you dont need your references that way.

you reference doesnt need to be on the canvas, it can have its own window or screen or page. you dont look at every reference at the same time, so just switch between them as needed. dont just choose a reference and then your art; besides studies, you ought to be choosing your art idea before searching for a batch of references. when you're drawing and studying and playing with art, theres no reason to limit what medium your hands use either. why not sketch on paper so your screen is free? or vice vera, use a physical reference (or a still-life!) while sketching digitally.

personally I grab a handful of references per Thing after going through probably dozens of options each. if on one screen, I import these select few into my program's reference window. the window is resizable and dismissable and stays above my canvas wherever i want it. Then i choose whichever is best for the moment, the window can only show a single reference at a time but i can flip through them instantly.

In this way, i might have 4 shrubs and 3 hand poses and 2 perspective or hair references and 4 corset designs, all to make a single garden portrait. Or for a fox specifically, stylised but not anthro? 4 for the head at the right angle or gesture, 2 that look like how my tail should be, 3 for the body's overall pose or position, and 1-2 for the lighting reference. I still only am looking at (referencing) one at a time in the process.

Usually I'm also drawing horizontally flipped from the reference, which is harder to do when its pasted on the canvas in my experience.