Shop fine art paper cuts and more from paper cut artist Janelle Washington
Artist Bio
JANELLE WASHINGTON
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Virginia Native
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Sunshine Child
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Sci-Fi Reader
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Soul and Hip Hop Music Lover
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Paper Cut Wizard
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Award-winning Picture Book Illustrator
Photo Taken by Class and Style Productions
Janelle Washington is a self-taught paper-cut and silhouette designer from Richmond, Virginia. She graduated from VCU with a BFA in Fashion Design and was a children's wear designer for 12 years. While designing, she found interest in paper cutting after being presented with an opportunity to display other artistic talents during a company show-and-tell presentation. Creating with paper proved to be quite an exciting concept, and after extensive research, Janelle designed and made her first paper cut.
Through the simplicity of paper, Janelle creates images that showcase African Americans' courage, achievements, and grace in difficult situations. In addition, her work explores Black culture, history, identity, family, and feminine beauty themes.
She has commissioned silhouettes housed at the Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington, DC, and art installations at the historic St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia. In addition, Janelle's silhouettes have been published in Oprah magazine's September 2020 issue for the #SayHerName campaign featuring Breonna Taylor. She was also interviewed and featured in the Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper by the 2021 Pulitzer Prize Winner, Michael Paul Williams. In 2022, Janelle gave the December VCU Arts commencement address to the graduating School of the Arts class.
Janelle debuted as a picture book illustrator, winning the 2023 Caldecott Honor Award and the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award for Choosing Brave. Her first author-illustrator book, Heart of the Home, will come out in the Fall of 2026.
Janelle is a member of The Guild of American Papercutters, Artist/Scholars of Color Collective, Art Impact USA, Inc., ArtLifting, and SCBWi. Janelle lives and works with her husband in her hometown, Richmond, Virginia. She enjoys reading sci-fi and fiction books from the library and researching new paper-cut ideas.
Artist Statement
Using paper as my medium, I unearth forgotten or untold stories that highlight the struggles and perseverance of Black people in America. In addition, I explore the history, identity, family, and themes of feminine beauty in Black culture.
Working with a simple sheet of black or white paper and a box of blades, I cut multifaceted designs to weave stories of strength, perseverance, and pride. This process of creation, using paper as a medium, is a powerful reminder of the transformative journey of my ancestors, who turned humble beginnings into something extraordinary. Drawing on history and poetry, I often collaborate with the written works of black poets such as Langston Hughes and Gwendolyn Brooks, allowing their words and poetic rhythms to inform and enrich my work. With these influences, I sometimes incorporate details such as thread, gold leaf, painted backgrounds, and tissue paper infills to reflect the shades of melanin and add a contemporary perspective to my paper-cut designs.
My work is a celebration of Black identity, a testament to the struggles and achievements of those who came before me. It is a space where their stories are given voice, their resilience and strength are honored, and the joy and beauty of being Black in America are highlighted.
Photo Taken by Jeffery Albright- PBF
