I recently created a quilled tribute to white birch. The awe-inspiring fall splendor that graces Maine each year served as the perfect muse for this piece. Fall is my favorite time of the year, not only for its perfect temperatures and diminished humidity but also for the breathtaking display of colors that nature offers. I spend a lot more time photographing fall than I do quilling, though.
Embracing Fall’s Splendor
Fall in Maine is a time of enchantment, as the landscape transforms into a vibrant canvas of reds, oranges, and yellows. The changing leaves and crisp air create a sense of magic and nostalgia. As an artist, I find immense inspiration in this season’s beauty, and I was eager to capture the essence of fall through the art of quilling. The elegant and majestic white birch trees, with their striking white bark and contrasting golden leaves, became the focal point of my art piece. I also designed this piece to somewhat resemble a copse of aspen trees in case someone from out west was interested in the piece. To be honest, they yellow hues of the leaves were a little bright compared to what nature produces, but I loved the way it went with the watercolor background I chose.
The Quilling Process
Creating the quilled paper art piece of the fall white birch trees demanded meticulous attention to detail and patience. I carefully selected various shades of yellow paper strips to emulate the rich colors of autumn leaves, ensuring that each tree stood out distinctively against the background. The long trunks of the birch trees and branches were created only by staggering black and gray cardstock strips horizontally across the white background. For the leaves, I used my signature scrunch technique to create a 3D effect, layering the clumps as well as gluing them on their sides. The birch bark was created with strips of cardstock glued on their edge.
Work-in-Progress Images
