• Rachael uses paper to explore patchwork and pattern mixing, ideas often associated with textiles
• Her photographic work at the Textile Museum of Canada are pillars of her visual aesthetic
• She combines technical construction with a strong interest in colour, structure and problem solving

Rachael Ashe's practice evolved from collage and cut-paper compositions to low-relief paper sculpture. Trained at Humber College, she worked for years as a photographer, including documenting the permanent collection of the Textile Museum of Canada. "This experience introduced me to the surface design language of textiles, which I now transpose to my paper creations," she says. Working with coloured and patterned papers, Rachael builds precise forms by hand, then develops their surfaces into her paper interpretation of quilts, bringing to life the textile histories she learned about during her photographic assignments. "My creative process has become a way for me to pursue joy and levity," she says.