Ep. 248: Yulia Brodskaya

Renowned paper artist Yulia Brodskaya is redefining the boundaries of the centuries-old craft of paper quilling. Originally trained as a graphic designer and illustrator, her journey into paper began almost by accident. In spelling her name “YULIA” with strips of paper in her very first paper artwork, she unknowingly set out to reinvent the centuries-old craft, pioneering a technique of drawing with paper strips—representing each drawn with an edge-glued strip that lifts the drawing into the third dimension. Soon after discovering her unique voice, Brodskaya earned international recognition for her innovative paper illustrations and was named Creative Review magazine’s “Breakthrough Star” of 2009. Her early work focused primarily on paper typography, quickly attracting an extraordinary roster of clients. Over the following years, she completed more than 200 commissions and collaborations, working with renowned brands including Neiman Marcus, Hermès, Issey Miyake, Wimbledon, Paramount Pictures, and The Balvenie. Yet alongside this commercial success, Brodskaya continued to explore the deeper expressive potential of paper. Gradually, her focus shifted toward portraiture and natural forms, where she could fully develop her signature technique of Painting with paper. Her book Painting with Paper — Paper on the Edge documents this pioneering technique, revealing how tightly folded paper strips can function like 3-dimentional brushstrokes, with colours blended and layered in a process analogous to mixing paint on a palette. The result is work that possesses all the richness of painting, while adding the tactile presence and dimensionality. Through her teaching and sharing of these methods, Brodskaya has inspired a global community of paper artists. Many have been able to follow in her footsteps, developing their own practices and livelihoods through this medium—first by learning to “draw” with paper, and now by exploring its full painterly and expressive potential. Today, her work continues to evolve. Her latest portrait experiments blur the boundary between paper quilling and Impressionist painting, demonstrating the extraordinary capacity of paper to convey light, emotion, and human presence. Through her hands, paper transforms from a simple material into a living medium, giving rise to a unique visual language the art world has never seen before. https://www.instagram.com/yulia_brodskaya_artyulia/ www.artyulia.com www.yuliacourses.com