When Jack Banham turned 100 last Sunday, he marked the milestone not by slowing down, but by continuing to do what he has done for the past 15 years: quietly creating art, one narrow strip of paper at a time.
The Rockville Centre resident and World War II veteran is still actively producing intricate paper artwork — pieces made entirely from tiny, hand-cut strips of premium paper, layered and glued together without sketches, photos, or models. His latest body of work was displayed last Sunday at the East Meadow Public Library, where it will remain on view through March.
Some of Banham’s paper art is currently hanging at the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library, and his work was exhibited at the Oceanside Library in January. The shows are part of a growing series of library displays across Long Island that have introduced his work to new audiences well into his 10th decade.
“I still don’t think I’m an artist,” Banham said modestly during a recent visit to his home, where he was surrounded by finished and in-progress pieces. “But it’s nice to hear.”
He began creating paper art about 15 years ago, after decades spent experimenting with nearly every creative medium he could find. Over the years he has tried his hand at staining glass, wood carving, furniture making, oil and acrylic painting and sand art, and has even carved complete chess sets by hand. Eventually, paper became the medium that allowed him the most freedom.
“It was less expensive, and it was easier than other things,” he said. “I just started cutting.”
Wearing a pair of 2.75-strength reading glasses and using only scissors, tweezers and Elmer’s glue, Banham does not make preliminary sketches or rely on photos or reference images, but rather is inspired by imagination and memory. To create shading and depth, he layers the paper strips, sometimes stacking dozens of pieces to achieve subtle variations in color and texture. He does not apply a top coat when a piece is finished.
Each work takes roughly six weeks to complete. Most are average-sized wall hangings, some smaller, others larger. His subjects are often landscapes, but his collection also includes florals and portraits. To date, Banham has created more than 160 paper works of art, many of which are owned by family members.
Despite the challenges that come with age — numbness in his fingers, difficulty with color perception and the strain of long hours on his eyes — he continues to work whenever he can.
“I go as far as I can go,” he said.
Born in Ottawa, Canada, in 1925 to parents who emigrated from London, Banham came to the United States as a toddler and grew up in Manhattan during the Great Depression. His early years were shaped by economic hardship, but also by music, which became a defining force in his life.
He began playing clarinet at age 11, and later switched to saxophone, studying under former bandleaders who had turned to teaching during lean years for musicians. As a teenager, Banham formed a band with neighborhood friends and performed under the stage name Reed Conley.
When World War II began, he was drafted into the Army and trained as a telegrapher. He served in Europe, saw combat in France and Germany, and earned a Bronze Star for his service. During the Korean War he was recalled to duty, and became part of a military band that entertained American and Allied troops, including soldiers from Australia, England, Canada and France.
Music, he said, helped lift morale in even the most dangerous circumstances.
After returning home, Banham met his wife, Terry, at a Sadie Hawkins dance in Manhattan. When they married, he faced a difficult choice between pursuing music full time and finding steadier work to support a family. He ultimately chose stability, working for decades at Pfizer before retiring at age 56. It was only after retirement that art again became his primary focus.
The Banhams were married for 62 years until Terry’s death in 2016. Together they raised four children — Russell, Susan, Eva and Johnny — and instilled in them a love for music and creativity from an early age.
These days Banham splits his time between Rockville Centre and Melville, where he stays with his daughters. He is a grandfather of nine and a great-grandfather of nine more, with another great-grandchild expected next year.
Much of the recent public exposure of his artwork has come through the efforts of his daughter Eva, who has helped share her father’s work with libraries across Long Island, arranging exhibitions and introducing curators to his unique approach to paper art.
That outreach has been warmly received, particularly at the East Meadow library, where Banham’s newest exhibition opened.
“We’re happy to have him here for his 100th celebration and his artwork,” Kelly Gordon, the library’s art director, said.
Eva Banham said that libraries have been eager to feature her father’s work once they learn about his story and see the intricate detail of his pieces.
“When people see his work, they’re amazed,” she said. “They write comments about how much it means to them, and he reads every one. He can’t believe people connect to it.”
The comments are collected in guest books that travel with the exhibits, and Banham often rereads them at home. On occasion, visitors have purchased pieces directly from the displays, allowing him to fund new materials and continue creating.
“He’ll say, ‘People really like my work,’” Eva said. “It gives him such joy.”
Banham’s first public exhibition took place at the Sandel Senior Center in Rockville Centre, and word of his work gradually spread through community connections. From there his art moved into library galleries, including North Bellmore, Oceanside, Hewlett-Woodmere and now East Meadow, with additional shows planned.
As he reflects on a century of life — one that includes war, music, family, loss and rediscovery — Banham remains focused on the simple act of creating.
“I just love to do it,” he said. “I love to create. That’s about it.”
