Surface Notes – A New Series Exploring Paper, Thread and Rhythm
A New Series of Textured Abstract Works
Over the past few weeks I’ve been working on a new series titled Surface Notes - a collection of seven abstract artworks constructed from layered recycled paper and hand stitching.
Each work begins with narrow horizontal strips of recycled paper with soft tones of blue, sea green and muted neutrals. These bands are built up slowly, creating a quiet rhythm across the surface. The gradual shifts in colour suggest water, horizon lines or distant landscapes, without settling into a fixed image.
Exploring Texture Through Paper and Stitch
Across these layered surfaces, sections of stitching move in uneven intervals.
Sometimes clustered, sometimes sparse, the thread introduces small interruptions within the horizontal flow. From a distance, the works appear calm and structured. Up close, the irregularity of the stitching becomes more visible - subtle variations in spacing and density that keep the surface active.
The thread functions as a drawn line, moving across the work and recording moments of pause, movement and change.
Abstract Wall Art for Contemporary and Interior Spaces
While the series is grounded in material and process, these works are also created with interiors in mind.
The restrained palette and horizontal structure allow each piece to sit comfortably within a range of spaces - from minimal and Japandi interiors to more layered, collected environments. The texture of paper and thread adds depth without overwhelming a room, making the works suitable for living areas, bedrooms and quieter transitional spaces.
A Series Built on Variation and Repetition
Each work in the Surface Notes series stands independently, but together they explore how small changes can alter the feeling of a composition.
Variations in colour, stitch density and placement create subtle shifts across the seven works - from softer, more open surfaces to pieces with deeper tonal weight and stronger contrast. The series becomes a study in repetition, with each work offering a slightly different response to the same underlying structure.
Surface Notes I at The Churn Room Exhibition
One work from the series, Surface Notes I, is currently included in How Long is a Piece of String? at The Churn Room in Dayboro.
This group exhibition brings together artists exploring the idea of thread, yarn and string across a range of mediums, from textiles to painting and sculpture.
Exhibition Details
7–29 March 2026
Wednesday to Sunday, 9.00am–2.00pm
38 Williams Street, Dayboro QLD
View the Surface Notes Collection
The Surface Notes series is a collection of seven original works.
Six works are currently available directly through my website, offering collectors the opportunity to acquire them from the studio.