Statement from the artists, Jen Spinner and Ashley Wong
As local Hamilton residents, we were inspired to celebrate the architectural simplicity of the Edwardian style four square houses.¹ We were struck by their straightforward design: sturdy and restrained yet beautiful. Most four square houses were built between 1900 and 1930, meaning each structure housed multiple families and people through generations. We loved picturing the different kinds of families who might have lived within each house. Some houses are still single-family homes, whereas others have been converted to apartments. Ashley created gorgeous illustrations with graphite on vellum paper, imagining people throughout history who made these houses homes.
Our chosen medium of paper is by nature ephemeral, which honours the passing of time in our lives. Everyday life in Hamilton 100 years ago was different from our present day, especially depending on one’s class and level of marginalization. Two cis-women like us would certainly have not had the resources or agency to create an installation like this a century ago. However, we do believe that aspects of the human experience remain universal—such as living with uncertainty, experiencing joy and needing community to survive.
Jen Spinner is a creative director, educator and artist who lives in St. Clair. She loves taking a collaborative approach to design and creating art. Jen has been running her own business, Spinner Design, since 2016. Part of Jen’s design practice includes paper sculpture: she has worked with clients such as Kate Spade, The Walrus and Nutrogena. You can find her taking bike rides with her family or reading books at Vintage Coffee.
Ashley Wong is an illustrator who lives in Durand. She mainly works with embroidery but dabbles in ink, paint, and now paper, too. She is currently working on a children’s book that she illustrated and wrote, published by Penguin Workshop.
Materials: Paper, cardboard, glue, wood and paint.
¹Foursquare, sometimes called American Foursquare, has the basic form of the Edwardian Classic style. It’s typically a red-brick house of great solidity, and has a classically-columned porch or verandah. But as the name suggests, it’s a no-nonsense style, with minimal decorative elements and a simplified form. Roofs are hipped, with small hipped-roof dormers. Windows are simple one-over-one sash, and are typically a bit smaller than Edwardian ones. Sills are usually stone, but lintels are usually brick. The Foursquare house was widely built in Ontario in town and country. Source, p4.
Thank you to
• The owners at Filter for their support and flexibility.
• Barry J. Spinner for his crucial help with the woodworking design and build.
• Jim Kim for his help with the lighting installation.
• Our families for giving us time and space to work on this project.
Follow us
Jen Spinner is @spinnerdesign.ca on most social platforms. Sign up for Spinner Design’s email newsletter for occassional updates and new projects.
Ashley Wong is @ashlwong on Instagram. Bookmark Ashley’s website that showcases her beautiful work.
Join us
Artist Meet and Greet
Filter | 271 Ottawa St N
Sunday, May 25
12pm-2pm
View the work
May 5 - June 9 | 24/7
Filter’s street-facing window
271 Ottawa St N
Hamilton, ON
Ashley working behind the scenes on the facade of the paper house installation.
