Paper Hearts

Dating isn’t a “one-size fits all” endeavour, nor is it particularly easy. It’s a process that requires work and honesty and some imperfect edges, with the goal of finding your missing piece. Toronto-based agency FUSE Create and dating app paird wanted to bring back the human element of dating, and what better way to demonstrate hard work and humane than through handmade cut-paper collage from artist Ashely Barron.

"Paird recognizes that people need to be ready to put in the work to find their perfect pair," says Patrice Pollack, Creative Director at FUSE Create. "So rather than stock photos of happy couples, we used papercraft, which is uniquely handmade and perfectly imperfect. It’s layered, detailed and has depth, not unlike people and their personalities.”

Each papercraft scene shows perfect pairings with delightfully imperfect touches that will warm even the coldest of paper hearts.

About FUSE Create
Based in Toronto, Canada, FUSE Create (fusecreate.com) is a full-service independent creative agency, winning Bronze for Small Agency of the Year at Strategy’s AOY in 2021. FUSE Create believes when you fuse smarts + imagination, whether in a campaign, a culture, a process, or a person, everything is possible. That belief creates, invents, and permeates throughout the agency and the award-winning work, and aims to do one thing; Turn Heads. FUSE Create is also a member of Worldwide Partners, one of the world’s largest networks of independent advertising agencies.

About Ashley Barron
Ashely Barron is an independent illustrator from Toronto. She graduated from OCAD in 2007 and has been working with cut-paper collage ever since. She has illustrated over a dozen picture books, including Love You Head to Toe (Owlkids), My Forest is Green and My Ocean is Blue (Kids Can Press). In addition to her freelance work, she teaches art classes and presents her books to libraries and schools.