There is a quiet that descends in winter and brings nature into sharp focus. Wind-rustled branches throw shadows. Snow crunches as a trotting deer makes footfalls just beyond view. The world seems just a bit more ethereal. Gazing upon a papercut shadow box from Casey Lynch feels like that. Her images, gathered under the moniker Squirrel Tacos, are surreal yet grounded in a textured ecosystem where animals play out their own narratives.
Consider “The Secret Meeting.” It is high winter, and Mr. fox is tasked with inviting spring to the forest. Yet his invitation gets lost, sent (unwisely) via a turtle-run messenger service. In the tree that surrounds him, cats, owls and – yes – squirrels react, spreading the news with a tsk.
To evoke such scenes, Lynch uses paper and light, adding depth to intricate papercuts by way of shadow box. Yet at heart, she is a storyteller.
In ‘Red + The Wolf,’ mystery and magic envelope the intriguing winter scene. Photo by Ananda Connolly Photography
Published in the December 2019 issue
Jenn Hall 