Speaking Truth Through Paper: The Art of Krista Reuter

Feutured Artist Krista Reuter

In the hands of paper artist Krista Reuter, a simple sheet of paper—usually reserved for quick notes or grocery lists—becomes something entirely new. Under her touch, it transforms into a medium capable of revealing emotion, honesty, and fleeting moments of beauty.

Krista’s work is rooted in the inherent duality of paper: its strength and fragility, its ability to bend or hold firm, to build form through layers or lose it through tearing, burning, or piercing.

“For me, everything begins with curiosity,” she explains. “A certain color, line, or surface will grab my attention, and I try to translate that spark into paper.”

Her journey to becoming a full-time artist wasn’t a straight path from studio to gallery. Before dedicating herself to her own practice, she spent years behind the scenes in galleries and an arts center, gaining insight into how the art world operates—knowledge that became essential as she established her own career.

Read on to discover how Featured Artist Krista Reuter crafts her dimensional paper compositions, how she built momentum in her career, and the tools that continue to support her artistic growth.

Paper: Her Constant Source of Inspiration

For Krista, paper is not just a material—it’s a partner, a muse, and a continual source of discovery.

The Best Art Silences Self-Critique

From the moment a piece begins, Krista approaches each step like solving a visual puzzle—figuring out how shapes, textures, and layers will interact to recreate that initial moment of intrigue.

Rather than forcing a predetermined result, she intentionally quiets self-criticism so the work can develop naturally.

“My favorite part of creating is when I allow myself the freedom to explore honestly and playfully,” she shares. “When I let the process lead the way, it feels incredibly rewarding.”

“It’s playful, minimal, both colorless and full of color,” she says of her work. “It catches light in unexpected ways and welcomes all kinds of details.”

Her studio is a space of constant experimentation—tearing, burning, cutting, folding, and shaping paper in ways that push the limits of the medium. Even flames become a tool, producing organic edges that can’t be replicated by hand.

Although she’s dabbled in materials like Mylar, linen, and canvas, none have resonated the way paper does.

“It’s just the material that speaks to me,” she says. “I think paper is how I express my truth.”

In the hands of paper artist Krista Reuter, an everyday material takes on an entirely new life. What most people use for scribbles, reminders, or grocery lists becomes, for her, a vessel for emotion and a way to capture delicate, fleeting moments. Paper, simple as it is, becomes a medium capable of revealing honesty and holding stories.

Krista’s practice is built around the remarkable contradictions that paper offers. It can be firm or supple, resilient or delicate. It can be layered to create structure or deconstructed through ripping, scorching, or puncturing. These qualities allow her to push the material far beyond what people expect.

“Everything starts with curiosity,” Krista explains. “When a color, form, or texture catches my eye, I try to translate that moment of wonder into paper.”

Her evolution into a professional artist wasn’t immediate. Before focusing on her own studio work, she spent years immersed in the art world from a different angle—working in galleries and at an arts center, learning how exhibitions come together and how artists build sustainable careers. Those experiences became a foundation for the career she would later construct for herself.

Keep reading to discover how Featured Artist Krista Reuter creates her multi-dimensional paper artworks, the winding road that led to her artistic success, and the tools she relies on to continue evolving her craft.

Paper: Her Muse, Her Material, Her Language

For Krista, paper isn’t just what she works with—it’s what inspires her. It’s a partner in her process, a source of endless possibilities, and a material that mirrors her own sensibilities.

Letting the Art Lead the Way

Krista approaches the beginning of each piece with openness. That initial flicker of excitement—a color that glows, a texture that catches light, a simple shape that surprises her—becomes the starting point. From there, she lets the material guide her, responding to its challenges and discoveries.

Creating becomes a kind of visual puzzle. How do layers interact? How will light move across the surface? What forms will bring that first moment of inspiration to life?

She avoids boxing herself into a predetermined outcome. Instead, she intentionally steps away from self-doubt, allowing her process to unfold without judgment.

“My favorite moments,” she reflects, “are when I give myself permission to explore freely. When I let the work evolve naturally, that’s when something truly genuine appears.”

Her work holds a quiet elegance—minimal yet expressive, subtle yet full of depth. “It’s playful and understated,” she explains. “Sometimes it’s colorless, sometimes full of color. It catches light beautifully and responds well to embellishment.”

In her studio, paper is constantly transformed. She tears it to reveal raw edges, pierces it to create texture, folds it for dimension, and glues layers to construct sculptural forms. Fire even becomes part of her toolkit, shaping edges that no blade or hand could replicate.

She has explored other materials—Mylar, canvas, linen—but none have resonated the way paper does.

“It’s the material that feels like home,” Krista says. “I guess my truest voice emerges through paper.”