Forest animals

One year has passed since I made my typography paper cut "Cras numquam scire". 
This is the first paper cut I made this year. It is supposed to be a birthday gift for a friend's father, who turned 75 years old this year and adores the art of cutting paper designs. I finished the paper cut one day before my trip to Strasbourg, France. 
Someone told me, the paper cut brought back his childhood memories of watching the TV series "The Animals of Farthing Wood", based on a book of the same title written by Colin Dann. What a coincidence!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Happy Birthday to Me! Happy Birthday to Me! Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! <3

It may be not a bad idea to begin to post pictures of my drawings again on my birthday. Nothing could be as great as being a happy birthday girl.

Melody for a healed soul

It seems when something ends there's always something waiting to begin.
Every parting is a chance to start again. Make failure your friend and mentor, since we all know: "The only failure is the failure to learn from failure."
My new and maybe, very long journey has just begun. I'm at same time confused, disorientated but exciting and hopeful.

"Peace, my heart, let the time for the parting be sweet.
 Let it not be a death but completeness.
 Let love melt into memory and pain into songs.
 Let the flight through the sky end in the folding of the wings over the nest.
 Let the last touch of your hands be gentle like the flower of the night.
 Stand still, O Beautiful End, for a moment, and say your last words in silence.
 I bow to you and hold up my lamp to light you on your way."
                                                           - The Gardener- Rabindranath Tagore

Cras numquam scire

"Cras numquam scire" is Latin for "Tomorrow never knows". 

While learning for the exams at the university, I made this paper cutting at break just to give variety to this tiresome and boring time.That's why it was not really as well done as I expected it should be.

Waldgeist

This is my first drawing of the year 2012, made with ink and watercolor.

A Waldgeist in German is a woodland spirit, which is believed to live in the forest and protect living things with a pure soul. 

I hope, next time when I take a walk in the forest near my place, I could encounter a waldgeist. It might bring me good luck for the whole year. :)

Du bist mein, ich bin dein

 Have you ever heard of Minnesang-the tradition of lyric and love song writing in Germany in 12th-14th century?
This Minnelied (love song) of unknown authorship is found in a codex of the 12th century in Germany.
Why don't turn your favorite love poem into a paper cutting work? :)

Du bist mein, ich bin dein,/ dessen sollst du gewiss sein./ Du bist verschlossen/ in meinem Herzen,/ Verloren ist das Schlüsselein-/ du musst immer darin sein.
English translation:
You are mine, I am yours/ Of that you may be sure/ Deep within my heart/ You're safely locked away/ But I have lost the key/ And there you'll ever stay.

Free Bird

I purchased a book introducing the art of paper cutting designs. The pictures collected in the book look so fancy, that they made me want to create my own patterns of paper cutting. I had started to make this small design before I went to go to the concert of the French singer and harper Cécile Corbel. I learned of her name from the animated film Arrietty- a masterpiece of Studio Ghibli. The film's soundtracks were written by her. I strongly believe, that her music took part in the international success of the film.
I named my very first paper cutting work "Free Bird" by having got my inspiration from the opening theme song of the anime series called Haibane Renmei (灰羽連盟 lit. Charcoal Feather Federation).

For a love of nature- Atlantic Puffin

I love Atlantic Puffins, which are also called Sea Parrots. Their colorful, but sad-looking faces are lovely and somehow very touching to me. Even though their beaks are full with sand eels freshly caught from the sea, they don't look happier.