For Claire Brewster, inspiration can be found everywhere, even in old maps. Using vintage ephemera—books, magazines, and plenty of old maps and atlases—she creates intricate collages and cut-out sculptures. Her paper cut art, more often than not, takes after the natural world, mainly birds. Flora and fauna leap out of the unused map, adding a new layer of meaning to the once discarded paper.
According to Brewster, each piece is the result of much study, and more importantly, observation. “It always starts with looking,” she told ARTIQ. “When I’m going to start a new project, I do research either on the internet, books, or going to museums, I don’t always know what I’m looking for until I find it.”
Brewster notes that she very much enjoys the research that goes behind each piece. After the initial research, comes the drawing stage. “I then start drawing and spend a lot of time drawing and at the same time I go through my map collection and see if anything inspires me or I start looking for new maps and then once I’ve finished drawing I make a template of the piece and start cutting,” she elaborates.
Working with her material, rather than against it, Brewster admits that she mostly doesn’t know where and how a piece will take her until she’s actually cut it. “I have a picture in my head but that often changes when I have the pieces cut,” says the London-based artist. Once she’s done with the cutting, she pins the pieces and frames the finished product.
With experience of over 20 years, Brewster’s work has been exhibited widely, from Manchester Art Gallery to Sydney, Australia. It has also been published in many esteemed publications such as Vogue, World of Interiors, Marie-Claire Maison, and Paper. But you can also follow her work online, via Instagram.
