Working in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Jamie Capps earned her BA in Studio Art from Mount Holyoke College as a Francis Perkins Scholar, and her MFA from the University of Iowa Center for the Book as a recipient of the Iowa Arts Fellowship and the Castagna-Campion Prize for artistic excellence. Focusing on hand papermaking using plant and bark fibers in conjunction with printmaking techniques, Jamie draws from cultural and folkloric influences, re-imagining historical narratives. Capps' work offers an intimate look into the complexities of paper as an artistic material, inviting the viewer to explore the interplay between structure and texture.
I enjoy letting processes guide my work, allowing materials, tools, environment, and workspace to collaborate in the outcome of a piece. Doing so empowers me to be completely present in my practice. Currently, my work explores the connections between past and present, tradition and modernity, and the timeless relevance and evolution of folklore narratives. Inspired by stories of the Japanese yōkai, kaiju, and American monster culture, my work responds to how myths and fables reflect the fears of a society at a given time. Using handmade paper and paper pulp allows me to preserve and reimagine these stories in a contemporary context. Through intricate technique and vivid imagery, I invite viewers to embrace an exploration of monsters woven into my unique and ghastly universe.