The image shows a tall, narrow sign with Japanese characters, positioned above a rustic, old wooden building with a bicycle leaning against it, and a small section of green foliage visible on the left side.

Art Paul Sabyan

My mixed-media works explore architecture as memory through layered surfaces of cut paper, watercolor, carving, and digital transfers as derived from my own travel photography in places like Japan and Italy. Inspired by the compositional structure and material sensibility of traditional woodblock prints, the works combine fragmented architectural imagery with atmospheric fields of texture and shadow, creating spaces that feel both observed and remembered.

Through processes of layering, erosion, and reconstruction, the panels evoke the quiet presence of urban environments, where history, place, and personal experience become embedded within the surface of the work itself.

Originals & Collectibles

Originals & Collectibles

A narrow cobblestone street with a parked motorcycle, old stone buildings on both sides, some yellow flags, and a church tower in the background.

Discover layered architectural works that transform travel, memory, and material into immersive contemporary surfaces. Combining cut paper, watercolor, carving, and digital transfers from original travel photography, these mixed-media panels reinterpret the visual language of woodblock prints through atmospheric textures, fragmented urban imagery, and quiet architectural presence. Each piece is designed to disrupt space, evoke place, and spark conversation through its balance of history, abstraction, and personal narrative.

Reimagining What's Possible

My mixed-media works explore architecture as memory through layered surfaces of cut paper, watercolor, carving, and digital transfers derived from my own travel photography such as Japan and Italy. Inspired by the compositional structure and material sensibility of traditional woodblock prints, the works combine fragmented architectural imagery with atmospheric fields of texture and shadow, creating spaces that feel both observed and remembered. Through processes of layering, erosion, and reconstruction, the panels evoke the quiet presence of urban environments, where history, place, and personal experience become embedded within the surface of the work itself.

Mantua

Mixed media. 18 X 36”. 2025

Black surface with embossed initials 'Jp' and lower part showing a colorful street scene with small shops and a person walking.
Tall black menu or signboard with Japanese text engraved on it, and a blurred colorful street scene at the bottom
A tall, slim black vertical poster featuring the words 'NO HOPE' in distressed, artistic font, placed above a painted or illustrated scene of a rustic house with a bicycle in front.
Close-up of a black surface with embossed Chinese characters, and a colorful collage of Chinese posters or advertisements at the bottom.
A dark post box with Japanese characters and the words 'POST OFFICE' engraved on it, with a street scene showing buildings, a person walking, and another person standing nearby.
A dark vertical image showing a building with a sign with yellow Chinese characters and a colorful tiled roof.