This program is for adults and teens! 

The Year of the Dragon is coming to a close, and the Year of the Snake is just around the corner! Celebrate the Lunar New Year with an exciting Chinese papercutting workshop led by Zhonghe (Elena) Li of Wildcrane Art. Elena will guide you through the basics of papercutting using scissors, and you’ll follow along her and share your unique stories through this beautiful art form. Don’t miss this opportunity to embrace creativity and tradition!

Zhonghe (Elena) Li, a multimedia artist based in Cambridge, MA, specializes in the traditional Chinese art of papercutting. Over the past decade, she has passionately embraced this ancient craft, using scissors as her primary tool. Li's work seeks to bridge the gap between traditional papercutting and contemporary art, addressing pertinent issues such as species extinction, climate change, and its impact on humanity's future.

Motivated by her love for nature's diversity, Li's art is deeply rooted in the Taoist philosophy of interconnectivity and balance among all beings, whether among humans or between humanity and nature. She has received recognition for her efforts, including a competitive grant from Mount Auburn's Artist-in-Residence program in 2021 and artist grants from the Cambridge Arts Council in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 for projects such as "The Last Rhino," "The Art of Living Together," and "The Art of Nature Around Us." Collaborating with local communities and Mass Audubon's Nature in the City Program at Cambridge, Li explores the intersection of papercutting, art, and environmental awareness. Her dedication to the craft is further acknowledged through a Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) Traditional Art Fellowship in 2022 and an MCC Traditional Arts Apprenticeship for 2023-24. You can find more of her work at hehe.li@instagram.