I'm Sylvia Douglin, a retired corporate trainer turned full-time artist at age 71. My creative journey began in early childhood with a fascination for faces and fashion. By the time I was four, I was already sketching and creating—eventually designing women's wear for a small clientele and exploring various artistic mediums along the way.

For over three decades, I worked in corporate America, designing leadership and development programs. While that work required creativity, it wasn’t always artistic. When I retired in 2024, I knew it was time to return to my roots and focus fully on art.

Today, I create portraits using only recycled cardboard and paper. These materials—often overlooked or discarded—are my paint, my brush, and my canvas. I cut, layer, and shape each element by hand. Nothing is drawn or painted. Everything you see in my work comes from carefully selected and repurposed materials like paper bags, cardboard packaging, and coffee cup sleeves.

What began as mask-like, stylized interpretations of the human face has evolved into more lifelike, emotionally expressive portraits. I’m driven by the challenge of capturing the individuality and spirit of each subject using only texture, color, and form found in recycled material. Every portrait is one-of-a-kind—unique not only in appearance but also in the story behind each piece of paper or cardboard used.

This stage of my life is all about reinvention. Through this medium, I get to merge creativity, sustainability, and personal expression in a way that reflects who I am now—an artist reclaiming time, space, and materials to make something new and meaningful.