Q&A: From local to luxury... The 'ritual' of paper-cutting

Sunday 01 October 2023

A Jersey artist who rose to prominence with an intricate paper-cutting installation inspired by her home island has shared how she went on to create campaigns for some of the world's biggest brands.

Put on display in 2019, Jersey-raised, Netherlands-based artist Layla May Arthur's first large-scale paper-cutting installation was inspired by the island's 12 parishes.

That work, which was staged at the Town Hall and took viewers through her various childhood memories, involved 500 hours of painstaking work.

Since then, the artist has gone on to use her skills to set the stage for boutique windows and luxury product campaigns – among them, a significant Lunar New Year-themed commission for cosmetics brand Rituals.

But now Layla is turning her eye – and scissors – back to her homeland, having recently created a sculpture inspired by Darwin’s voyage of discovery in South America for Durrell’s Tortoise Trail, and with hopes for a future local exhibition...

What inspired you to focus on set design? 

I really loved the idea of my art becoming part of people’s everyday experience. As part of an advertising campaign, my set designs reach a much larger audience than a traditional exhibition space and allow people to stumble across art rather than seeking it out. Paper is also a material which is incredibly versatile, and I really enjoy challenging the possibilities within my craft.  

Pictured: Paper is also a material which is incredibly versatile, and I really enjoy challenging the possibilities within my craft.

It has been very rewarding to see my work alongside the products of luxury brands, as they understand the craftsmanship behind my work. 

Do you still create everything out of paper? 

I tend to find a way to use paper for everything, as it is much stronger than it looks! Almost every element of my work is made from hand-cut and hand-sculpted paper. Sometimes, if a client has a large project with a tight deadline, I work with a combination of laser-cut paper and handcrafted details. 

What have you worked on recently?  

I have been lucky to work on a diverse range of projects within a short space of time. Commercial clients often allow me a lot of freedom to develop the creative direction of the project, which means I can get really enthusiastic about bringing my own ideas to life.  

I have recently started working on a personal project exploring the possibilities of manipulating paper. These pieces evoke the feeling of porcelain or marble, but this is then juxtaposed with the paper becoming malleable like a fabric.  

Pictured: One of Layla's paper creations.

I would love to work more with local brands and businesses. I think the storytelling qualities of paper art could portray Jersey for the unique and beautiful place that it is. 

My personal favourite would be ‘Where we all meet’, a 1m² patchwork paper city combining elements of architecture from all over the world. I was able to truly show my passion for working in minute detail, constructing ironwork balconies and carved wooden doors amongst other intricate details. 

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This article first appeared in the September edition of Connect Magazine, which you can find around the island or read in full below...