Finding Purpose {Amanda Witucki}
Amanda Witucki, Paper Artist
Words by Sam Lauron Photos by Eric Morales
Just a few years ago, if Amanda Witucki was asked if she were an artist, she would’ve likely said “no.” As a self-described “crafty” person who loves to host, Amanda, the artist behind the art practice, The Paper Committee, has always been drawn to creating experiences. “I’ve always wanted to be a modern-day Martha Stewart,” she admits.
Before there was The Paper Committee, there was The Confetti Committee, Amanda’s wedding and event design business that primarily produced handmade decor. While running this business, Amanda often found herself making much of the decor from paper, whether that was for intricate garlands or fun backdrops. She even briefly had a YouTube series where she taught folding paper tutorials. However, throughout these creative pursuits, she never quite felt like everything aligned. “I could never figure out how to find the right audience,” Amanda remembers.
Paper has always quietly been in the background of Amanda’s creative process, but it took her awhile to realize that it could be the medium itself. One day, while filming a video for her YouTube series, she played around with gluing together the geometric shapes of paper she made, and an idea sparked. ‘What if she used these individual pieces to make large scale paper installations?’ Amanda took this idea to craftHER, a local craft market, and it was there that her first paper installation was on public display.
From there, everything she has been working so hard for finally made sense. Local patrons began to commission Amanda to create paper installations in their homes. Soon after, a friend encouraged her to make smaller versions of her installations and put them on canvas. Before she knew it, Amanda had found a new creative outlet for her paper passion.
Vibrant and textural, Amanda’s work pops right off whatever surface it’s on, whether canvas or a wall, to make a bold 3-dimensional statement. Individually, each geometric piece is sharp and angular, but together they create a shape that flows as seamlessly as water. It’s clear that Amanda has a knack for color and can naturally translate that emotional connection through her work.
“When I’m affected by a color palette, it’s like hearing a song to me,” she says. “I try to match it and translate that feeling to other people.”
Amanda is still passionate about creating experiential moments, but now she does it through paper and art exhibits. Finally, she has fully embraced her career as an artist. “It felt cheesy to say for the first 50 times,” Amanda smiles, “but yeah, I’m an artist!”
[…] Just a few years ago, if Amanda Witucki was asked if she were an artist, she would’ve likely said “no.” As a self-described “crafty” person who loves to host, Amanda, the artist behind the art practice, The Paper Committee, has always been drawn to creating experiences. “I’ve always wanted to be a modern-day Martha Stewart,” she admits. Continue reading here… […]