Finding identity in your subject matter

On this episode we interview Baltimore based paper cutting artist, Rosa Leff. In this conversation we talk about ignoring the “categorization” of your work, finding identity in your subject matter, utilizing travel as an opportunity to educate yourself through mentors, the power of contacting galleries directly, Rosa’s upcoming move to Puerto Rico, and reverse engineering her goal of being in the Met.

Rosa Leff | Baltimore, MD

Paper Cutting Artist

Artist Bio:

Between painting alongside her grandmother and watching her father build reproduction antique furniture, Rosa Leff grew up seeing no distinction between fine art and craft. What mattered was that things were made by hand and done well. It is with that in mind that she creates her hand cut paper pieces. Each of Leff’s papercuts is cut by hand from a single sheet of paper using a knife. Her cityscapes are based on photos she’s taken in her neighborhood and all over the world. While Leff is best known for her ability to capture thin tangles of powerlines and intricate brickwork, she also enjoys experimenting with novel media such as paper plates and paper towels. Leff delights in bringing a modern, urban perspective to a traditional folk medium.

Leff has served on the board of The Guild of American Papercutters (GAP). In addition to being a GAP member she is a member of The Paper Artist Collective. Leff has exhibited her work throughout the United States and in China. She is the recipient of a 2021 Maryland State Arts Council Independent Artist Award and the 2021 Municipal Art Society of Baltimore City Artist Travel Prize. Leff resides in Baltimore with her husband and chihuahuas, Chalupa and Refrito.

Rosa’s Current & Upcoming Exhibitions:

The American Visionary Art Museum (Baltimore, MD) - "Mega Exhibit," on view until Sept 3, 2023

Solo exhibition "Pastports" on display at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center in Hyattsville, Maryland (December 17th-January 29th)
The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art - "More Than Shelter," on view until February 5th, 2023