Lacy Barry describes herself as a multi-faceted paper artist. With paper and cardboard her main choice of mediums, Barry utilizes various folding and airbrush techniques to breathe life into the flat material, on occasion adding glitter, foil, miniatures, graphics, and props to enhance the narratives in her work.
“Art is the vehicle that allows me to make the most sense of the world around me when it mostly makes no sense at all,” she relayed in an interview with Ballpitmag. “It’s the language aside from the English and sometimes French and German language I can communicate in and sometimes the best language to really explain what I am thinking & feeling… visually of course. I am certain I would not function properly if I couldn’t make art.”
Born in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada, and hailing from an art and film background, Barry is mainly self-taught. Now residing in Berlin, Germany, she lives and works internationally exhibiting her paper art around the world and collaborating with commercial brands as big as Coca-Cola, Gucci, Uniqlo, and Bombay Sapphire.
Growing up in the Canadian wilderness, she is inspired heavily by the natural and cultural wonders from her childhood; from the brightly hued Northern Lights to the colorful ceremony dress of the local First Nations Tribe, these memories have always made their way into her artwork. “I like nature and being in nature, that always rekindles some wonder and induces calm feelings,” she notes. “Being present is pretty important, oddly something I must remind myself to do quite often, it’s in these moments I feel most human and connected to life.”
Saturated in color and rich in form, she uses her inspiration to create paper sculptures and props embellished with flora and fauna. Take a look at some of her work in the gallery below.
