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Last fall Hand Papermaking celebrated its twentieth anniversary with an innovative program entitled Paper in Flight: a series of workshops, studio demonstrations, lectures, exhibitions, a symposium, and benefit dinner event exploring how handmade paper has been used in humankind’s attempt to leave the ground and soar above.

Early in 2006, we set the stage by commissioning renowned artist Lesley Dill to produce a stunning 10-foot handmade paper kite, the showpiece of our festivities and the cover feature of our special anniversary magazine issue. Working with kite expert Scott Skinner of The Drachen Foundation, and advanced students at Maryland Institute College of Art under the direction of Gail Deery, Healing Man came to life came to life in the spring, graced the cover of our summer magazine, and was unveiled for our anniversary in the fall.

In the days surrounding the October 28 revelry, classes and demos were offered by Kristin Kavanagh, Amanda Degener, Mina Takahashi, Scott Skinner, and Helen Hiebert; and there was an unprecedented gathering of Hand Papermaking board members past and present.

Highlighting the festivities was the opening exhibition of Lesley Dill's kite masterpiece. Healing Man soared overhead in the glass-walled Leidy Atrium at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. Also on view were over a dozen contemporary kites recently completed in Japan by nine international kite artists, and work by Byron Kim featured in Hand Papermaking's latest magazine. An afternoon symposium included lectures and inspiring presentations by well-known artists and specialists working in this unique art medium.

In the evening, the paper-in-flight celebration continued at a benefit dinner honoring co-founders Amanda Degener and Michael Durgin, at historic College Park Airport near Washington, DC. Jane Farmer delivered the keynote, and presentations were heard from the 1986 authors of Volume 1, Number 1. The new Hand Papermaking Endowment Fund was also announced. This uplifting celebration closed with a hot-air balloon launch performance by Helen Hiebert. Helen’s seven-foot balloon of Philippine Gampi was inspired by the special Paper in Flight issue of Hand Papermaking magazine (copies still available), using imagery of windows to signify looking inward and looking ahead. The launch was accompanied by a live performance of "Prayer for Peace (1 Love)" by New York singer-songwriter Bruce Markow, whose lyrics on the balloon contextualized the unforgettable performance.

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Hand Papermaking is especially grateful to our major funders and partners: Maryland Institute College of Art, The Drachen Foundation, The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, Hiromi Paper International, The Fifth Floor Foundation, Paper Connection International, Helen Hiebert and Bruce Markow, Lucile G. Hicks, Kristin Kavanagh, Allen K. Mears, Val Lucas, Russell Maret, David Marshall & Alan Wiesenthal.

Last year’s anniversary activities were made possible with the generosity of: Carole A. Alameddine, Pat Alexander, Shirah Miriam (Mimi) Aumann, Cathleen A. Baker, Bonnie Bernell, The Brodsky Center, Inge Bruggeman, Tom and Lore Burger, Susan Butler, Carriage House Paper, Carla Castellani, Amanda Degener, Gail Deery, Lesley Dill, Linda Draper, Mindell Dubansky, Kathy Fitzgerald, Elizabeth Frater-Allen, Shirley Freriks, Susan Gosin, Peggy Grissom, Helen Hiebert, Kristin Kavanagh, Yukie Kobayashi, Elaine Koretsky, Mary C. Leto, Val Lucas, David Marshall & Alan Wiesenthal, Ellen Mears Kennedy, Lourene Miovski and Tom Bannister, Margaret Prentice, Pyramid Atlantic, Dianne L. Reeves, Gretchen Schermerhorn and Eric Burris, Jann Selleck, Lynn Sures and Rick McSorley, Marilyn and Steve Sward, Betty Sweren, Sandy Triolo, James Trice, Gibby Waitzkin, Bob Weber, Beck Whitehead, Marcia Widenor, Pamela and Gary Wood.

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