MEET THE ARTIST: PAULA PIETRANERA

Art Business News welcomed the opportunity to give Redwood Artist Club member Paula Pietranera our Meet the Artist questions and discover what in interesting background this international artist has had. We’re excited to share her story with you.

ABN: Introduce yourself — who you are and what your vision as an artist is?

PP: My name is Paula Pietranera, and I am an artist based in San Francisco, originally from Argentina. My art invites people to draw closer, fostering connection, intimacy, and exploration. I believe that simplicity, skilled execution, and a deep engagement with the creative act in the present moment bring life into my expression as an artist, a journey that goes beyond mere decoration or aesthetic appreciation.

ABN: What is your background?

PP: I started my professional journey as an architect, later specializing in the conservation and restoration of historical buildings. Throughout my studies, I discovered a profound spiritual connection to Asian arts, which led me to explore sumi-e, origami, and calligraphy in Argentina, Japan, and the United States. My time in Japan in 2015 was particularly transformative; it was there where I learned the “Renzuru” paper-folding technique under the guidance of master Mizuho Tomita in Kyoto. Since then, I’ve been exploring how this traditional paper-folding form can serve as an expressive medium for fine art. Additionally, I am a Zen student, having practiced in Argentina and, since 2015, residing at the San Francisco Zen Center where I’ve deepened in the relation between my Zen practice and artistic career.

ABN: What is your work philosophy and how does that impact your work?

PP: My philosophy revolves around the concept of interconnectedness. I strive to bring my art to life like a dreamcatcher, drawing the true self into a space of deep intimacy. This connection inspires me, as the desire for intimate togetherness—with oneself, others, and the world—can be both our greatest yearning and our most profound fear. Central to my work is the centuries-old paper folding Renzuru technique, where connected cranes emerge from a single sheet of paper, embodying the idea that each piece is unique, yet part of a harmonious whole.

ABN: What artist(s) inspire you?

PP: I’m inspired by artists who fully explore the potential of their medium and materials, and let the process guide them—who show us what a material can become through. I admire artists like Ruth Asawa, Kay Sekimachi, and Tanabe Chikuunsai IV for this reason. Both have worked with paper, as I do, and they show how something so ordinary can be transformed into something powerful. It’s not about creating an image, but about discovering the potential of the material—what it can express on its own, through the hands.

ABN: What is the best advice you’ve received?

PP: One piece of advice that resonates with me comes from the Zen master Dogen, who stated in the 13^th Century, “To study the way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to become one with the universe.” For me, in my art, this means “Think the fold. Be the fold. Forget the fold.”

ABN: When you are not working, where can we find you?

PP: San Francisco is a beautiful and inspiring city, and when I’m not working, I often take long walks with my husband. We enjoy discovering what might be revealed just around the next corner.

ABN: What have you done recently that enhanced you as an artist?

PP: Recently, I discovered a traditional washi paper company in Japan that has been making and dyeing paper for twelve generations. Their incredible work has left me in awe and opened new possibilities for my art.

ABN: Any plans for 2025? Where will your creativity take you?

PP: Japan! I will return to the place that inspires my art and where everything began.