Rosa Leff: "Sold Seperately"

About

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 resides in Baltimore with her husband and chihuahuas, Chalupa and Refrito.

Sold Separately

"As I look at this collection of work I can’t help but think about the remarkable amount of energy we all spend hustling.  Whether you love what you do or it’s just a job we all have something motivating us to keep going.  I find it highly unlikely that any 7-year-old has every proudly proclaimed that one day they would have their very own store specializing in discount communion dresses, but I did once explain to a kindergartener that he actually could turn his passion for cheese into a career.*  

It might be hard to think of going to work each day at a laundromat, a discount shoe store, or a used car dealership as living the dream.  But the fact is every business, even bodegas and $7 buffets, did start with a dream.   For city kids like me, it doesn’t get any better than a good tag on a store front grate, a tavern with a dated sign, or a perfectly placed grease-soaked food stall at midnight.  I cut every last detail I can of these shops because I want you to slow down and appreciate all that went into them— Everything they represent.  Afterall, the dream is free but the hustle is sold separately."

* Anthony, if you ever decide to open your own cheese shop I’d love to make a papercut of it for you.  I think about you every single time I eat a grilled cheese.  

We hope to see you Thursday, May 5  from 5 - 7pm for the opening reception.

Validated parking is available at 15 West Franklin St. Garage.