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The Recycled Paper Boutique

This ‘boutique’ shop window was inspired by memories of dressing paper dolls as a child, together with my love of op-shops and sewing, although creating paper clothing is much more challenging than fabric!  

The mannequins are shaped with a scroll saw from offcuts of mdf (medium density fibreboard). While mannequins don’t usually have hair, I’ve used wood shavings as hair made their hats look and fit so much better.

Paper scraps from office stationery, wrapping paper, craft offcuts etc, are shredded and mulched into paper pulp. The clothing is then constructed by experimenting with a variety of paper sculpture techniques;  cast paper formed in plaster moulds (to give shape to the bodices and accessories), fluting and shaping the skirts by gently pulling wet pulp sheets onto fabric pieces and leaving them to dry, and by layering sheets of different coloured pulps together.

  • Mannequins
  • Moulded & shaped paper
  • Mirrored ‘shop window’

I’ve used mirror paper in the background to give the impression of a shop window, and also to show off the back of the models.

This piece was created for a Fringe exhibition in 2022 at Gallery 1855 called “Fashion – Make a Statement”.

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Splash!

This table centrepiece is scroll-sawed from 3mm mdf (medium density fibreboard) and painted in vibrant blues. My aim was to create a striking design that embodied the movement and energy of a water splash.

One of the qualities of mdf is that it’s more like compacted cardboard than wood. I used this feature to insert tiny threads of wire glued into the edges, to support the external droplets, making them appear to be suspended in the air. Well, they do from a distance!

The piece comprises 6 ‘fins’ that slot into a base, so it’s easily dismantled to store in an envelope. It is painted with acrylic paint and finished with a high gloss varnish.

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Table Centrepiece

I wanted to create a table centrepiece that could be adapted for many occasions; formal, casual, day or evening. As I don’t have cupboard space for such decorative objects, it also needed to be designed to ‘break down’ and pack away flat.

This centrepiece consists of six ‘fins’ which slot into a base piece. The size of the circular base is 100mm, which will fit a variety of objects such as candles, vases of flowers or seasonal decorations. I’ve created this with 3mm mdf cut on my scroll-saw and painted in gloss white acrylic paint. I was pleased with the result so I designed some matching serviette rings.

When dismantled, the pieces all fit into a large envelope.