Universe of Paper

Universe of Paper has been an exciting community arts project that has been running alongside Paper on Skin™ 2024.

For many years our team has had a dream to create a ‘paper wonderland’ – a large scale, immersive, sensory rich environment made completely from paper which patrons can enjoy prior to the Paper on Skin™ gala event.

The driver of this vision has been Devonport-based paper artist Stephanie Reynolds.

With thanks to the Regional Arts Fund, Devonport City Council and Creative Paper, this year we were able to bring this dream to reality!

Universe of Paper is a testament to the strong sense of community and culture which characterises our region.

Between April - Sept Stephanie led workshops in various locations and venues, drawing on a wide range of demographic groups.

Our venue partners, ambassadors and supporting organisations have included: Farm it Forward (Somerset); HIVE (Ulverstone); Devonport Regional Gallery; U3A Port Sorell; Interweave (Launceston); Tranquilles (Port Sorell); Watershed Wynyard (hosted by BighART, with thanks to Darren Simpson from Creative Paper); Children’s University; Tasmanian Art Teachers - TATA, Tasmanian Council of the Ageing - COTA and Ignite Women’s group. Private workshops were held in Scottsdale, Beaconsfield and Forth… as well as in Stephanie’s own home, which became increasingly invaded by the fantastical forest until it was time to bump into the venue!

Participants learned how to build a range of simple and more complex paper objects. The various components created by all the communities involved were then combined in the final, gigantic artwork.

Every person who contributed to Universe of Paper was acknowledged in the final artwork.

This project was made possible by the Australian Government's Regional Arts Fund, which supports the arts in regional and remote Australia.

There are a number of organisations and businesses who have rallied to donate items for repurposing. Impress Printing (Devonport), In-Style Flooring (Devonport), Bunnings Devonport, Carpet 1 (Devonport), Devonport Floorworld, Carpet Court (Launceston), and Jan’s Discount Fabrics (Ulverstone).

This is sustainability - and community - in action!

Paper on Skin™ Major Partner – Devonport City Council. Paper on Skin™ is supported by North West Support Services and the Tasmanian Government.

Images below by Tara Palmer, a young, North-West Coast photographer who was mentored by Grant Wells as part of this project