Susan Ruptash is a Toronto washi artist who works in a variety of paper arts including explorations of handmade heritage washi, printmaking and bookmaking, building on a lifelong fascination with the properties and possibilities of paper. Susan’s career as an architect has informed her explorations of structure, form, materiality and process. Susan is a member of the Ontario Society of Artists, Open Studio (focussing on intaglio printmaking), and the Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild. Susan’s work often includes embedded efforts that may not be readily apparent on viewing, but contribute to the finished piece through a curiosity and respect for the materials. For this reason, many of her works appear minimalist at first glance.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

Working primarily with heritage washi, I apply minimal interventions to form a new expression for each sheet of washi. I want to draw attention to the translucency, gorgeous fibre structure, subtle colours, surface textures, as well as the hidden qualities of strength and the subtle differences caused by the choice of fibre, drying method, even the quality of the water used in the process.

My work is process based. I research traditional Japanese techniques for treating washi, often used in the past for utilitarian purposes, then adapt parts of those processes to embed bits of history into the piece.

Some of my work includes many repetitive tasks, which can feel like a homage to the generations of traditional washi makers who have toiled for centuries creating this amazing material.