In an age of instant photography and AI-generated imagery, the delicate art of hand-cut silhouette portraiture feels almost otherworldly. Yet for this artist, the practice is as immediate and alive as ever, performed in real time, guided by intuition, and rooted in a deeply personal legacy. From society weddings to deeply moving farewells, her work continues to reveal the quiet power of simplicity.

Discovering a Lifelong Craft

Question
How did you first discover your talent for creating paper-cut silhouettes, and what drew you to make it your full-time career?

Alison’s Answer
I have been compelled to capture the human spirit through drawing ever since I was a young child. My grandmother cut silhouettes and she was keen for me to keep her legacy alive and started teaching me from age 9. She introduced the concept to me as ‘drawing with scissors.’ I was happy to learn the skill and practiced on friends and family frequently. One day she arranged for me to cut them at a craft fair to get practice on the public and a lady booked me to do them at her friends’ wedding. That was my first paid event when I was about 18. 20 years later that same lady booked me to work at her own wedding! She remembered me after all that time. I decided to makeh a career of it after university because I kept being asked to do them at events. The interest kept growing as word of mouth proved to be the biggest seller and that is still the case to this day 27 years later.

Moments That Stay With You

Question
You’ve performed at an incredible range of events, from weddings and charity balls to corporate galas and even a funeral. What’s the most memorable occasion you’ve ever worked at, and why?

Alison’s Answer
I think the time I cut silhouettes at a lady’s funeral. She was only in her fourties’ and had terminal cancer so she wanted to design her own funeral in a way that would remind her guests of her character & that they would appreciate. She remembered having her silhouette cut by me many years ago and that she had always hated having her photo taken but that the silhouette had made her feel beautiful and she wanted her guests to have the opportunity to experience something similar for themselves. It was a tremendous honour to have fulfilled that purpose for her knowing that she had passed away and this was one of her final wishes.

Working with Prestigious Brands

Question
Your client list includes some of the world’s most prestigious luxury brands. How did collaborations with names like Cartier, Burberry, and Fortnum & Mason come about?

Alison’s Answer
A few of them were through being listed with entertainment agencies but many found me through my website or on Instagram and liked the look of my account and the examples of my work on there. I think because what I do is very niche and elegant & intricate it matches well with the sophistication of high end brands, especially jewellers & perfumeries.

Also once you start to earn a reputation the same sorts of companies recognise this & seek you out as these industries tend to keep close connections.

The Art of Live Creation

Question
What’s it like creating portraits live in front of people, is there pressure to capture their likeness quickly, or do you thrive on that spontaneity?

Alison’s Answer
I love cutting live, partly because I get a more accurate sense of having captured the essence and spirit of the person and partly because I get to see the immediate reaction of the guests when they glance their portrait for the first time. They are often astounded at the likeness and what is able to be captured about them from what is essentially one cut out line. I aim for them to have their inner beauty drawn out and recognised by themselves and often get comments like ‘oh you’ve made me look more beautiful than I really am!’ It’s because seeing my interpretation of them allows them exposure to the beauty that I can see & attempt to highlight.

Capturing Animals in Silhouette

Question
You also create silhouettes of pets, how did that side of your work begin, and what do you enjoy most about capturing an animal’s personality in paper?

Alison’s Answer
That started when I cut the silhouette of a customer’s dog at a Hermés event and she loved it and happened to be connected to the organiser of an upcoming dog event in Marylebone. I already had some experience cutting pets commissioned from time to time from photos but this was my first time cutting so many live, there was a big queue for the whole duration, it was such a popular concept and from there I have cut at several more dog fairs since then as they seem to be a growing trend.

Dog profiles vary so much more than humans as each breed can be so different so this keeps me on my toes as I never know what’s coming next!

Keeping Tradition Relevant

Question
Silhouette cutting is such a magical traditional art form, how do you keep it feeling fresh and relevant in the modern world of digital and AI-driven imagery?

Alison’s Answer
It’s interesting because most people I come across have never heard of this age old art form & see it as a completely new and modern concept completely unaware that it’s original purpose was historically the snap shot of it’s time before photography was invented. Also because the lines are so clean cut (literally) the portrait reproduces perfectly in print making it a great medium to use graphically as in a logo or blown up large on a canvas. No detail is lost in the reproduction because of its solid appearance. Sometimes people like to change up the colour in print to make it fresh & stylish looking and I have been asked to cut them in colour and even offer a range for the guests to choose their personal preference from.

Also people love that it’s done by hand and appears like magic before their eyes by a real life artist who they get to meet and ask questions to. They often comment that it’s been the highlight of the event for them. This is why the interaction is so valuable and can’t be replaced by AI.

A Universal Response

Question
You’ve worked all over London, across the UK, and even abroad. Do different audiences respond differently to your work?

Alison’s Answer
I would say the response is universal just like a smile is the same language all over the world. Having a silhouette cut brings the same wonder and joy across cultures and ages without exception.

I remember cutting silhouettes at a wedding where the bride, groom, their 4 children and the majority of the guests were all deaf which was very interesting for me because it highlighted the value of the visual aspect of what I do. Since there was no music and the speeches were all in sign language it was nice to offer an experience that allowed the subject to be fully seen without the use of words and with no compromise to the process or end result. It’s similar if it’s an international event with guests not speaking English, they still get to receive a beautiful personal gift without much being asked of them other than to pose for a moment which can easily be communicated with a few hand gestures.

Looking Ahead

Question
What’s next for you, any dream venues, events, or projects you’d love to bring your scissors to?

Alison’s Answer
I think my dream is to be featured in some form at the National Portrait Gallery. I have worked there cutting live for events but I would also love to have my portraits featured and recognised there as the rare national treasure that they are and to be commemorated for all time in such an establishment. That would really bring homage to my life’s work and honour the skill passed down to me from my grandmother.

This was a short feature of an impactful artist. As a Londoner, and an art enthusiast, it was a pleasure to meet Alison. I am keeping my lovely paper-cut silhouette on my office, which puts a smile on my face every time I look at it.

Alison has performed at a wide range of prestigious venues such as St Pauls Cathedral, Royal Ascot, Emirates Palace (Abu Dhabi) and many more. Celebrities include: Princess Anne, Victoria Beckham, Celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay, and the Arsenal Football Team to name a few. If you like Alison’s art, and would like to contact her for your event, kindly see her details in the website.