If you had asked me where you could find a silhouette artist, I might have suggested the fair grounds. That was until I met Brian Flora, a modern-day practitioner of this ancient art. Flora says that silhouettes are man's oldest form of artistic expression.
Cave paintings made by prehistoric man show the silhouettes of both human and animal forms.
For instance, in some parts of ancient China, it was believed that if your shadow fell upon a casket as it was buried, you too would die soon. While many ideas about shadows and silhouettes may have faded with time, our fascination with them as an art for Silhouette Artist Brian Flora creates a portrait in paper with scissors and paper. The results are rich in personality and detail. Flora says that this is because of their ability to communicate so much with such simplicity. Regardless of that, it is fascinating to watch the speed and elegance with which he transforms a piece of black paper into a remarkable resemblance.