The Domtar Paper Gallery was created to inspire and give visibility to impressive works of print, but over the years it has morphed into a true celebration of the expansive talents within the creative industry. Every submission is printed on Domtar paper and as you scroll through the contents of this blog or the pages of our gallery, you’ll discover what’s possible with the right sheet and a good print partner. Don’t just take my word for it—from the soul of the music industry to the inside of a classroom in Kansas, here are four of the gallery’s best of 2023.

Western Edge: The Roots and Reverberations of Los Angeles Country-Rock

Our first stop is at a familiar place—the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum (CMHF) in Nashville, Tennessee! From the minds that brought you Outlaws and Armadillos – Country’s Roaring 70’s comes the Western Edge: The Roots and Reverberations of Los Angeles Country-Rock, which serves as a companion to the incredible, multi-year exhibition in Music City.

The book is a testament to the museum’s love for print media and how it can enhance the visitor’s experience. Printed on Lynx paper, it is designed to capture the feel and vibe of the exhibit, reflecting the organization’s commitment to authenticity and quality.

As always, the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum strives to teach its diverse audiences about the enduring beauty and cultural importance of country music. The Western Edge book and exhibition are prime examples of the organization’s ongoing effort to preserve and translate the evolution of this unique American art form.

Bonus: Outlaws & Armadillos – Country’s Roaring 70s Book

Brand: Lynx®

DEMDACO’s 2023 Lift the Spirit Strategic Plan

DEMDACO’s 2023 LIFT THE SPIRIT STRATEGIC PLAN booklet was designed to inform, educate and articulate the company’s objectives to their employees while also representing the shared future each division is collectively helping to build. Serving as a go-to resource for cross-departmental collaboration, the booklet communicates DEMDACO’s commitment to enhancing the well-being of their consumers through products and experiences that inspire, delight and connect.

Creative Director: Nate Fraley; Corporate Culture Consultant:  Jonathan Jones; Art Director:  Seann Dwyer; Designer:  Madison Crabtree; Editorial: Aaron Heim; Design Contributor: Debbie Dixon

From the work that went into identifying the goals and objectives that will shape their actions going forward to the designers, writers, business partners and dreamers who helped bring it to life, the DEMDACO LIFT THE SPIRIT STRATEGIC PLAN booklet is a truly collaborative reflection of the future the company is building together. Printed 4/4 offset by AC Printing on 80 lb. Cougar Cover & 70 lb. Cougar Super Smooth, the piece was created by the tireless and thoughtful contributions of DEMDACO employees across the organization.

Brand: Cougar®

Gratitude Notecards

Sometimes projects inspire great feelings in the people who work on them, but other times feelings inspire great projects.

Printed digitally with letterpress on Cougar 130 lb. cover and bound with belly bands made with Lettermark Colors Index, the Gratitude Notecards touch on three important themes: 1) the idea of being kind, 2) sharing a kind word and 3) hoping that effort has a ripple effect.

The “You Inspire Me” and “We Can Do This” cards were blind embossed using polymer plates and the “Best Days” and “You Are Amazing” cards were hot foil stamped with metallic silver foil. All cards and belly bands were digitally printed using a Konica Minolta Accuriopress C6085. For the full story behind the piece, visit our blog.

Bonus: You can request your own set of Gratitude Notecards by visiting this link.

Brand: Cougar & Lettermark® Colors

ArtPrize

If you’re a creative, a Michigan-native or an appreciator of the arts who lives to travel, then we’ve got just the event for you: ArtPrize, a world-renowned art contest that turns Grand Rapids, Michigan into a hub for the arts for 18 days. Historically attended by hundreds of artists, Artprize brought back their event guide with the support of Swift Printing, a Grand Rapids, MI printer with must-see results.

ArtPrize has been a community event for over 10 years representing art and stories from all over the world but the 2022 design elements were inspired by the indigenous tradition of making totem poles. Totems are used as a way to tell stories of a community’s history, values, and traditions and there are 5 unique symbols this year that represent the 5 categories of art; 2-D, 3-D, Installation, Digital and Time-Based, and ArtPrize interpolates the indigenous symbolism and homages within their event guide. The centerfold of the event guide is a map that can be pulled out for visitors to put in their pockets for easy reference and ArtPrize even provides a QR Code on the printed map for guests to easily connect to the interactive digital map.

Swift Printing was charged with producing 35,000 copies of the 28-page event guide, so they went with their go-to sheet, Husky® paper, and ran the job on their Speedmaster XL 75 Anicolor from Heidelberg. With a job of this size and with this large of a creative audience, Swift Printing wanted to be sure that they got the performance they needed from the paper they relied upon. Take a look through the images of the ArtPrize event guide and see the results for yourself.

Brand: Husky®

For more inspiring works of print, visit paper.domtar.com/gallery. To learn more about submitting your own works on print, click here.