At the Santa Clara History Museum, we honor the rich tapestry of our community's past, woven from the threads of our Swiss heritage and the pioneering spirit of our founders. Join us in celebrating the stories that shaped our identity, from cherished artifacts to vibrant customs handed down through the generations. Come discover the things that make our community unique, delve into our history, and discover the heart of Santa Clara.
Swiss Paper Cutting—a Dying Art in Santa Clara
This month we're highlighting a form of art that seems to be unique to Santa Clara, Utah—Swiss paper cutting art. Loretta Frei Adams is a native of Santa Clara, part owner of Uncle's and Auntie's, and a member of the famous Frei family of the fruit market fame. Loretta still practices the art of Swiss paper cutting.
Paper cutting or Scherenschnitte (literally, scissor cuts) started in Switzerland and Germany around the 16th century. Unlike Chinese paper cutting, which goes back to the 6th century and usually depicts Chinese characters and zodiac animals, in Switzerland, it’s more often about symmetry in design – whether the artwork depicts a geometrical design or Swiss pastoral scenes.
This art was brought to Santa Clara, Utah in 1861 with the arrival of the Swiss settlers. They brought their own version of Scherenscnitte. Rather than pastoral scenes, the art they brought depicts beautiful lacy designs, usually layered so it depicts a 3-D effect. If you look on the internet, you’ll find many examples of pastoral scenes, homes, animals, farms, etc., but these beautiful lacy designs are not found. The Swiss who settled Santa Clara came from the cantons in the north east of Switzerland, Thurgau and St. Gallens, etc., located just across Lake Constance from Germany. It seems that they developed their own methods and designs for this art.
Rosina Reber, Loretta Frei's great grandmother, was just a girl when she came from Switzerland and brought her paper-cutting art with her. Since there were no stores that sold greeting cards, or any cards, her family made their own. Loretta’s mother, Wanda Graf Frei, learned the art from her mother, Josephine Tobler Graf, who learned from her mother, Rosina Reber Tobler.
The technique brought to Santa Clara includes a bottom paper, cut with a lacy design around the edges, and with a picture of something in the middle—usually a flower, or it could be a portrait, anything. The top layer is cut with a more intricate design. The top is placed over the bottom with some spacing pieces to separate the two layers, creating the 3-D art. The cutting is all free-hand, and no two are ever alike.
The Utah State Council of the Arts honored Wanda Graf Frei for her beautiful designs, and her designs and Loretta’s are included in the Utah Folk Art Exhibition, and also in the Santa Clara Museum.
We invite you to visit the Santa Clara History Museum to see this art and other interesting artifacts surrounding the settlement of Santa Clara, Utah.
Click the Title below to view an instructional video:
Memories and Stories
We have a section on our website where we can share memories and stories of our time in Santa Clara, whether growing up, attending school, or passing through.
This is a great place to share some of the traditions such as town bell, memories of teachers and experiences at school, interactions with those who've gone on before, etc. And, especially what created these stubborn "Dutchmen" (and women)!"
We're inviting you to share your fond memories (or maybe not-so-fond learning experiences). This would be a great way to communicate our thoughts and feelings about our beautiful community! You can contribute privately or sign your story.
These memories/stories are found under the "Memories" tab. Share your stories and memories by sending them to [email protected].