Emoji Every Day – Paper Art By Kashia Kennedy
Some people can turn a gum leaf into an instrument (even if they shouldn’t), others are masters of folding fitted sheets (help us, we beg you) but Kashia Kennedy’s secret talent is wielding a pair of blades faster than Edward Scissorhands to make teeny tiny, paper emojis. Not content in making the odd one, Kennedy has committed to making an emoji every day. At last count there are around 1,851 emojis, so she’s got awhile to go, and we’re pretty happy about that. We sat down for a chat, with words, how old-fashioned and the odd emoji thrown in for good measure. Head to @kashiasrsly for daily updates.
Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Kashia, I make stuff out of paper and sometimes other materials … but mostly paper!
If you could describe yourself in three emojis what would you pick?
The thumbs up (it’s my go-to photo pose). The detective, because I love late-at-night-can’t-sleep Reddit mystery threads, and the red dress dancing girl because she seems pretty pleased with herself.
What made you decide to create emojis out of paper?
Practice, practice, practice! I follow some awesome paper artists on Instagram … and a few of them did ‘100 Days Of’ type projects that I found impressively disciplined (notice how I cleverly haven’t committed to a set number?). I checked a few variations of the hashtag #emojieveryday and no one was doing it, so …
How do you decide which emojis to do?
Sometimes they are requests, often I’m in a mood to do something really finicky and measured (like the school bus or floppy disc). Other times I want to freestyle and draw up an intricate template (like the squirrel, or the unicorn). Sometimes I’ve forgotten to do one for the next day and it’s midnight, so I choose a simple one!
How many have you done so far?
Over 60 at last count….
What is your favourite emoji?
I really like all the outdated ones, like the fax machine and the VCR. I never have a reason to use them but I might one day. “Hey babe, can you tape the Law and Order marathon for me? Make sure you set it to long play”.
What is your least favourite emoji?
The poop! Everyone loves it but I’m far too mature for that malarky.
What do you do with them all once you’ve photographed them?
They go in a box for now … they are tiny so it’s a small box! Maybe I’ll frame a few.
What’s the best thing you’ve ever made?
I did some really small 3-D paper lettering recently that I was high-fiving myself over … but it’s always the big stuff that’s more impressive! Probably the giant popsicles I made for a window installation in January, or the crepe paper wisteria branches.
See more at kashiakennedy.com and @kashiasrsly.
