Scissor Cuts | Video

Kristin Clouston | 7/11/2012

You never know what you`re going to find tucked away in an old attic or closet. Sometimes, items are worth millions of dollars, or the stories that go with those treasures can be priceless. Artist Caroline Conrath is known around Bismarck Mandan for her paintings and pottery.

Caroline Conrath lived in her home just west of Mandan for more than 30 years. Few knew her home was also a gallery, but some of her most interesting pieces were never shown because they were tucked away in a notebook.

"Why did I wait so long to show this? I don`t know. It was her fault, Sally`s. She`s the one who found them."

"She forgot she had this scrapbook and I opened it one day and there they were," said writer Sally Holewa.

Scissor art pieces Conrath starting creating when she was just 11 years old. It was when her father needed to pick up some money in Germany and took the family with him.

"By the time they got through and around all this stuff the war had started so they absolutely forbid anybody to leave Germany, whether they were foreigners or not."

Conrath`s cousin did scissor cuts for children`s books and taught her the craft while the family laid low.

"We just stayed cool and survived that way."

Conrath`s friend, Holewa, has been helping her write her family history and just happened upon the book.

"One of the things I really like is Caroline`s family saved everything."

"She went and took it out and said we could frame these and I said, how are you gonna frame something like that. I framed that one, I had to glue it and I thought I`m not gonna take all these out and put glue on," Conrath said.

Holewa put some in plastic frames and asked BAGA to display the pieces. Conrath has been a member for years and says she`s pleased with the way it all turned out. BAGA will exhibit the work through July 28th.

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