Turning Invasive Plants into Art
Artist Andrea Lau’s Community-Led Papermaking Project
Andrea Lau is known for her unique process-based art forms. As a printmaker and paper-maker, Lau’s latest project, Paper Story – Connecting Community Through Papermaking, stands out as a unique initiative made possible by Calgary Arts Development’s microgrant program.
The microgrant program is designed to support community-led public art projects, offering up to $15,000 to communities to create meaningful public artwork. The program encourages artists and communities to explore themes such as social change and local histories. For Lau, born in Toronto and now residing in Calgary, it provided the perfect platform to bring her papermaking project to life in her own neighbourhood of Bridgeland-Riverside.
Lau’s interest in paper-making began during her time at the OCAD University, where she first learned to make paper alongside her printmaking studies. While she had always loved the craft, it wasn’t until recently that she decided to explore paper-making again. “This is my dive back into the paper world,” she says.
Lau’s project is centred on collecting invasive plants like Canada thistle and creeping bellflower and turning them into handmade paper. The idea combines both her love for nature and her desire to challenge perceptions of value. “Invasive plants are often seen as unwanted, but through this process, they become something beautiful and useful,” she explains. The project brings together community members every step of the way. From the collecting of the plants to transforming them into paper pulp and then participating in the paper-making process. The result is a temporary art installation where people can take home a piece of handmade paper — a symbol of their contribution but also a reminder of how something that was once considered an inconvenience could turn into something useful and beautiful.
Lau already had an existing connection with the Bridgeland-Riverside Community Association (BRCA), which made it easier to bring them her idea. “”It was easy for me to approach them because I had people that I knew, and they were excited about the project,” she says. This collaborative attitude is at the centre of the microgrant program, which encourages artists and communities to work together to bring public art to life.
The project wasn’t without its challenges, one of those being Calgary’s summer water restrictions, which delayed Lau’s workshops. “I had to source water from outside the city to make the paper,” she shares, laughing about the logistical headaches that come with such a hands-on art form. She also had to experiment with various plant fibers, some of which did not react as expected. “Creeping bellflower, for example, ended up more like overcooked spinach than usable pulp.” The workshops themselves were a huge success. “Each session filled up,” says Lau, “ranging from families with children to seniors. People were really amazed at the process…. “There was a real sense of pride when they saw the paper they had helped create.” That sense of community is what separates it from other public arts projects. Rather than commissioning an artist to create something for the community, Lau’s project called for residents to be active creators, allowing them to connect deeper both to the art and to each other.
As for the future, Lau sees this project as the beginning of more community-led papermaking initiatives. “People are really interested in this, and I’m excited to keep exploring how art can bring people together,” she said. Her unique approach to the microgrant program serves as an example for other artists looking to think outside the box and involve communities in meaningful ways.
For more information on Calgary Arts Development’s microgrant program and how it supports projects like Lau’s, visit the webpage.
