Lisa Lloyd

Paper sculptor

©Moose Azim

©James Winspear

©Moose Azim

©Lisa Lloyd

The powerful yet delicate forces of nature

Lisa makes large-scale paper sculptures of animals and imaginary beasts
She used to direct live action music videos in her previous profession
Making even a small piece can take her up to eight weeks of detailed work

Lisa Lloyd is a full time artist who takes inspiration from nature and the contrast between its delicate details and immense raw power. This immersive creative world enables Lisa to process and express her own internal conflict between hope and fear. The physical act of sculpting and hand cutting paper is allows her to connect with her materials in a dynamic way, releasing emotions through expressive movement, colour and texture. Lisa is currently producing a large scale series of original works inspired by metamorphosis. Before turning to paper sculpting, Lisa worked in the commercial industry for over 20 years. She started her career as a graphic designer and animator working on TV commercials for the music industry in London. She began to work with paper around 2014 and has produced paper artwork and sculptures for both commercial and private clients around the world. Commercial commissions have ranged from editorial work to large scale installations and visual merchandising.

Interview

©Moose Azim

©Moose Azim

Why did you decide to change your career?: I wanted to take a step back from the high stress world I was working in. I wanted to get off my screen and use my hands. I feel so lucky that my passion is my full-time job, but it’s more than that. I need it for my mental health, it keeps me calm and helps me through difficult times.
How do you create your artworks?: My style is quite organic, I cannot really plan what I am doing, I sculpt the paper as I go. My sculptures are made entirely from paper, I sculpt the internal structures from card, and I embellish them with lighter and more decorative papers. Some small pieces can take six to eight weeks to come to life.
What’s your main inspiration?: My greatest inspiration is nature. I have an eye for tiny details, patterns, symmetry, colour and texture. Paper is the perfect medium to express the beauty of nature, with its tactile quality and vast range of colours and styles. I try to take 'true to life' natural subjects and bring them to life.
Can you remember the turning point in your professional life?: I was on maternity leave and when an amazing opportunity presented itself: it felt like a great opportunity, so I didn’t want to say no. I set up my cutting mat on my kitchen table and created the project while my daughter Martha had naps, and my friend Tabitha helped me a lot. That job was a big break for me.

Lisa Lloyd is a rising star: she began her career in 2016