Conny Lahnstein

Conny Lahnstein (1960) is a self-taught visual artist and grew up in a very creative family, between polders and the sea. The North Holland landscape with its gnarled trees that stand out against the bright sea skies have always fascinated her. When she received silhouette scissors from her mother-in-law at the age of 17, the art of cutting grabbed her and has not let go since. In 1983 she was asked by the chairman of the Folk University in Den Helder to teach the cutting technique. From that moment on, she has immersed herself in expressions of cutting art from all over the world. She incorporated that knowledge into her courses. From that time on she has been teaching cutting techniques, from basic techniques to master classes where having fun is the most important thing. After writing a number of lesson books about the art of cutting, it was time to exhibit her art of cutting. Her first exhibition took place in 1992. She is affiliated with a number of Dutch galleries that represent her works. Paper has always remained her passion because of its unlimited possibilities. She started cutting folkloric scenes. This style offered her too little challenge and she soon turned her own ideas into beautiful cutouts. She called it ‘painting with scissors’. Her works increasingly became more layered and freer. Since 2012 she has worked mainly intuitively and abstractly. She processes all kinds of paper into a layered work of art. Sometimes unprocessed paper or painted by herself from which she cuts shapes that she curls and shapes, glues together and merges into a three-dimensional whole. She is often inspired by primitive forms that she encounters in nature. Each new work is unique and, above all, an adventure because it is often created during the cutting process. Her three-dimensional works express a high degree of movement and therefore appeal to many imaginations. In particular, the craft technique that she has elevated to artistry, her passion for paper and endless patience are clearly visible in her works and often evoke a sense of awe in the viewer. Conny also regularly performs as a silhouette cutter at parties and events. She cuts silhouettes of people on the spot in about 5 minutes. Her alter ego is Madame Silhouette in various appearances, from Baroque to Montmartre style.