Cosmic Collage
Japanese decorative paper techniques using kozo fiber paper and sumi ink.“Currently the oldest suminagashi sample dates from the twelfth century, although references to the technique go back to as early as 825–880 c.e. in the poetry of Shigeharu. Suminagashi is often translated as "floating ink." It has been used for various crafts including not only paper but fabrics, metal, and ceramics.”
- Jae Carey, The Metropolitian Museum of Art, 2014
As an artist, I aim to illuminate subtle forces that often go unnoticed, systems that exist beneath the surface of everyday experience. The work samples attached are part of a larger body of work that emerged from this inquiry, using material process to make invisible tensions visible.
I began making paper prints out of necessity while between studios in my former NYC apartment. During this period of experimentation, I discovered an ancient Japanese printmaking technique called Suminagashi, meaning “floating ink.”Working with a partially filled bathtub, I floated ink across the water’s surface, revealing the tension where liquid meets air. Shaped by gravity, movement, and chance, these patterns exposed systems that are always present but rarely observed. Laying paper onto the surface, these interactions were transferred directly into the material, creating prints that function as records of fleeting conditions.
I refined this process further, by cutting away excess material using an X-acto knife, carefully following the internal rhythms of the imagery. Exploring the range of visual language produced, these cut elements were layered into collages, preserving the integrity of each print while allowing new structures to emerge. This approach draws from the legacy of cut-paper abstraction, guided by material sensitivity and process-driven decision-making.