I’ve always found quilling a fascinating art form, but after seeing Yulia Brodskaya’s mind-blowing “Babushka” I feel there’s nothing a talented artist can’t do with just a few colorful strips of paper.

I discovered quilling a year ago, and since then I have posted a number of impressive works of art created using only strips of colorful paper, but I haven’t seen anything as impressive as Babushka since Susan Myers’ recreation of Van Gogh’s Starry Night. It takes a lot of skill to shape simple pieces of paper into a detailed artwork, but Yulia Brodskaya has definitely taken quilling to new heights, using light and shadow to create an awe-inspiring masterpiece that carries a powerful emotional message. The Russian-born artist says Babushka is “the first piece in the series of works which I consider a declaration of love to the material and the technique. It is also an attempt to raise a profile of this paper craft, which has been previously regarded with some disdain, and to bring this type of artwork on a new level in terms of its ability to convey meaning and emotions.” She’s definitely up to a great start and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

Known especially for her brilliant illustrations, Yulia admits she was concerned about the limitations of working with strips of paper, when she first started quilling, but after three years of experimenting she says those limitations turned out to be a great strength for her and she has reached a point where she doesn’t feel constrained by the challenges of using only aper to express herself through art. Babushka is clear proof she means what she says, and this is only the beginning. Although she didn’t mention exactly how long she worked on Babushka, just that it took a lot longer than her other commercial works, judging by the level of detail, it’s clear she spent at least several days arranging the strips of paper.

Photos by Yulia Brodskaya via My Modern Met