Work In Progress: Spirals and Waves

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Progress on this piece has been much slower than I would have liked but I managed to put the finishing touches on it yesterday. The actual size is 19.5″ x 19.5″ hand cut from 98lb Canson Mi-Teintes paper. I think this is the largest 3D paper cut piece I have created to date.

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I drew an outline of two curves spiralling into one another and filled both in with tiny delicate leaf shapes that lift away from the surface. About half way through the work I decided to draw a fuller curve for each shape to give the composition a stronger sense of flow.

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My intention is to frame the work with the 3D bits as the back of the piece instead of the front surface as I normally would. The picture above shows what this looks like when the paper is backlit, and the photo below is a closeup detail of the surface. It has a wonderful textured.

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I like the piece but looking at it makes me think about all the things I wish I could go back and do differently. I guess that is why my process is iterative. I always have the opportunity to do it again a slightly different way.

Creative Paper Cutting Workshop in Toronto!

At the beginning of April I will be in Toronto visiting family, and I’ve arranged to teach a paper cutting workshop hosted by The Paper Place while I’m in town.

In this hands-on workshop I will introduce students to the joys of creating intricate art through paper cutting. During the class participants will work on two small projects incorporating traditional techniques with a modern twist, and a focus on abstraction and pattern. The goal is to help students develop knife skills, discuss tools and materials, as well as inspire ideas for how to integrate paper cut elements into their own work.

Paper cutting workshop at The Paper Place in Torono

Visit The Paper Place website for the full details and description. Register in person at the store or by phone at 416.703.0089.

Creative Paper Cutting at The Paper Place
Date: Wednesday, April 5th
Time: 6:30-9:30pm
Cost: $90 + $10 Materials fee
Location: 887 Queen St. West, Toronto

Work In Progress: Stitching a Denim Skirt

When I started this clothing embellishment project in February I thought I would end up using a traditional sashiko pattern as my chosen design, but the highly structured approach didn’t suit what I had in mind for this skirt. I undid the work I’d started and took it in a completely different direction. I stitched a few small circles placed randomly around the fabric area to start and then realized how tedious it was going to be to make an uncounted number of additional small circles before it felt complete.

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I switched directions again and decided to cover more of the skirt with stitched lines, which is really what I love about sashiko – all those lovely lines made into shapes and patterns. I made a large triangle design of lines on the middle front, and two triangles facing in opposite directions on either side of the skirt. It looks terrific even though the overall design is quite random.

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Once all of the triangles are finished my plan is to go back and add more circles to different parts of the skirt. I’m hoping to get most of it done later this week. I can’t wait to wear it.

Art Supply Giveaway 2017

It’s spring cleaning time in the studio, and on Saturday March 18th I will be part of the annual art supply giveaway with a group of artists in Strathcona. Drop by 800 Keefer Street to browse a selection of unwanted (but still viable) supplies. This is the fifth year my friends and I have held this event.

Everything is free because we just want someone to make use of the materials. At this time I have no idea what supplies will be available from each artist so come see for yourself. There’s always something for everyone, including things like textiles, papers, found objects, books, and more.

Meryl McMaster at Richmond Art Gallery

It feels like a rare and special treat to see an exhibition of a woman’s self-portraits taken seriously and presented in a gallery context, but such is the work of Meryl McMaster at the Richmond Art Gallery. The show features excerpts from three different photo series created over the past four years featuring Meryl as the central character, and also the canvas, for explorations on identity and the representation of indigenous people in art.

The images are strikingly precise compositions with a narrative thread flowing through them. Her use of colours, props, and natural light are spot on. I love this show so much  and left feeling super inspired. It’s been a few years since I last shot a self portrait myself, and the experience has me longing to pick up the camera again.


Confluence by Meryl McMaster continues at the Richmond Art Gallery until March 19, 2017. More details about the show here.

Workshop: Creative Paper Cutting Party at Opus Art Supplies

I am teaching a paper cutting workshop at Opus Art Supplies Hastings Street location on Thursday March 16th, 6:30pm to 8:30pm. The class is affordably priced at $25 which covers the cost of supplies. To participate you must register by phone or in person (604‑678‑5889) to reserve a spot as space is limited.

Creative Paper Cutting Party at Opus Art Supplies

I’ll be doing a thorough run down on knives, paper, techniques, and different ways to use paper cut elements in artwork. Participants will also get the chance to work on their own paper cut pattern to take home, like the ones pictured above. Visit the event page for more details »

Creative Paper Cutting Party with Rachael Ashe
Date: Thursday March 16th, 2017
Time: 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Cost: $25 and includes all supplies
Location: Opus Art Supplies, 100-207 West Hastings Street

Work In Progress: Multiple Paper Cut Sketches

Before starting another 3D paper cut piece last week I decided to do a few small sketches to work out an idea I’ve had in my head for the last while. I wanted to make two half circles slightly offset at the centre, and cut these with 3D leaf shapes.

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I drew outlines on a scrap piece of paper and did two different sketches, one working from the centre outwards and the other moving from one side to the other. I didn’t actually like the results (which made me so glad I’d decided to sketch this idea first), because it felt clunky and stiff.

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I decided the outer shape needed to be curved and graceful to guide the flow of the cutting, so I roughed out a third sketch and only partially finished it because it felt right at last. I moved onto working with a large piece of paper, and will shared progress on it another time.

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One of the things I’m hoping to do with the finished piece that has come out of this sketching is frame it with the 3D bits hidden. What is usually the back of these will be displayed as the front. It looks something like the backlit example I have included here (but it won’t have light within the frame).

Paper cut sketch

I’m glad paper cut sketching is becoming an important part of my process once again.

One Final Art & Craft Social at Hot Art Wet City

Join us for one final Art & Craft Social at Hot Art Wet City before the gallery closes at the end of March. This is a crafternoon and an art jam all rolled into one. Bring a small creative project such as stitching, sketching, crocheting, whatever you’re into. The event is an opportunity to bring together a cross-section of makers, crafters, artists, designers (and all those other titles creative people give themselves), to knit, sew, collage, draw, or paint while they socialize and share.

Art & Craft Social
Hot Art Wet City
Date: Wednesday March 8th, 2017
Time: 6:30pm to 9pm
Location: 2206 Main Street at 6th Avenue

A Heart for the Day of Hearts

I drew this heart as a gift to give friends we were joining for dinner on Valentine’s Day. It’s inspired by line work I revisited last week as I worked on a commission that combines paper cut and drawing. I decided to shoot a hyperlapse of the work in progress and shared it on Instagram.

It’s fascinating to me to watch my drawing skills in action at a speeded up pace. It takes away all the long pauses between making marks as I think about the flow of lines across the page and what my next move should be. My line work is exact and seems super confident in a way it does not feel as I’m doing it. Watching hyperlapse videos of my own work makes me better appreciate the value of my own skill.

A post shared by Paper artist (@rachael_ashe) on


You can watch the slightly longer and uncropped version of this Hyperlapse on Flickr.

Work In Progress: Ideas for a Clothing Embellishment Project

I have many pieces of clothing that are waiting in the wings to receive an awesome upgrade of stitching, but at the moment I’ve been focused on sorting out a design to add to a stretch denim skirt I purchased secondhand last summer. Pictured above is the start of a sashiko design made up of hexagons that I thought for sure was the design of choice. I changed my mind after stitching the first hexy as a test because there is a very specific way I am supposed to proceed in sewing these patterns and because of the flow I had in mind it was going to be tricky. The thing that turned me off was realizing I wasn’t excited by the work ahead.

Yesterday I sat down for an hour or so to make time to experiment with another idea I had in mind of creating textured shapes (not necessarily circles) using the straight stitch. I made one small circle on my trusty sampler and I love how it turned out. Even better, I feel SUPER excited to make more of these on my skirt. That feeling is how I know I have stumbled upon the right idea.

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More recent work on my sampler is this experiment with using French Knots to create freehand designs and texture. This is a test for an idea I am sorting out to do on my winter coat. I’m waiting to get started after the weather warms up and I no longer need to wear it. The idea I have in mind is to do swirls of French Knots in various shades of reds and pinks. I want to make it into the spectacular winter coat I have often dreamed of but could never afford to buy.

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I’m sure I will come up with more clothing embellishment projects once these ones are complete.