Good morning ! I am Eva, a self-taught artist with a passion for paper. Since my childhood, I have explored this material from different angles , first with my mother's pastel and charcoal drawing on Canson paper, then with origami through games such as " the paper casserole " or "four corners" in Quebec. The colors, the magic of chance and the sharing of beautiful intentions it contained stimulated my imagination.
I rediscovered this folding about ten years ago, and I discovered that I still knew it by heart. It was like riding a bike and, at the same time, diving back into a sweet childhood memory that still evokes today the imaginary world I created for myself. In 2010, I discovered Japanese paper , which quickly became one of my favorite materials for folding and gluing. It is a handmade, precious and beautiful material.
In 2017, I participated in one of the projects of the Brooklyn Art Library in New York , and I chose to explore this theme in my mini sketchbook, entitled "Madeleine" in reference to Proust's madeleine that represents for me this origami game. This sketchbook project was a big part of my artistic journey , and over the course of three years I created five sketchbooks and participated in two other illustration projects, using collage, painting and poetry.
Until my immigration to Quebec in 2019 , my artistic practice was always parallel to a job, even if I had the chance to work for a dozen years in a rather creative field. I have participated in numerous films, TV series, plays and operas, created three artists' collectives and participated in events and exhibitions as a guest artist. However, my entrepreneurial and creative spirit did not feel fully aligned with my day-to-day reality . One of the reasons that made me choose Quebec is related to all the possibilities of doing business and the openness with which new ideas are welcomed.
During the pandemic in Montreal, I escaped by creating watercolor birds, insects and landscapes , following training with artist River June. Then I explored the use of paper in volume with the paper flowers during a training with artisan Eileen Ng, consulting many books and videos. Something clicked when I started making paper flowers and exploring all the 3D possibilities that this material offered me.
So, in April 2022 , with the end of the pandemic and my new work permit in hand, I decided to quit my full-time job to devote myself fully to my creativity and embark on entrepreneurship by creating Cykl Essentia . As dizzying as this decision is, it is one of the best of my life!
I am convinced that following our deepest aspirations is always the best path, despite all the challenges it entails. It's a fantastic adventure!
