Madison Stephens

At night, when the city awakens with bar crawlers and fleeting conversations, I comb the streets for discarded ephemera. Torn posters, used napkins, and forgotten receipts become relics of moments otherwise left to decay. These fragments, blended with handmade paper born from my own prints, letters, and poems, fuel my creative practice. Each piece becomes a testament to love, loss, and the quiet beauty of shared existence.

I create as an act of remembering, inspired by the connections that shape us. My process—tearing apart and rebuilding—mirrors how we are molded by others and asks, How do we become who we are? The remnants I gather, both from the city and my life, come together to form something whole, something new.

Through my work, I seek to cultivate spaces where we can embrace these connections, be gentle with one another, and find stillness amidst the noise. I am reminded that we are pieces of those we meet, and my art is a dedication to the nourishment of that shared humanity.

"Do you still"

Found ephemera (book pages, photographs, posters), handmade paper, ink, and acrylic on wood
12”x12”
2024

"Like you did"

Found ephemera (book pages, photographs, posters), handmade paper, ink, and acrylic on wood
12”x12”
2024

"Who of us is stronger"

Found ephemera (posters, letters, receipts), handmade paper, and acrylic on wood
12”x24”
2024

“Aether & substratum (Thinking of you)”
Found ephemera (posters, book pages, receipts), handmade paper + paper pulp, molding paste, and acrylic on wood
20"x12”
2025