Scherenschnitte is German for "scissor cutting" and refers to the art of cutting paper into intricate designs. It is an art form brought to this country from Central Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries by immigrants who settled primarily in Pennsylvania.
The earliest forms of Scherenschnitte in America were produced by Seventh Day Baptist Sisters in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. Mennonites, Schwenkfelders, and other religious sects used the medium for school rewards, love letters, marriage proposals, and birth certificates. The Pennsylvania Germans are credited with fostering the art -- using it as entertainment for children and decorations in their homes.
We follow the traditional method of Scherenschnitte by cutting freehand, using only scissors. Each design is an original. Love of nature has influenced our art greatly as can be seen in our cuttings. We have developed a unique style of placing the papercuttings between glass to form free-hanging suncatchers and ornaments.
We are a husband and wife team who has been cutting original Scherenschnitte for over thirty years. We both developed the unique talent to cut freehand without any tool other than scissors; no drawing or patterns are used. This enables both of us to demonstrate at arts and crafts shows throughout the year.
Our miniature style is indicative of the 16th and 17th century cuttings sometimes referred to as "cut lace". Our demonstrations show how this art was done in the Old World and how it is incorporated into our daily lives today in the form of dollies, stencils, fabric designs, as well as many other uses. We bring to the shows and fairs our original cuttings framed with solder and/or wood -- some cuttings remain white, while we watercolor a limited few. All of our cuttings are original and one of a kind.
At annual arts and crafts shows and fairs, we demonstrate and educate the public by cutting freehand the dying art of Scherenschnitte. We give a demonstration cutting to children who observe us at work. In addition, we give a printed handout that illustrates a sample cutting to anyone who's interested. This encourages budding artists and gives art teachers a teaching aid to take with them.
On the website, we're offering a few of our most popular designs, available for purchase through our secure PAYPAL shopping cart. If you prefer to pay by other means, simply contact us VIA email, and we'll accomodate check, VISA or MASTERCARD.