
Canadian Artist Transforms Paper into Stunning Masterpieces
- Text by Kate Missine
- Photography by Ryan Mah
A graduate of the Creative Photography program at Humber College, Vancouver-based multidisciplinary artist Rachael Ashe began her career as a photographer for the Textile Museum of Canada. The role gave her extensive exposure to handcrafted textiles, the art form that first sparked her passion for paper cutting art.
Teaching herself to work with paper in its many forms, Ashe learned to transform it into unique artworks. Fascinated by the repetitive actions and reiterations of regular tasks that make up our daily routines, she was drawn to paper techniques that involve repetition and rhythmic flow.
Ashe’s designs are made up of organic forms and geometric shapes, exploring the many ways a simple piece of paper can be sculpted and formed. Her Meditations collection is a reflection on the importance of the small, quiet acts in life that add up to the bigger picture of existence.
The intricate compositions resemble layered three-dimensional blossoms created by repeated hand-cutting and lifting of the oval petal shapes. Each proceeding piece echoes the previous ones in some aspect such as size or colour. The mindful process of this paper cutting art results in finished works that create a calming, contemplative effect.
Inspired for a Beautiful Life
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