Say Hello to.. PorkChops Papercuts

In the first of our Christmas 2016 stall holder interviews we speak to Fairy Tale Fair newbie Ben of PorkChops who makes the most delicate paper cut illustrations. Find out more in our interview below…

Please introduce yourself and your brand….

Hello! I’m PorkChops and I create original papercut artwork, laser cuts, art prints, handmade notebooks, greetings cards, pin badges and other paper goods! If you want some affordable art for your home or a unique gift for a friend then look no further than my Etsy shop. I also specialise in personalised commissions like family trees or commemorative pieces so if you need a really special gift for a wedding, anniversary, new born or milestone birthday then get in touch. Originally from Penarth in South Wales, I now live and work in Brighton which provides me with plenty of inspiration for my papercuts.

How would you describe your style and your creations?

I am heavily inspired by nature and the changing seasons which can be seen in most of my work. I have developed a bold, graphic, floral style and love using flowers, leaves, twigs and mushrooms to create intricate woodland papery scenes.

I also have a darker side and love to use black paper to create stark imagery using pop-culture as a reference. I have done a few studies of severed hands holding objects which are really quite dark and quite a departure from my normal woodland/floral style. I enjoy doing both though and perhaps i’ll merge the two styles in a piece one day?

What do you enjoy most about your work?

The thing that keeps me going is turning an idea into a finished piece. I have so many ideas for papercuts throughout the day and a relatively small amount of time to realise them since I work full time as an Occupational Therapist. I therefore need to be selective about what I am going to do. I love having the space to just sit down, sketch out an idea, and cut it out in one sitting to see if it works. I sometimes need to cut it twice or more to get it right but that’s all part of the process. When an idea pops into my head, its like an itch that won’t go away.

I also started to run papercutting workshops in Brighton recently which I have loved. It’s really nice to sit down with a bunch of people, and help them to create their own pieces with some nice music playing in the background. I usually have a plan for how the workshops will go but people seem to bring their own ideas to the table end up creating their own original papercuts. I learned so much during my last workshop from the people that came to it and made some friends too. I’ll definitely be running more in the new year.

What can we expect to find on your stall at The Fairy Tale Fair Brighton on November 13th at Brighton Open Market? And are you looking forward to taking part?

I am really looking forward to taking part in the Fairy Tale Fair. I live 5 minutes away from the Open Market and love the space there and the London Road area. I have never had a stall at FTF before but have heard many good things. This will be my first fair of a very busy winter season and can’t wait to showcase my new products, meet people and take in the Christmassy vibes. I’m going to have a range of handmade Christmas cards, original papercuts, prints, papercut notebooks, wooden pin badges and hopefully a few surprises. I will also have a range of personalisable papercuts which you can order and have sent to you in time for Christmas. Come down and say hello!

Do you have a best seller?

My all time best seller has to be my papercut family tree. It is a laser cut tree with spaces for family members names to be cut out of. It can take up to 10 names although I have been known to squeeze on 12. Once you choose a colour and give me the names, I cut them out by hand and post it to you in a tube. It comes in a choice of 5 colours and fits a standard A3 frame. A perfect wedding gift, mother’s/father’s Day present, new family present or just a nice thing to hang on your own wall.

More recently I made a papercut the day David Bowie died. I remember looking at my news feed on my phone whilst ordering a coffee and seeing all these pictures of him being posted. It was very shocking and the guy behind the counter had to snap me out of my daydream. That evening I drew and cut a piece in one sitting and took it to the printers the next day to make copies for my friends in Wales. I had a few requests from people on social media for it so I made more copies. This is the most popular item in my Etsy store to date and I have send copies all around the world. I feel a connection with everyone who buys one, its really nice.

Do you have any plans or ambitions for the future?

I made a decision at the start of 2016 to become more involved in the Brighton Etsy team which has worked out far better than I could ever have imagined. I attended a newbie workshop run by @rockcakes and @mooshpie which helped me to set up my shop and gave me a great start, I have been inspired by the photography of @ohsomedayjewellery and received many shout outs from her and I owe a lot to @designosaur and the other leaders who have given me so many cool opportunities and advice throughout the year. So in 2017 I will be doing much more with them hopefully.

This winter season I have markets with Etsy Made Local in Brighton Dome and with Crafty Fox in Peckham on the 3rd and 11th of December respectively. I am also exhibiting at Artists Open Houses and Alternative Open Houses in Brighton for 3 weekends in November/December and have an Exhibition in a very cool location in Brighton which I think is still a secret at the moment. When I am allowed to say, I will be shouting about it all over social media so you can find out then.

In 2017 I will be doing more of the same. I’d like to collaborate with other artists and get PorkChops into some shops in Brighton, Lewes and London. I have a collaboration planned with some artists in Wales to work on as soon as the winter season is over which I am very excited about. Again, it’s a bit of a secret at this stage but you will find out about it in good time I am sure.

Do you have a motto or inspirational quote?

A customer commissioned me to make a paper cut of the phrase ‘stars can’t shine without darkness’ which I then made into prints with her permission. I’ve since seen this phrase everywhere but at the time It was new to me and made a lot of sense. I had a bit of a dip in my mood half way through this year and being creative and making things with my hands really helped me out of it…along with exercise, eating well and talking to friends. When you’re coming out of a crappy time and getting your head above water, you appreciate the good times all the more.

I have also had an earworm recently of ‘lets push things forward’ by the Streets which is kind of relevant to PorkChops. It’s all heading in one direction, i’m not sure where but its definitely forward.

What part of Christmas do you enjoy the most?

It’s all about my daughter now. When I was younger it was all about presents, good tv and food…and family of course! In my teenage years it was less about those things and more about getting wasted with my mates. Now, I love experiencing the excitement of Christmas all over again through her…although I think this could be the last year she is a believer (noooooooooooo!) In recent years PorkChops has taken over completely in December and Christmas Day is when I try and do nothing at all. I really enjoy that.

How can we find out more about you?

Etsy: www.porkchopspapercuts.etsy.com