Michael Velliquette Transforms Paper into Colorful Textured Sculptures

Artist <a href="http://www.velliquette.com/Michael_Velliquette/Michael_Velliquette.html" target="_blank">Michael Velliquette</a> has the ability to transform ordinary paper into finely detailed, sculptural masterpieces. His pieces burst with color and form, evoking tribal patterns, sea creatures, masks, feathers, and totems, rife with fine paper cuts and texture. His latest exhibition, “One From Many From One,” at Wisconsin’s <a href="http://ripon.edu/academics/art/caestecker/index.html" target="_blank">Caestecker Art Gallery</a> runs until April 20th.

Unlike other <a href="http://inhabitat.com/paige-smith-paper-geodes-add-sparkle-to-nondescript-los-angeles-buildings/" target="_blank">artists who work with paper</a>, Velliquette’s cuts and curves are more spontaneous, allowing the placement of each piece to dictate his next move.

One would hardly guess the method to this madness is not carefully calculated, as each finished pieces seems almost perfectly placed, but Velliquette prefers each color and shape to inspire the next.

Fine snips create furry, feather-like elements that the artist uses as ornamental details, and longer pieces to sprout out like whiskers from his mask like sculptures. Short fringe is used to create husky texture, reminiscent of bark or rough fur.

Using archival card stock in a rainbow of colors, Velliquette relies only on his meticulous cuts to <a href="http://inhabitat.com/sipho-mabonas-swarming-origami-locusts-are-made-of-money/" target="_blank">transform the flat sheets of paper into textural components</a> for his sculptures.

Velliquette also suggests volume, simply by <a href="http://inhabitat.com/peter-gentenaars-stunning-paper-sculptures-soar-through-the-air-like-flying-jellyfish/" target="_blank">curling contrasting colors of paper</a> and arranging them in a line, which the viewer’s eyes seamlessly blend together, even though the actual mass is lacking.

<a href="http://inhabitat.com/folded-opad-paper-sensor-could-detect-hiv-and-malaria-for-less-than-10-cents/" target="_blank">Bending, folding and rolling</a> create visual trompe l’oiels that make each fleck of paper seem to be more than the delicate medium it is. Velliquette’s fine tuned techniques <a href="http://inhabitat.com/artist-anna-wili-highfield-creates-magical-animal-sculptures-from-paper/" target="_blank">transform normal paper</a> into iconic deities and statuettes that appear rich and weighty.