Paper Sculpture Inspired by a Blank Canvas and It's Endless Possibilities

“Let the Fun Begin” delves into the quiet anticipation and limitless possibility an artist feels when faced with a fresh canvas. This compact work measures just 4.5" by 3.5" framed, yet it carries an expansive narrative, rendered entirely through the delicate interplay of white paper sculpted onto a vivid watercolor background.

The artwork is a three-dimensional paper sculpture that meticulously depicts a painter’s workspace. You’ll find a carefully arranged palette with circular wells, paint tubes scattered in casual disarray, and a brush—and a pencil—all crafted with precision from acid-free white paper and adhered onto a textured surface. The monochromatic white palette emphasizes form and shadow, turning the familiar tools of the artist into an abstract study of shape and volume. This white relief is set against a bright and dynamic backdrop of blues and teals, creating a sharp contrast that heightens the sense of depth and dimensionality.

The inspiration behind “Let the Fun Begin” came from reflecting on that unique moment when an artist stands before a blank, white canvas—a clean slate full of potential. It is a space of endless choices and creative freedom, where nothing has been decided and everything is possible. I wanted to express that quiet suspense and the exhilaration of beginning something entirely new. The title itself hints at this transition: the “white play” represents the pristine canvas, and the “begin” points to the spark of action, the moment when ideas spring to life.

What distinguishes this piece is its incorporation of sculptural elements purely through paper and paint, blending two-dimensional and three-dimensional art forms. The tactile nature of the paper gives the tools and palette a physical presence, inviting the viewer to consider the act of creation from a fresh perspective—not just as a visual image but as an object to be explored in light and shadow.

Through “Let the Fun Begin”, I invite viewers to pause and consider the magic of beginnings—the blank pages, fresh canvases, and untouched surfaces we all encounter at the start of creative ventures. This work honors that initial quiet moment, where potential hangs in the air, waiting to be transformed into something beautiful. It’s a celebration of the threshold before creation, when the real adventure starts.

This paper sculpture is a part of the International Miniature Art Show at Seaside Art Gallery and is available for purchase online or in person at the gallery in Nags Head, NC.

Artwork Feature: Let the Artwork Fun Begin!

Looking through an artist’s wooden art box is like looking through treasured gifts. The next in my series of paper sculpture designs on art supplies, the inspiration for this artist’s box came from my memories of when I received my first wooden art box as a kid.

When I was 10 or 11 years old, my mom signed me up for art class. I started taking art classes from a local artist who also taught lessons on Saturday mornings to kids in her converted studio space in her basement. In the first couple of classes we started out drawing with charcoal, which I thought was so messy.

Then, we moved on to pastels and within a few weeks we started painting in oils. I was really excited the day my art teacher told me I could start working in oils. I couldn’t wait to be working in oils because that is what my oldest sister painted in.

It wasn’t too long after that when I received my very own wooden art box for a present. I was so thrilled! A wood art box — just like my sister had! Just like a REAL artist.  It even had some new tubes of paint and a couple of brushes, a canvas and a pallet knife. My sister gave me a couple of her old used brushes as well.

I was so excited to have my very own art box, and it stayed with me for a long time as I started my professional art career. My original wood art box even went along with me to college. I still have my wooden art box, although I no longer use it for oil paints.

When I decided to create a paper sculpture of a wooden artist box I decided I wanted to fill the box with lots of art supplies. A wooden art box to an artist is like a treasure chest. You can’t wait to dive right in and check out all those cool new supplies just waiting there to be used.

Hopefully when you peer closely into the resulting piece, “Let the Fun Begin!,” it captures that beginner’s mind spirit — you can hardly wait to start having fun with all those new colorful art supplies stored in your wooden art box. In my paper-sculpted art box, even the “wood” box is made out of paper.

Artwork Feature: Art Supplies 'Color Wheel'

I’ve been working on a series of paper sculpture designs featuring art supplies. The first in the series, “The Paper Painter” featured a play on words and white paint tubes, some of my favorite art supplies to sculpt.

In the second of the series, I wanted to make another round paint tray and paint tubes but this time in color. The composition reminds me of a color wheel. I wanted the scene to look as though the artist is in the middle of painting. 

I don’t know about other artists, but I always have to lay out my colors in the same order each time I paint. The yellows are always in the same cup, next to the reds, etc. The vibrant colors right out of the paint tubes always look so clean and colorful, but then the real fun begins — mixing together all those beautiful colors to create even more colors and a vibrant palate full of possibilities.

For added interest in this piece, which I have titled “Color Wheel,” the paintbrush and the tube of paint are actually sticking up in the air, as though the artist is in the process of using them.