Featured Artist: Jill Sylvia

Jill Sylvia’s medium is ledger paper, including some that her father used and discarded during his career as an accountant. Her work transforms 2D utility objects into beautiful 3D pieces that evoke a sense beauty within the businesslike repetition of her medium.


Untitled (U.S. Capitol Building), Hand-Cut ledger paper, dimensions variable, 2008


Untitled (U.S. Treasury Building), Hand-Cut ledger paper, dimensions variable, 2009


Untitled (U.S. Treasury Building), Hand-Cut ledger paper, dimensions variable, 2009

Using a single-edged razor blade held against a straight edge, she cuts away the tiny rectangles of paper from within the ledger pages' ruled grids, yielding lattices that evoke architectural facades and the constraints of everyday business routine.


Untitled (City), Hand-Cut ledger paper and matte board, dimensions variable, 2007

To prevent her works from becoming too monotonous, Sylvia inserts variation into her pieces by selecting sheets of different sizes — 4, 10, or 25 columns — and often attaching them together.



The resulting confetti of scraps are not wasted. They’re carefully collected and reassembled into textured collages such as "Untitled (Reconstruction Birds I)."

“The aesthetics of office supply design is reflected in the minimal palette available — green and brown on light green; blue and red on buff” (http://www.sfweekly.com/2007-06-13/culture/jill-sylvia-ledger/) In “Untitled (Calendar),” Sylvia mounts 31 yellow sheets on the wall like days in a month.