How awesome is it, then, that I finally get to use lasers in my work*. Introducing The Year of the Snake limited edition Laser Cut Print! Based on the topmost serpent layer of Among the Petals a White Serpent, this lasercut is an intricately designed, delicately beautiful display of the potency of simplicity and the curviness of snakes. Here in Japan, the white snake is a symbol of good fortune – particularly in the financial department. I hope that it will prove fortuitous for you.

The Year of the Snake limited edition Laser Cut Print is available now in the shop, in its own lasercut section. It is limited to an edition of only 200 prints, of which 100 have already been claimed. Each is signed and numbered by the artist (you can almost read my signature), and will sell for $75 US.

*Full disclaimer: Nobody actually let me touch the laser. Or even look at it. That would be beyond foolish – and quite possibly catastrophic for the entire planet.

The Great Cut Paper Creation Competition

Thanks to the kind donation of one cut paper fan from Northern Europe, I am able to gift a few cut papery items to the person or cause of my choice. I could just give the items away, but where’s the fun in that?!?

I hereby lay down the gauntlet and challenge thee to create the absolute best Cut Paper Artwork you are capable of!!!

Why a competition? I’ve had an amazing few years making paper art, thanks to the support of a lot of great people. I’ve learned so much about paper, art, people, and life. Now, it would be an honor to share my obsession with you – to give people who aren’t artists and who don’t usually have the opportunity or the impetus to get creative a chance to try something new. I earnestly hope you fall in love with paper just as I have.

So be bold! Make art! Get Cutting!

The Rules

We at the studio will pick our favorite piece, and that creator will be declared the winner. No professional cut paper artists, please – we’d love to see great work by people who don’t usually have the chance to play with paper.

The winner will receive a copy of the 2013 Cut Paper Art Calendar, 1 open edition giclée print, and a limited edition Year of the Snake Lasercut.

To enter:

Please Post Images to my Facebook Page
or email a low res (72 dpi, 800 pixel on longest side) image to newsletter[at]pgannon[dot]com. (after substituting in the appropriate symbols, of course)

The deadline is May 31, 2013*

Entries will be judged on creativity, adventurous use of the paper medium, cutting skill (neatness counts! a bit anyway…), and awesomeness. We’ll be picking our favorite piece – so, yes, this will be totally subjective. All decisions are final.

*The original deadline in the newsletter is May 15th, but I’m extending it in the hope of getting more people involved.

切絵にチャレンジ！コンペを開催します！

皆さんのお陰でかれこれ10年以上切絵を製作してきましたが、この楽しさをぜひ皆さんとシェアしたく、このアイデアを思いつきました！
初めてだけどちょっとやってみようかな？と思ったあなた、ぜひ、チャレンジしてみませんか？

では、紙を切ってみましょー。

ルール

プロの切絵作家ではない方々からの切絵作品を募ります。その中から、これは！と思う切絵を独断と偏見で選抜し、チャンピオンを決めさせて頂きます！

チャンピオンには、パトリック・ギャノンの切絵カレンダー（2013年）、ジークレープリント作品、干支「巳」のレーザーカットをプレゼントします！

＜参加方法＞
サイズや切絵の手法に制限はありません！紙の切絵でしたら何でもOK。
私のFacebookのページに作品の画像をアップロードするか、下記アドレスにEメールでお送りください。画像は72dpiで長い辺が800ピクセルを目安としてください。
newsletter★pgannon.com (★を@にしてしてお送りください）

締切は2013年5月31日です！どしどしご応募ください。

Welcome to the new and improved Paperscraps!

Harnessing the powers of Mailchimp, the newsletter has been redesigned, with a whole new backend. Hopefully, that means that translates into a more attractive and, hopefully, more timely Paper… which brings us to the

Name This Newsletter Competition

Send in your suggestion for a new Newsletter name anytime between now and May 1, 2013.
We will pick our favorite name.
The person who thinks of the best name will receive a full set of 20 Cut Paper Art Postcards and a copy of the 2013 Cut Paper Art Calendar.

How to enter:

• Post your suggestion in the comments
• Or Email your suggestion to newsletter[to]pgannon[dot]com
• Or post a message to me on my Facebook Page.

If we get 2 or more of the winning suggestion, we will pick the winner randomly. Out of a hat. All decisions are final. After the winner is chosen, we’ll get in touch with you to get your mailing info (so don’t forget to give me a way to get in touch with you. If we can’t get in touch with the winner in 30 days, we will pick another winner.

Of course, if you simply cannot wait, Postcard Pack 4 is now available for purchase in the shop.

And don’t forget to vote for artwork in the Tokay Gecko Award!

What’s more,the Voting is back too! This is a competition, after all. The best part? It’s a competition that is open to the public.

One of the more interesting parts of the vote is that you, the audience, is asked for both your favorite and least favorite artwork. I know it sounds negative, but after a chat with the gallery owner, it turns out that it isn’t. The gallery is interested in strong emotional reactions to the artwork, regardless of whether the viewer was attracted or repulsed. So, in a way, a negative reaction is also a positive reaction. Positive reactions remain positive, which is nice too.

If you are in Fukuoka, you can see the work live at the gallery.

If not, the entire Exhibition is viewable online.

Vote by clicking the purple button. English and Japanese are both fine.

Dates: April 9 (Tues) to April 21 (Sun) 2013 (* closed 4/15)
Time: 11am to 7pm (closes 5pm final day)
Place: Galerie RECOLTE website
Address: 5-10 B1F Jyosuidori, Chuo-ku Fukuoka 810-0028
Phone: 092-521-6293
Map: right here

日付: 4月9日(火)〜21日(日) 2013 (* 4/15休廊)
時間: 11am to 7pm (最終日17:00まで)
場所: ギャラリーレコルテ ホームページ
住所: 810-0028 福岡市中央区浄水通5-10 B1F
電話: 092-521-6293
Access: 最寄り駅 地下鉄七隈線 薬院大通駅　バス 教会前停留所(56,58番)

All Runs Together | Patrick Gannon Exhibition is traveling to South Korea!

This will be my first… second… next solo show of 2013. I’ve always thought it would be exciting to take an exhibition on the road, and March 9th will be my first opportunity to do so. All of the remaining artwork, as well as a few new pieces, will be making the short trip across the ocean to Gallery Feel, situated around 40 minutes outside of Busan.

I haven’t been to South Korea since 1997 (if I remember right), and I can’t wait to see what has changed and what has remained the same. Hmm? Oh yes, that’s right. I’ll be attending the Opening Reception on March 9th, where I will have the great opportunity to give a little talk about… um… my work and/or the history of cut paper art, perhaps. I just found out about the talk yesterday, so haven’t had the chance to cobble together anything yet. I assure you, it will be thrilling and educational!

In the meantime, the theme of the show is similar to Fukuoka’s All Runs Together – namely, the interconnectedness of all living things in a complicated and mysteriously beautiful world. All represented in paper, naturally.

You are, of course, invited to this first paper art roadshow. Wouldn’t it be awesome to add more countries to the list as the year goes on?

the details:

Event: All Runs Together | Patrick Gannon Exhibition

Dates: March 9 (Sat) to March 29 (Fri) 2013

Opening Reception: March 9th • 5pm

Time: 11am ~ 7pm M-F | 11am ~ 6pm Sat (except opening) | closed Sun

Place: Gallery Feel website
Address: 대한민국 경상남도 창원시 성산구 중앙동 48-14
Address: 48-14 Jungang-dong (57 Yongji-ro) Seongsan-gu, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea
Phone: 055-274-8813
Map: right here

First and foremost, an extremely belated あけましておめでとうございます / Happy New Year!

Also, A slightly less-belated Happy Chinese New Year! It’s fortuitous that I only missed the latter holiday by a few days – it makes my posting of this piece seem almost like it was planned.

Coming off of a year full of dragons, it felt natural to slither right into some snake art. Drawing-wise, there are a lot of similarities. Long and sinuous bodies, scales, curves… eyes. Of course, there are quite a few differences as well. Japanese dragons have hair while snakes are happily bald. Dragons have claws and fingers; serpents have a tougher time with forks and spoons. The biggest difference is one of scale (pun unapologetically intended). Dragons are massive while the Japanese rat snake, upon whom our reptilian friend here is based, could easily hide under your sofa.

In Japan the white snake is considered to be a carrier of good luck – a person who finds one will be lucky for life ( 1, 2 ). Like many Japanese New Years symbols, they herald the coming of good financial fortune. I plan on displaying this guy all year round. The ume plum blossom 「梅」 is a harbinger of Spring, and thus a common theme on New Year’s cards. The pinkish ribbon intertwined with the snake at the top marks this piece as a part of my recent (and future?) solo exhibition, All Runs Together. It is a band of energy, of light, of life or soul which runs through all of the pieces, connecting them into one infinite and eternally evolving whole. But more on that later.

Work-in-Progress – top layer of scales
Visually, I had a lot of fun here. As with many of my Chinese zodiac pieces, I wanted to do something a bit more graphically flat. The scales are borrowed from a real Japanese white snake, but instead of curving around the body run straight, as if they continue on into infinity in every direction. The plum blossoms are inspired by Japanese pottery patterns with their simplified, representative shapes (the centers are torn bits of many different chiyogami patterns). Look hard, and you will see the kanji character for the snake: 巳. There are actually 2 kanji for each of the zodiac animals; the typical everyday version, and the one more commonly used for the zodiac (as seen above).

A Snake with many layers shed

All Runs Together is my first solo exhibition of 2013.

I’m thrilled that it’s here in Fukuoka, and even happier that it’s at such an excellent gallery. Over these past few months, I’ve been building a collection of new works that are strung together by a common theme and common visual elements. Together, they (will) form one massive transformational loop comprised of unique and independent smaller elements. Actually, that’s the concept in a nutshell. I say “will” because the work and the exhibition are modal in nature; individual pieces can be removed or added to create a pageant vast or intimate. Plus, there’ll be other works too. Here’s my attempt to expand on some of the other themes at play in this exhibition:

We are alone.  We live in a vacuum,  in a seemingly airtight disconnect, without hope of understanding or connection or purpose or a single touch. We know this to be true… but it is not so.  

In this collection of cut paper images, beings and creatures cobbled together from pure emotion wander through a world bound by a singular, ever-present energy.  Unnoticed, ignored, attacked, or embraced, this force bears witness to our lives, linking all things.  Every action creates a thousand ripples.  Every signal echoes through a thousand antenna.  Every action transcends the individual and reverberates through the ribbon that enfolds our world and ourselves.  We are sublime.

I hope that you can join me for a celebration of paper, art, and creativity. I plan on being at the gallery often; I’ll update with the exact days and times. Also, the 2013 Cut paper Art Calendar will, I believe, be available to buy there.

the details:

Event: All Runs Together

Dates: January 22 (Tues) to January 27 (Sun) 2013

Time: 11am to 7pm (closes 5pm final day)

Place: Galerie RECOLTE website
Address: 5-10 B1F Jyosuidori, Chuo-ku Fukuoka 810-0028
Phone: 092-521-6293
Map: right here

日付: 1月22日(火)〜27日(日) 2013
時間: 11:00 to 19:00 (最終日17:00まで)
場所: ギャラリーレコルテ ホームページ
住所: 810-0028 福岡市中央区浄水通5-10 B1F
電話: 092-521-6293
Access: 最寄り駅 地下鉄七隈線 薬院大通駅　バス 教会前停留所(56,58番)

誰にも理解されず、触れられず、つながらず孤独に生きている・・・と誰もが思っているかもしれない。
でもそれは違う。誰にも気づかれず、時には無視され、拒否され、受け入れられながら、皆を理解し、心に触れ、つなげていく「何か」がある。事魂が何千ものさざ波になって波及し、言霊が何万ものアンテナに響く様をこの「何か」が見守ります。
私たちの存在よりも遥かに偉大な世界があることを時に垣間見せてくれるこの「何か」を切絵の世界を通して表現します．

The holiday season is here along with that late Autumn chill. Which can only mean one thing; the end of 2012 is nigh, and the 2013 Cut Paper Art Calendar is imminent. Wait, that’s two things.

Thanks to all of you and the folks who frequent Kickstarter, last year’s calendar was a happy success! I sincerely hope that we can mirror that success this year, and produce the 2013 calendar. Just like last year, I have elected to produce the calendar locally in Japan, and to use Kickstarter to help me fund the project. Although the actual funds will be supplied by you good folks. Funny how that works out.

So, hop on over to the Calendar Project page, and please consider pre-ordering a calendar! While you’re there, take a look at the various rewards which are being offered: postcards, giclée prints, even original artwork – there are some good deals there, if I may say so myself.

When you’ve satisfied your curiosity and consumer impulses, please go forth and spread the word high and low, to rich and poor, human and beast and creatures from the inky depths. I’d appreciate it!

About the Calendar

The 2013 Cut Paper Art Calendar is a collection of 12 of my favorite images created entirely from paper (and, occasionally wood, which is, after all, a close cousin), in a format that can be enjoyed each and every day. There’s plenty of space for you to fill it with all the things you love to do, but occasionally forget about. Like life. Not to mention months of stony creatures meandering through murky woods, rabbits inhaling and exhaling the moon, and the wondrous, textured, transient beauty of paper. Lots and lots of paper.

2013 will be the Year of the Snake, and that image (which I’m working on right now) will grace January in the calendar. In fact, here’s a work-in-progress image for your eyeballs to enjoy. [Ill be adding new images to the Kickstarter updates and my Facebook Page in time]

I haven’t decided which images to rotate out and in just yet. I like to take out at least one older one and replace it with a more current piece. This year I may even open the decision of the new piece up to a poll.

How It Works

I’ve posted a goal of $2200 USD. That amount will cover the cost of printing 100 calendars, shipping materials and postage. I’d love to print more, but that will depend on how many calendars get snapped up. The deadline is December 11, 2012. The Kickstarter system is pretty straightforward:

1. You CHECK out the Project and decide that you adore it.
2. You PLEDGE money – however much you choose.
3. You pick a REWARD.
4. Then you WAIT.
5. IF the project FALLS SHORT of the goal, you pay nothing. The whole project fades away into the mists.
6. IF the project reaches it’s GOAL, your credit card or Paypal account will be charged the amount you pledged.
7. I’ll CONTACT you for your contact info., your choice of rewards (where applicable), etc.
8. Then I’ll SHIP out the reward you chose.
9. ENJOY.
10. SUPER BONUS SPECIAL – If the Calendar Campaign goes significantly over goal, I’d love to offer some bonus rewards. I have ideas. Some will give you extra choices when you choose your rewards. Others may be added to current rewards, as a way of saying THANKS! I’m keeping my fingers crossed this will go well.

Most of all, THANKS for considering the calendar, and for supporting me and my artwork for the last couple years.

説明（日本語）

2013年切絵カレンダー販売キャンペーン
2013年切絵カレンダーを、昨年に引き続きKickStarterを通して販売します！

12月11日までに「キックスターター・ドットコム」というサイトから事前注文してください。カレンダーや切絵の魅惑のビデオ説明付き！
☞ 2013年切絵カレンダー販売キャンペーン

キックスターター・ドットコムでは事前に注文してくれる（あるいは、資金を募金してくれる素敵な）ファンを募り、事前注文の額が一定のレベルに到達できたら、カレンダーやその他作品の実際の印刷を実現できる仕組みになっています。私の場合、世界各地のお客様100人分のカレンダーを印刷しお届けするには少なくとも2,200米ドル（約20万円）必要ですが、それを事前に募っています。ありがたい事に、現時点で目標額まであともう少しというレベルまで来ました！とはいっても、12月11日までに2,200米ドル 募れなければ、このプロジェクトは不発に終わります。2,200米ドル以上募ることができれば、事前注文頂いた皆さんから事前にお支払頂き、2013年カレンダーを印刷してお届けします！キックスターター・ドットコムでは、下記のようにカレンダーの事前注文（30米ドル ）だけでなく、その他販売物の事前注文や、ただの支援金！も受付けています！

•プロジェクトをキックスタ−タ−で確認。
• 支援金額を決める（いくらでもOK）
• リワードを選択
• お待ちください
• 目標額を達成できなければ、切絵カレンダーのプロジェクトは消滅。皆さんは一切課金されることはありません。
• 目標額を達成できれば、上記のプロセスで登録頂いたクレジットカードもしくはペイパルに支援額が課金されます。
• 私から皆さんそれぞれにコンタクとし、連絡先など必要情報についてお伺いします。
• お選びいただいたリワードを郵送します。
• 商品を他の新でください。
• スーパースペシャル – 当プロジェクトの達成額が目標額を大きく超えることができたら、スペシャルサンクスとしてボーナスリワードを考えています。

10ドル以上
ポストカード（5枚セット）＋ウェブサイトで「スペシャルサンクス」を記載

20ドル以上
POSTCARDS（15枚セット）＋ウェブサイトで「スペシャルサンクス」を記載

30ドル以上
2013年切絵カレンダー＋ウェブサイトとカレンダーにて「スペシャルサンクス」を記載

45ドル以上
2013年切絵カレンダー＋ポストカード（15枚セット）＋ウェブサイトとカレンダーにて「スペシャルサンクス」を記載

55ドル以上
2013年切絵カレンダー（2部）＋ウェブサイトとカレンダーにて「スペシャルサンクス」を記載

60ドル以上
2013年切絵カレンダー＋ジークレイプリント（オープンエディション）＋ウェブサイトとカレンダーにて「スペシャルサンクス」を記載
（カレンダー2013年1月発送予定 / プリント2013年3月発送予定）＊両方3月の発送をご要望の場合はお知らせください。

70ドル以上
2013年切絵カレンダー（2部）＋ポストカード（15枚セット）＋ウェブサイトとカレンダーにて「スペシャルサンクス」を記載

75ドル以上
2013年切絵カレンダー（アーティスト・エディション − オリジナル・スケッチとサイン入り）この作品のスケッチが欲しい！というご要望があれば教えてください。＋ウェブサイトとカレンダーにて「スペシャルサンクス」を記載

102ドル以上
2013年切絵カレンダー＋ジークレイプリント3部（オープンエディション）＋ウェブサイトとカレンダーにて「スペシャルサンクス」を記載
（カレンダー2013年1月発送予定 / プリント2013年3月発送予定）＊両方3月の発送をご要望の場合はお知らせください。

400ドル以上
額縁なしハガキサイズ切絵作品原画（5部まで）＋2013年切絵カレンダー＋ウェブサイトとカレンダーにて「スペシャルサンクス」を記載
（カレンダー2013年1月発送予定 / 原画は完成次第発送予定）

他にも追加予定！

Cats and Dragons go together like chocolate and peanut butter, like Bogart and Bacall, like monkeys and bananas. Alright, I admit that I can’t actually fathom how the cats and dragons put their not-even-remotely-the-same-sized heads together to plan out this exhibition. I imagine clandestine meetings deep inside massive, flame-lit caves filled with catnip. Conspiratorial whispers puncture the night air as Machiavellian plans are wrought. In the end, the cats get their way. They always do.

Most importantly, it looks like there’s a very, very good chance that I will be able to attend the opening day of the exhibition, on October 21st, at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in Ueno Park in Tokyo.

A brand new piece of cut-paper art on a big ol’ chunk of wood was created just for this show, where it will hang along with the works of about 30 other esteemed artists. A wide variety of media and professions will be on display, from illustration and video game design to fine art and a slew more.

Come on down to the museum, see the art, and talk (in at least 2 languages) with the creators. Here are

the details:

Name: 猫とドラゴン展 「Cats & Dragons」

dates: Sun. October 21 – Sun. October 28, 2012

Times: 9:30am – 5:30pm
※closes 1:30pm on final day (doors close 30 minutes prior to closing time)

place: Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, 8-36 Ueno Koen, Taito-ku, Tokyo
venue: Gallery C
map
map (english)
Tel: 03-3823-6921
website
museum website

日付: 2012年10月21日（日）～10月28日（日）
時間: 午前9時30分から午後5時30分まで
※最終日は午後1時30分まで（入室は閉室の30分前まで）
住所: 東京都美術館, 東京都台東区上野公園8-36
会場： ギャラリーC
アクセス
電話: 03-3823-6921
neko-dora HomePage
東京都美術館 HomePage

「猫とドラゴン展」には10月21日（日）に在廊予定です。詳しい時間は決まっていませんが、もしお越しくださる場合はコンタクトページから私まで連絡ください。お会いできるように調整します！

怪獣絵師として絶大な人気を誇る開田裕治を旗印に、アニメ・特撮・ＳＦ・マンガ・ゲーム、幅広いフィールドで活躍するクリエイターたちが集結。「COOL JAPAN」と称される日本のポップ・カルチャーの牽引者と、今まさに注目を集め始める新進気鋭のクリエイター総勢30名が、【人間にとって最も身近な獣「猫」】と【神として想像された獣「ドラゴン」】、我々の概念上、最も距離が離れた2つの獣『猫とドラゴン』をテーマに競演します。

魂「tamashii」,in Japanese, is soul.  Those of you who have been following me for awhile may have noticed that the “soul”, whatever you or I may define it to be, plays a huge role in my work.  The concept of this nebulous true self has always fascinated me.  It permeates my mind and the images that leak out of it; as ghosts, as spirits, as the yearning to connect and intermingle.  I’d venture so far as to say that virtually all of my work is concerned, if even in a small way, with poking and prodding at that gloriously ambiguous essence.  It’s probably why I’m so drawn to handmade papers in the first place – the tactile substance and textured energy imbued within.  Also, the pretty colors.

Naturally, I couldn’t resist an art show that tries to capture the expanding artistic soul of a vibrant city.  福岡魂 「Fukuoka Damashii」is a one-day-only exhibition of many of Fukuoka’s rising artists and illustrators gathered in one of the city’s most energetic spots.  The website is all in Japanese, but that shouldn’t stop you from checking it out.  There’s a gallery with a taste of each artist’s style (a whole bunch of paper art!), and links to many of our portfolio’s and sites.

I don’t know for sure yet whether I can attend, but I’m certainly hoping and trying my best to do so.  I’ll update when I know more. Check it out!

the details:

Name: 福岡魂「Fukuoka Damashii」

dates: Fri. September 28, 2012 – One Day Only

Times: 10:30am – 8:00pm

place: Solaria Plaza 1F Zephyr, Fukuoka, Chuo-ku, Tenjin 2-2-43
Tel: 090-2587-4076 (Gallery Asi-Para)
website: here map.

日付: 2012年 9月 28日（金）1日間
時間: 10:30～20:00
住所: 福岡市中央区天神2丁目2番43号ソラリアプラザビル1F ゼファ
電話: 090-2587-4076（ギャラリーアートエリアasi-para･アートステーション代表）

Growing up in New Jersey, summer, particularly August, was synonymous with barbecues, fireworks, ice cream, jumping through the sprinkler, and profusely sweating through the dwindling days of summer vacation. Creepy crawlies don’t much care for the bright sunlight and long-drawn daylight hours.

Here in Japan though, August brings O-bon, the time when one’s deceased ancestors come back for a visit. Where the more welcome family spirits wander, the ghoulish and icky creatures shamble not far behind. All profusely sweating, of course.

Get your summer creep on at Gallery G2 in Ginza, the host of 怪, a celebration of the haunted, the macabre, the odd, the weird, the alien, the ghastly, ghostly, fantastic and surreal.

If you have a chance to drop by the gallery, snap some pictures and send them to me, as I will not be able to make the trip up from Fukuoka this time.

the details:

Name: 怪

dates: Thurs. August 23 – Tues. August 28, 2012

Times: 12:00pm – 19:00pm (closes at 16:00pm on final day)

place: Gallery G2, Chuo-ku, Ginza 2-8-2
Tel: 03-3567-1555
website: here map.

日付: 2012年8月23日（木）〜8月28日（火）
時間: 午前 12時～午後 19時 (最後日 16:00)
住所: 東京都中央区銀座2-8-2日紫ビル1F
電話: 03-3567-1555