Swirling Ocean Reefs Created From Vibrant Rolls of Paper

Mixed-media artist Amy Genser‘s masterful fingers can make bold ocean reefs swirl across canvases just by cutting, rolling, and arranging countless tubes of colored mulberry paper. The abstract quality of having the variably-sized paper sprout up in differing directions mimics the unpredictability of the natural world. It’s this particular quality that Genser is inspired by, “the flow of water, the shape of beehives, and the organic irregularity of plants, flowers, rock formations, barnacles, moss, and seaweed.” Her color palette is equally influenced by this natural theme, and her pieces are often bathed in deep, dark blues and clearwater aquamarines with sparkles of beiges and greens. Whether you view the paper tubes as bubbles, pebbles, or sprigs of coral, the feeling is altogether calming, as if Genser has brought us directly to the water’s edge.

Since we last covered Genser’s work several years ago, she’s commissioned a tremendous 150 ft. installation for the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children cafeteria and has exhibited across the US and Europe with Elisa Contemporary Art and Galerie NUMMER40. Find more of her recent work on her website’s portfolio.