The story behind the art on our packaging
Paper cutting has been around since the 16th century. Different cultures have different names and different styles. In Switzerland, it is called scherenschnitte, German for “scissor cuts.” This traditional art involves cutting symmetrical shapes of paper to depict scenes of the Swiss countryside.
Scherenschnitte is the feature of our packaging. The art reflects the heritage of the Bollier family and our many longtime employees who strive to bring the same precision and beauty to chocolate making. Elements of our various scherenschnitte patterns (such as the Swiss flag, a chalet, edelweiss, the three generations, an alphorn, a chef + animals that help to create or harvest our ingredients) can be seen in various forms on the packaging of our products.
Can you find them?
Learn more about the creation of the design.
André’s Café + Wine Bar
5018 Main Street Kansas City, MO 64112
CURRENT EXHIBIT
David Titterington
David is an Instructor of Art at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas. He earned an MFA from KU in visual art, and his undergraduate work was in East Asian Studies, culminating in a two-week workshop with the Dalai Lama at his monastery in India, and then five years living on the island of Shikoku, Japan, researching holy sites and types of Japanese meditation. He is exhibiting six new paintings at André's, intended to provide space for contemplation and rest.
See more visit DavidTitterington.com.
Image: Six Puddles, oil on wood, 20" x 20"
PAST EXHIBIT
Angie Pickman
Angie creates her cut paper art starting with a rough pencil sketch and then uses an X-acto knife to hand cut around pencil lines to reveal the drawing in paper. She often uses more than one layer of paper and hand cut colored tissue paper to add color. She finishes the work by mounting the cutting to a backing board using book binding glue.
Cut paper art is also the feature of André’s packaging that was revealed in 2017.
Angie Pickman, Lawrence, KS, is a nationally recognized cut paper artist that combines the art of traditional paper cutting with collage to create intricately detailed works of art and animations. She received her master’s degree in 2004 from Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, which is where she first learned of the art of silhouette animation artist Lotte Reiniger (1899 – 1981). Her love of nature and the tranquility of the rural terrain, as well as Reiniger’s style and technique, inspired Pickman to set off on the artistic path that she continues today. She exhibits at galleries and art fairs nationally, does illustration, animation and design work, conducts public presentations on her art, and teaches various art classes and workshops. Most recently, her work has been featured in Midwest Living and Martha Stewart Living magazines, and her animation work premiered on PBS in the summer of 2016 in the documentary “Daughters of the Forest”. Her first children’s book, Merry Menagerie: Animal Antics from A to Z, was published in 2018 by Ascend Books.
“As a native of the midwest, I feel a strong connection to the landscape of this region. After living in New York City for many years, I discovered, while still there, that I wanted to strengthen that connection and began centering my work around the spirit of the midwestern terrain. My need to simplify and find a quietude that would better foster my art took me back to my homeland which has proven to give me the inspiration that I need to make my art continually: a simpler lifestyle combined with constant access to my muse.
My paper cut collages reflect my need to simplify while at the same time appreciate the beauty of even the most minute aspects found in nature: intricately detailed subjects, often combined with bursts of color, made by cutting away all that is unnecessary.”
Website: RuralPearl.com | Etsy: Rural Pearl.Etsy.com | Instagram: AngiePickman | Facebook: Cut Paper Art
Videos: Paper cutting time-lapse | The making of cat art: Paws for a moment
André’s Tea Room
5018 Main Street Kansas City, MO 64112
A permanent art display can be found in our tea room. The pieces are surrounded by antique Swiss artifacts including flags from the various cantons of Switzerland and a chalet, custom built by André himself. The artists and their associated pieces are listed below in the order in which they can be seen as you enter the tea room and transport yourself to the land of Switzerland.
Arch Unruh
A longtime regular customer and retired Hallmark artist, Mr. Unruh generously gifted a series of pieces to André’s that proudly hang in the entrance to our tea room. Each are based on photographs that his wife took during trips to Switzerland.
Jean Tinguely
A Swiss artist and favorite of second generation, Marcel Bollier. This 1982 Montreux Jazz Festival poster piece greets you as you make your way to our tea room restrooms. The print, in an original metal frame, is signed by the Swiss artist himself.
Jason Pollen
Probably the most asked about piece is "Banquet for André" which includes depictions of several of André's signature desserts. This large silk fiber art piece, which hangs on the wall in the center of our tea room, was created by longtime Bollier family friend and former Kansas City Art Institute professor, Jason Pollen. Jason created the piece in honor of André after his passing.
Samuel Ryffe
Our iron light fixtures as well as the table and chair legs that fill our tea room were designed by family friend and fellow Swiss Sam Ryfee, a master craftsman and creator of beautiful metalworks across the United States, including the iconic iron work found throughout the Country Club Plaza just south of our store.
Alois Carigiet
These signed lithographs adorn the wall in the back of the tea room and are from a series of 7 that were all signed by the Swiss artist and then sold as a set by his family after he passed in 1985.
André’s Entrance
5018 Main Street Kansas City, MO 64112
"Interdependency" was sculpted by Richard "Dick" Bergen and purchased in 1986 by Marcel Bollier in memory of his father and founder of André's, André Bollier.
Available in-store and online
Ivanna Ellworth is a local Kansas City artist and designer who specializes in watercolor painting and color pencil/marker illustrations. Her popular watercolor paintings of André's pastries and tea cookies that were previously on exhibit in our café are now available as greeting cards.
Click here to purchase.
See more at on Instagram @curiousdollstudio
More photos may be seen on André's Art Facebook photo album page
