France during the spring of the following year, exhibiting artworks with a fellow artist."

 

"I am grateful that my creative passion continues to drive me and bring joy to my existence. Through my artwork, I aim to convey to the world the essence of silence that envelops me during the creative process."

 

"Mother Nature and my mother serve as my primary sources of inspiration. While I typically enjoy working with flowers, I am currently captivated by the realm of fungi and am in the process of creating a series centered around them."

 

"Using paper from Canson or Clairefontaine, I meticulously cut the strips myself, mostly preferring a 10mm (.39 inch) width, but adjusting as needed. If necessary, I use Aquarelle watercolors as a background to enhance my pieces. Tools that I utilize include a Fiskars paper trimmer, curved tweezers, craft glue, and a slotted quilling pen/toothpicks or writing pens."

 

"I pay close attention to detail, ensuring flawless finishing and a neat presentation. Embracing the possibility of mistakes, I understand that they can sometimes result in beautiful outcomes."

 

Sobana Ashok Kumar

 

 

"Currently, I am open to collaborations with fellow artists for exhibitions and commissioned works. I can be reached via Instagram where I am @dayapaperart."