Abrakadoodle ARTIST OF DISTINCTION

Paper Artist – Joan Matsui

Joan Matsui is a “Paper Artist,” who creates beautiful artwork using the Japanese technique of torn paper collage, which is called Chigirie. Joan discovered her passion for paper art at an early age. In the beginning, she used to make doll clothes from facial tissues. When she was a teenager, she liked to create her own stationary to write to her friends. Later, she married and traveled with her husband to Japan, where she discovered Origami and Chigirie.

Chigirie is the Japanese art of tearing paper to create a collage. It is also known as painting with paper, but there are not any other materials involved except paper and glue. The paper need not be fancy or the design elaborate, just about any decorative gift wrap or colored tissue paper can be used. Torn pieces of paper are overlapped to create different colors and textures. Abrakadoodle students explore paper art and create their own unique collages using Joan’s technique.