LEGACIES IN PAPER: Nancy Cohen, Sara Garden Armstrong, & Helen Hiebert
On view at the Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking
Atlanta, GA
September 4, 2025 - January 30, 2026
Legacies in Paper features the work of three contemporary artists—Helen Hiebert, Nancy Cohen, and Sara Garden Armstrong—whose practices embody the spirit of innovation while reflecting on longstanding traditions. Each artist brings a unique voice to the medium. Together, their works speak to the transformative potential of paper—not only as a surface for expression but as a sculptural, spatial, and conceptual force.
The exhibition features the new Airplayer XIX installation and a recent drawing series, Structured Mapping, presented alongside newly built forms that expand the Airplayer environment.
Artist Video: Evolution of a Paper Making Practice
Legacies in Paper is an exhibit celebrating the lifelong exploration of hand paper making in the artworks of Nancy Cohen, Sara Garden Armstrong, and Helen Hiebert, significant pioneers in developing paper as an artistic and sculptural medium. Through their hands, paper becomes a language of memory, a vessel of emotion, and a bridge between past and present.
To view the video tracing the evolution of my individual explorations in papermaking, click on the link below.
Explore the exhibition catalogue for Legacies in Paper
Featuring the work of Nancy Cohen, Sara Garden Armstrong, and Helen Hiebert.
This 38 page catalogue offers an immersive look into the artists collective and individual journeys with paper—tracing techniques, sculptural forms, drawings, and installations that transform the medium into a language of memory, emotion and innovation.
Inside you’ll find:
A welcoming introduction by Virginia Howell, Director of the Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking
A curatorial overview highlighting the key figures and institutions that shaped contemporary papermaking and advanced it as a fine-art practice
An essay by Bridget Donlon exploring the themes, processes, and artistic approaches of Nancy Cohen, Sara Garden Armstrong, and Helen Hiebert
Artist bios and statements offering deeper insight into each artist’s work
A shared timeline tracing major career milestones and pivotal developments within the papermaking community
Beautiful photography by Joya Chapman capturing the artists and their works in rich detail
