5 minutes with … JO NEVILLE

HB TALKS TO THE ARTIST AND DESIGNER BEHIND PAPER COUTURE’S SPECTACULAR PAPER INSTALLATIONS AND DISPLAYS. What do you like about working with paper? “I don’t see paper as a fragile medium. For me, paper has longevity and gets better with age and it’s turning that one-dimensional piece into something that has dimension.” What kind of companies do you create pieces for? “I do a lot of commercial jobs. I’m currently working on a project for the Women’s Association event at the NGV. I’ve also done brand activations for Ti any & Co., Louis Vuitton and Australian Fashion Week. That’s how I make my living.” How does sustainability factor into your work? “I like my paper to have a circular life cycle. If the company I’ve done a project for is going to throw it out afterwards, I’ll ask for it to be donated to an early childcare centre or hospital. I like my work to be gifted back to the community.” How did your artist residency at Q Station come about? “[Initially] I was given a studio for 12 months, but now I’m permanently based there. This has fed my personal creative side and made me more curious about native flowers and their engineering. A lot of my works have a story to tell or a lesson to be learnt.”

To see Jo’s work, visit papercouture.net.au or follow @paper_couture

Much of Jo’s creations are influenced by the plants near her studio at Manly’s North Head. Paper flannel flowers artwork in cardboard frame (left). Banksia paper flowers (above).