Your Incredible Neighbors: paper masterpieces

By cutting and curling, twisting and folding, rippling and wrapping, Julia Valenzuela creates carnations, roses, sunflowers, marigolds and a variety of nature’s wonders using simple materials of colorful crepe paper, wire and sometimes wood shavings.

On display and for sale at Sahuarita’s recent annual Fiesta, her huge display of handcrafted flowers stood out bold and bright.

A resident of Madera Highlands, Valenzuela, who speaks only Spanish, spoke via her interpreter son-in-law Art Loya and said she’s completely self-taught. She buys her primary product — crepe paper — in bulk in Mexico because the professional strength and size she uses isn’t available in Southern Arizona.

Making the flowers mainly as a hobby, yet also seeing it emerge as a small business, Valenzuela cuts the crepe paper according to the type of flowers she’ll be making. She then molds the individual pieces and wraps them around a wire stem.

The edges of her rose petals are rolled out like real petals. The center is made with minute bits of crepe paper and wood shavings.

The edges of her small and 10-inch diameter jumbo-sized carnations have a rippled effect, which she creates by folding the crepe paper into very fine folds.

Demonstrating the technique, it’s easy to see that she is more than a paper-folder. She’s a precise and patient artist. Each flower appears to be the very best she can create.

What looks very time-consuming isn’t. Since she makes many of the same flower at one time, she said, once the paper is cut, the largest flower takes her about six minutes to craft.

“The sunflower takes the longest. It’s like making two flowers, because the center is like a flower itself,” she said. Because she uses bits of black crepe paper and tiny wood shavings, the dark center of the yellow-petaled sunflower looks like the real thing.

Valenzuela’s flowers are literally blooming, and with special orders, what started as a hobby is keeping her happily busy. “I make flowers for weddings and special occasions. Many people ask for special flowers and I make them,” she said.

For the Mexican “Day of the Dead” event, which is celebrated Nov. 1 and/or 2, she’s making 100 marigolds as the flower is associated with the event.

Artistically gifted in other ways, Valenzuela also has a technique for making faux stained glass. She enjoys knitting, making jewelry and also creates figurines from a mixture of flour, salt and water. Once cooked and painted, the figurines are sold at her daughter and son-in-law’s shop, Mexican Garden Pottery, in Tucson.

“I like doing anything with my hands but my favorite thing is working with paper,” she said. “It’s a very enjoyable hobby, and the more flowers I make, the happier I am.”

To inquire about orders for wedding and special occasions, call Loya at 795-4616.

Ellen Sussman is a freelance writer in Green Valley. Contact her at ellen2414@cox.net.