Papercraft Arts and Crafts Gift Chest by Portia Po Chapman

The Gift Chest

A vibrant look at the “Papercraft Arts and Crafts Gift Chest” by Kingston Artist, Portia Po Chapman.

This multidisciplinary showcase features a hand-designed floral gift chest set against a backdrop of an award-winning oil on canvas swirl paintings, and rich textiles, highlighting the intersection of fine art and functional craft.

Art and the Laws of Attraction

In 2020, the pandemic hit. As a sculpture and installation artist, I just needed to build something that would make me happy. So, I built this chest from whatever was in my apartment studio.

This chest is emblematic of how art kept me moving over the next 2 years. By keeping art in my focus, the [Laws of Attraction] were witnessed. In 2022, I was contacted, which seemed out-of-blue, by an Arts Council member and I was not yet a member of that specific arts council. I was one of six other artists who won a Placemaking contract to paint a mural.

That mural was my launch into community placemaking murals and installations.

Materials Needed to Make the Chest:

To make a chest like this one, you’ll need:
– cardboard
– scrapbook paper
– hot glue gun
– heavy duty glue stick
– Podge
– scissors

Art is in the details.

I’m revisiting this cherished project: a custom-designed Papercraft Gift Chest. I love how the intricate floral patterns of the chest play against the fluid energy of my award-winning swirl painting in the background. It’s a perfect example of how different mediums—paper, paint, and textile—can happily add to a cohesive creative space.

Click through to my [Landing Page] to see where my artwork has taken me since 2020 – from small craft to large-scale community placemaking projects.

To contact me directly, please use this email:

📧 Portia@loveartbypo.ca