by Nancy Jacobi
Annual Guest Curated Exhibition | July 8 – 26, 2026
“Looks Good on Paper…”
Draw, paint, print, dye,
Bind, tear, cut, fly.
Paste, sculpt, stitch, mold,
Wrap, light, hang, fold.
The possibilities of paper in the creative human hand are endless.
Considering the decline in our daily use of paper, our jury of three (Nancy Jacobi, Susan Low-Beer and George A. Walker) was amazed to hear that a whopping 225 works had been submitted for the exhibition “Looks Good on Paper….” at Propeller Art Gallery!
As hand-written letters, bus transfers, theatre tickets, menus, newspapers, currency, holiday cards and parking tickets gradually surrender to the promise of technology, are we losing the tactile sensitivity of our hands?
Are we panicking as we fear the ultimate disappearance of this ubiquitous material so familiar to our touch? Is that why so many responded to this call to pay close attention to the choosing of a paper, that its demise is near? Or are we becoming increasingly aware of the widely interesting choice of paper for artistic use, often more ecologically sound and much more expressive?
Recovering from the surprise of the volume of entries that lay before us to be juried, we were delighted to review them one by one. A wide range of chosen “paper” included classic Stonehenge and Arches drawing and watercolour papers, photo and magazine paper, Canadian St. Armand flax and cotton, Yunlong Xuan from China, hanji from Korea, cardboard, various Japanese papers, vintage and cancelled postage stamps, dyed Canson, somegami and chiyogami with its tiny patterns.
Individually, the submissions inspired wonderfully inventive ideas! The call asked for works that would celebrate the “diverse and often unsung creative potential” of paper. Artists were encouraged to choose paper thoughtfully to emphasize the point or atmosphere of their artwork.
The resulting 48 pieces selected by the jury showcase this diversity of material and creative process very well.
There were several themes that were inspired by the call. The history of Italian immigrants’ detention in Canada during WW2 is dramatically recalled in “Apology” by Loretta Faveri. The paper in this case was made with local fibres by the artist’s aunt and used to record the historical political apologies and to bind the history together.
Loretta Faveri, Apology, handwritten text on paper, torn and stitched, paper made by my aunt with locally sourced fibres
Marjut Nousiainen tells her story of her 16-year struggle to keep politicians paying attention to the local environment in “My Political Papers”. She sets up her now useless stacks of notes and newspaper articles on the issues setting up a facsimile of a fire to be started.
Marjut Nousiainen, My Political Papers, paper on insulation board, newsprint, printer paper
In several cases the physicality of the paper gave rise to the theme. Joan Burdett Ness’s sculpture was a perfect subject for the use of Oguni snowbleached kozo paper, its malleability and lightness creating “Arctic Glacier and Kittiwaki”. Daniel Etigson chose for his silkscreen print “Cuneiform Column” (an ancient writing system) a Japanese paper made in the proportions of a scroll, for that purpose, elegantly long and narrow (Udaban).
Joan Burdett Ness, Arctic Glacier and Kittiwaki, molded washi paper, konnyaku, watercolour, copper wire, Japanese Oguni, snow bleached
Daniel Etigson, Cuneiform Column, black acrylic screen print on Mura Udaban A Itaboshi
In a few instances the coloured paper seemed custom-made for the context. Michele Cross’s dark red crepe paper is the background for a hand-drawn puppet of white paper, a small delightful moment created by “The Lady in the Radiator Toy Theatre.” Rachel Ashe’s “Signs of Spring” welcoming yellow, blue and green cut-out coloured shapes invoke instant joy through the choice of Canson’s range of Mi-Teintes.
Michele Cross, The Lady In The Radiator Toy Theatre, Graphite on paper, mixed media, kraft and crepe paper
Rachael Ashe, Signs of Spring, hand-cut low-relief paper sculpture, Canson Mi-Teintes
The most often used paper was Sekishu banshi, a Heritage Washi made from kozo. It was the focus a few years ago of another Propeller exhibition called “The Promise of Sekishu”. The malleability, translucency and absorbency of Sekishu make it welcome for almost any artistic treatment. In this show, Karen Klee-Atlin has used its absorbency and translucency in her print “Log Boom” to nice effect. Sharron Corrigan Forrest’s sculptural piece “Wakami Series #1” illustrates the malleability of Sekishu Banshi as it wraps around live branches which act like a mold.
Karen Klee-Atlin, Log Boom, drypoint and woodcut, Sekishu Banshi Tsuru
Sharron Corrigan Forrest, Wakami Series #1, natural inks & water-based pigments, Sekishu Banshi HW, Taniai Kozo Nagaban HW, Taniai Kozo Udaban & HW Washi
While many artists opted for mixed media, these chosen pieces harmonized the paper’s unique attributes. The paper choice greatly influenced the outcome of the artwork. Layers of lighter weight papers helped express memory like Lea Ovčina’s multi-layered work “Stories told must face the present and see it stands differently”. “Bountiful Light” by Steph Cloutier is another example, this one stitched Sekishu Banshi over handmade ink.
Lea Ovčina, Stories told must face the present and see it stands differently, lithograph and intaglio prints, konnyaku paste, machine sewn, light and heavy Usu Kuchi
Steph Cloutier, Bountiful Light, handmade ink and embroidery on paper, Sekishu Banshi Tsuru
We were impressed with the thoughtful explanations that went into all of the Artists’ Statements and we urge you to read and enjoy them as you visit.
We are grateful for so many submissions, as many of the entries demonstrated excellent craftsmanship and creative ideas. In the end, the jury felt that this show celebrates the richness of paper as a medium and the inventive ways artists are redefining its possibilities.
Nancy Jacobi
Curator
It is a wonderful show!