University of the Ozarks Art Professor Tammy Harrington's artwork, "Crane," has been selected for inclusion in the 28th annual Arkansas Small Works on Paper 2015 touring exhibition.
Ozarks Art Professor Tammy Harrington’s paper cut artwork, "Crane," will be a part of the Small Works on Paper 2015 touring exhibition.
Sponsored by the Arkansas Arts Council, the Small Works on Paper exhibit will tour nine locations around the state, beginning with the Laman Library in North Little Rock.
Harrington has taught art at Ozarks since 2002. This is the second consecutive year that one of her pieces has been selected for the Small Works on Paper exhibit.
"I am honored to be accepted into another Small Works on Paper show," Harrington said. "It is always exciting to be a part of such an amazing collection of art."
Harrington said "Crane" was created by using the traditional Chinese folk art technique of paper cutting.
"I start off with a red piece of charcoal paper, draw out my design, and use an X-acto knife to cut out all the white areas," Harrington said. "This is a very laborious technique and it requires lots of patience to complete the piece. There are several delicate areas that can easily tear."
The piece was inspired by the graphic depictions of cranes in the Chinese culture, according to Harrington.
"Much of the folk art of Chinese paper cut imagery reflects themes important to Chinese mythology and superstition," she said. "The crane is symbolic of longevity and auspiciousness. A long lifespan is associated with these birds and they are the popular bird used in the Chinese culture. I found the long and sleek appearance of the crane very appealing against the rough texture of the tree bark and pine needles."
Topics: Art