The Art of Dan Paulos

Since Paulos works in cut paper, a medium that is not accorded its due measure of respect in this country, it is especially difficult for the hardline academicians of art to recognize his very considerable talent. Nonetheless, he continues to prove and improve his abilities, and to appeal to an ever-widening audience of fans. And he continues to work almost exclusively with the images of The Blessed Virgin, Christ, and the Holy Family, finding all the inspiration he requires in their spiritual substance.

I cannot claim to be an expert in the imagery of Catholic devotional art; my expertise is in the medium of cut paper. Still, as anyone who looks at Paulos' work with an open mind will see, the emotional and spiritual impact of the paper-cuttings is simple and dramatic. Dan never sensationalizes his subjects. His designs are seldom even marginally sentimental. In his life, in his dealings with other people, and in his art, he is frank, straightforward, and unaffected.

Paulos was introduced to the cut paper or silhouette art form in Catholic grade school. There, the papercuttings of Sister Mary Jean Dorcy were used as teaching aids and classroom posters. And, it was in search of the work of Sister Jean that first came into contact with Dan. He is so modest, so accommodating, that I might almost have left his house after my first visit of several days, without even having heard of his own cut paper work.

At that time Paulos was still allowing himself to be overshadowed by Sister Jean's work. He was tirelessly working to promote her reputation and preserve the originals of her work. I think he may not yet have realized that his own papercutting had already reached the same degree of artistic and devotional clarity which he so much appreciated in his mentor's work. About two years later, having heard from me and many, many others that his cut paper Madonnas are "stirring" and "important" in their own right, he finally heard the blessing he needed. Introducing him to a small circle of paper-cutting artists in Seattle, Sister Jean said, "This is Dan Paulos. If he is not the best cutter in the world, he soon will be. It took him less than two years to accomplish what it took me thirty to do."

As a young student in grade school, Paulos had been deeply impressed by Sister's devotional designs, and became determined to try his hand at paper-cutting. Using the only cutting instrument available, his father's double-edged razor blade, Paulos began laboriously copying one of Sister Jean's Marian designs. Despite the pain and bloodletting this method caused, he persevered, proving more his passion than his budding talent.

The early influence of Sister Jean's powerful silhouettes was no doubt still very important to Paulos when he began creating his own art work. But, during the first ten years of his career as an artist, he rendered his black and white images not in cut paper, but in acrylic paints. The style of his paintings referred to Sister's silhouettes, but, as she said, "His pictures are by no means 'imitation Dorcy's,' they are confidently Paulos, expressing his own feelings."

In fact, the differences between Paulos' paintings and cuttings and the designs of Sister Jean are greater than the similarities, even if we compare only cut paper to cut paper. This only proves the unexpected subtleties of expression that are possible in this seemingly limiting art form. At least, in the hands of a master designer and cutter, Paulos among the very few alive and working today, the medium becomes as expressive, as personal, and as lively as any painting or sculpture.

Where Sister's cuttings of Mary express a delicacy and joy that are clearly experienced and described from a woman's point of view, Paulos' work focuses on the Virgin's strength of presence and her spiritual power. Mary is, of course, shield and protector, friend and mother, intercessor and refuge for both artists, but what each expresses is a personal relationship that neither could imitate. Nor would they want to.

Even in Paulos' earliest serious cut paper works, the qualities of his unique vision were quite clear. The Madonna is obviously a woman, but she is also a summation of human weakness redeemed. She is a spiritual figure, but she is also as near and accessible as one's own human lover, perhaps even closer. His renderings of the Madonna, starting with his early paintings nearly 15 years ago and continuing through his newest paper-cuttings, are the record of a living, loving relationship in which the Virgin is at once the source of strength and the font of gentle forgiveness.

All this is in the art itself, all of it speaks to the quiet viewer, and all of it is true in whatever way you or I allow it to be at any given moment. This capacity for interpretation, which comes from the honesty and simplicity of the artist, is what distinguishes real art from illustration.

Dan's originals hang in collections and museums as far away as Ireland, Chile, El Salvador, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Japan and Canada. He uses much of the monies derived from his work to benefit others, including a recent show which he did upon request to help those suffering from the dreaded AIDS disease.

He collaborated with Mother Teresa of Calcutta. , "HE'S PUT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HER HANDS." 60 of his cuttings offset quotations by Mother. All royalties from the sales of this book go to feed the poor across the world.

Paulos best sums up his mission in life by noting that he takes his work very seriously. He says, "It is not enough to simply create art for a world that is so desperate for beauty. It is imperative to mingle beauty with social injustice. I feel the need to prod the consciences of the people who look at my work. And ask them to go out and see what they can do to help raze bigotry, selfishness and fear."

When most artists dedicate themselves to worldly subjects, Dan Paulos works strictly at spreading devotion through his art. "Most secular artists draw for the pleasure of the people," he says. "We religious artists create for the glory of God."

Joseph W. Bean, Founder of PAPERCUTTING WORLD