HAND PAPERMAK ING

N E W S L E T T E R

Number 85, January 2009

Newsletter Editor: Shireen Holman Advertising & Listings: Mary Tasillo Desktop Production: Amy Richard

Columnists: Sidney Berger, Susan Gosin, Helen Hiebert, Elaine Koretsky, Winifred Radolan, Mary Tasillo, Pamela Wood.

Hand Papermaking Newsletter is published

four times per year. In summer and winter it is

mailed with the journal Hand Papermaking, and

in spring and autumn it is distributed separately.

Annual subscriptions include both publications:

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use a credit card, or pay in U.S. dollars via money

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bank. For more subscription information, or a list

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PO Box 1070, Beltsville, MD 20704-1070

Phone: (800) 821-6604 or (301) 220-2393

Fax: (301) 220-2394

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The deadline for the next newsletter (April 2009)

is February 15. Please direct all correspondence to

the address above. We encourage letters from our

subscribers on any relevant topic. We also solicit

comments on articles in Hand Papermaking

magazine, questions or remarks for newsletter

columnists, and news of special events or activities.

Classified ads are $1.00 per word with a 10-word

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upon request.

Hand Papermaking is a 501(c)(3) non-profit

organization. Staff: Tom Bannister, Executive

Director; Mina Takahashi, Magazine Editor;

Shireen Holman, Newsletter Editor; Mary Tasillo,

Ads & Listings; Deborah Selk, Portfolio Binder.

Board of Directors: Cathleen A. Baker, Sidney

Berger, Shannon Brock, Inge Bruggeman, Georgia

Deal, Gail Deery, Jim Escalante, Helen Hiebert,

Ann Marie Kennedy, Barbara Lippman, Andrea

Peterson, Margaret Prentice, John Risseeuw, Beck

Whitehead. Board of Advisors: Timothy Barrett,

Simon Blattner, Gregor R. Campbell, Mindell

Dubansky, Jane M. Farmer, Helen C. Frederick,

Elaine Koretsky, James Sitter, Claire Van Vliet,

James Yarnell. Co-founders: Amanda Degener

and Michael Durgin.

Dear Subscribers,

Quite a number of you have been loyal subscribers since Hand Papermaking’s first

magazine issues in the mid-1980s. Many more recent subscribers have opted to purchase a

complete set of back issues. You all know the tremendous value of the 23 volumes of Hand

Papermaking on your library shelf, and you know that we are honored to have a special place

in your collection.

But how do you find a particular topic within the magazines? How do you quickly locate

that brilliant article you remember reading years ago? The need for a current index is among

the most common remarks received from our annual mailing that requests your comments.

Well, we listened, formed a committee, discussed the matter, and ultimately came up with

something we think is better than an index.

Take a look at our new keyword search function at http://search.handpapermaking.org

and try a few words or phrases. For example, type “drying” and Claire Van Vliet’s Summer

1987 plans for a drying box is on top of the long list. Type “spirit” and that great sample of

Thai spirit money collected for us in Summer 1990 by Dorothy Field is the first match. Try

“Bill of Rights” and our Summer 2001 story with a sample of conservation support paper for

the historic document, is followed by an article on the controversial Summer 1992 Bill of

Rights broadside created by John Risseeuw and others at ASU’s Pyracantha Press. In addition

to topics, you can also search for names of authors and artists.

The results are weighted so that best matches are listed first. Clicking on the title tells you

where to find the article and usually offers the first paragraph or so as a taste. As always, we

welcome your suggestions for improving this new subscriber resource.

Tom Bannister

> IN MEMORIAM

Paul Robbert (1928-2008) was an internationally recognized artist and an early innovator in

paper art. While serving on the faculty of Western Michigan University, he established their

papermaking curriculum. He inspired many young artists with his experimental approach and

spirit, and was known as a dedicated mentor and advisor. Paul was also a founding member

of the Kalamazoo Book Arts Center. In addition, he was an inventor, and made and sold the

“Cranberry Lake” vacuum table, one of the only ones available at the time. See Paul’s exceptional

article on the theory, use, and construction of vacuum tables in the Summer 1991 issue of Hand

Papermaking. Paul was well loved by all who knew him and will be sorely missed.

HAND PAPERMAKING publishes a series of limited-edition portfolios, each on a different

theme, showcasing distinctive handmade papers. The papers are protected in imprinted folders

and described in a handbound booklet; each set of papers reside in a custom-made clamshell

box. Editions limited to 150 and sell for $495.

Innovative Printmaking on Handmade Paper

The Art of Pulp Painting

Calligraphy and Handmade Paper

Insured postage is $15 in the US or $35 elsewhere. Ask about standing orders and our traveling

exhibitions program. Go to our website, call (800) 821-6604 or fax (301) 220-2394 to

place an order. To view images and complete prospectus, visit:

www.handpapermaking.org

ALONG THE PAPER ROAD...

This regular feature offers paper musings from

Elaine Koretsky—renowned paper historian,

researcher, and traveler. In this issue, she previews

her new research project, and describes the expanded

display venue for the Museum of International

Paper History.

I have just discovered, to my astonishment,

that this “Paper Road” column of mine has

already completed its tenth year. That means

forty articles in Hand Papermaking Newsletter,

plus a few in the magazine, and many more

in other publications.

Unfortunately, I am a very slow writer,

but I have so many new adventures and

misadventures “Along the Paper Road,” that

I simply cannot stop writing about them.

Right now I have already planned another

expedition to parts of China that I have not

yet explored. Undoubtedly, that will result

in further exciting experiences. First of all, I

plan to do more research into “rice paper,”

the material that has no connection with

rice, and is not paper. I have already written

about the subject in the April and July 2006

issues of Hand Papermaking Newsletter. This

misnamed rice paper is a paper-like material

that is shaved from the pith of Tetrapanax

papyriferum. My information was gathered

on a visit to Taiwan in 1987, which resulted

in a film that I produced showing how it

was made and its uses. An important use

of the material was in the making of small

paintings of Chinese scenes, which became

popular tourist souvenirs in the 1800s and

early 1900s. Now these

“pith paintings” have

become expensive collectors’

items, featured in

special museum exhibitions.

In my garden of

papermaking plants

I am cultivating two

magnificent specimens

of Tetrapanax, purchased

from “Plant Delights” in

North Carolina. The first

one I bought is two years

old, the trunk growing rapidly from twelve

inches to now over six feet in height, with

each leaf measuring nearly two feet across.

The nursery recently advertised another

species of Tetrapanax, which they called

Tetrapanax papyriferum (Steroidal Giant). I

could not resist buying it, although I asked

if the plant needed weekly steroids. That

was not necessary, and the young plant is

growing vigorously, already sprouting leaves

more than two feet across. Unfortunately,

the plants are not hardy in our northern climate,

and they will have to fight for indoor

space this winter in my house, competing

with seventy-seven other potted plants.

My new research will focus on Guizhou

Province in Southwest China,

where our friend Wu Zeng Ou

has located a tremendous field

of Tetrapanax papyriferum. In

addition, last year I discovered at

the Guangzhou Art Museum that

the Museum Director, Dr. Cunjie,

had visited a remote village in

Guizhou that still produced this

pith “paper.” That was about

six years ago, but Wu will try

to locate the place and maybe

we can find people who still are

involved in the use of the pith.

Donna Koretsky will be joining

my husband and me, and Donna

plans that next year she will lead

a group of papermakers to these

parts of China.

The other area that we shall

be exploring is Xishuangbanna

in the tropical, southernmost

part of Yunnan Province. There are many socalled

“minorities” who live there–Bai, Hui,

Yi, Hani, Miao, Yao, Lahu, et al. Each group

has its own culture and customs, and this

should be fascinating. In particular, I hope

to see a certain tree, Antiaris toxicaria (Upas

tree) that has been used in the past for bark

clothing. At a museum in Kunming, China,

I have seen displayed an entire outfit of

beaten bark from this tree. It was used by

people in Xishuangbanna because the bark

contains a poisonous substance that wards

off insects. I learned that the tree also grows

in Vietnam, where indigenous people used

its poison to make deadly darts. (Note: I am

not planning to add this plant to my garden

of papermaking plants.)

Meanwhile, I am starting a new endeavor

to display more works from my large collection

of papermaking artifacts. The collection

is housed in Brookline, Massachusetts, at the

Research Institute of Paper History & Technology,

which includes the Museum of International

Paper History that I direct. Only

part of the collection can be formally exhibited

at the Museum, so it is fortunate that

we have been offered another venue—the

newly renovated studio of Carriage House

Paper at 245 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn, New

York. Donna Koretsky has built a lovely gallery

space and I plan a new themed exhibit

there every six months or so. We had hoped

to open early in September, but construction

at the space was very slow. However, now we

have our first exhibit, “Before Paper,” on

view there. “Before Paper” features mankind’s

methods of communication before

the Chinese invented paper more than 2,300

years ago. World history has been recorded

on stone, clay, bone, animal skins, papyrus,

wood strips, metal, and even leaves—not

only palm leaves, but also leaves of tobacco

and mulberry (see photo above). Although

most of those materials fell into disuse as the

craft of papermaking spread out

from China, it is amazing that

some are still utilized even today

for special purposes. On view are

artifacts, books, tools, and writings

from many countries and

cultures.

A special feature at the exhibit

is an unusual and very humorous

film that was produced in

France in the 1960s. The title is

“Un Monde Sans Papier,” which

means literally “A World Without

Paper.” I had seen the film a couple

of times in Europe, when my

friend Fred Siegenthaler, a Swiss

paper artist, showed it at paper

conferences; ever since then I

hoped to locate a copy of it. A

few months ago I telephoned

Fred and asked what happened

to his film. He replied that he

had donated it to the Basel Paper Museum

in Switzerland, but he would ask the museum

people about it. When I spoke with Fred

again, he said that the film was still at the

museum and nothing had been done with

it, but if I were interested, the museum was

willing to have it converted into DVD form,

provided I would share the cost with them.

I readily agreed, and eventually received my

copy. The film was just as funny and clever

as I remembered, and I think papermakers,

as well as others, will truly enjoy it.

The second exhibition at the gallery will

concentrate on the origin of paper in China,

with subsequent exhibits focusing on particular

countries and processes. Undoubtedly, I shall

never run out of ideas or materials for these

future exhibitions or articles.

I’m often wary of teaching a papermaking

workshop in a studio I’m not familiar

with or in a space that has no papermaking

equipment. I guess I’m spoiled because I

learned to make paper in a studio that was

well equipped and I’ve got professional

equipment in my own studio. So when

asked to teach papermaking elsewhere, I

find myself intimidated with the prospect

of carting pulp and equipment to and fro.

Paper artist Mary Leto has some unique

methods for taking her papermaking workshops

on the road, and I’d like to share a

few of them with you.

I remember visiting Leto in her studio

years ago and seeing her cute little drying

system. It is tiny—just 12” x 12”—but what a

perfect size for drying small sheets made by

participants in a workshop. She uses triwall

cardboard cut to 12” x 12” and 12” x 24”. Her

blotters are cut to the same size and nestled in

between the cardboard, and the whole system

fits nicely into a milk crate for easy transport.

And she can just store them as is

in her studio, ready to go to the

next workshop.

Triwall is a triple layer of

normal cardboard that is glued

together commercially to make

a heavy corrugated board.

You can find it at commercial

packaging suppliers, but their

minimum order is often high. Leto makes

her own triwall by cutting up cardboard

cartons that are made up of single or double

corrugated sheets. After cutting them to

size (for example, 12” x 12”) she holds three

single sheets together and joins them on

two opposite sides using different colored

duct tapes. The duct tape holds up for years,

keeps the cardboard from warping, and

doesn’t interfere with the air flow or drying

(the sides which are not corrugated are

taped together, leaving the corrugation open

for air flow). She varies the color of the duct

tape to help sort the paper she is drying—by

student or paper type. For this drying system,

Leto uses a small box fan; she also uses the

same system for a larger drying box utilizing

a 20” box fan. If you are not familiar with

this type of drying system, it is described in

detail in my books, Papermaking with Garden

Plants & Common Weeds and The Papermaker’s

Companion.

As you can see, Leto is organized. She’s got

a great system for her traveling felts, too. She

collects old army blankets and other smooth

wool blankets and cuts them to size, again

organizing them by color (one color blanket is

cut to one size for easy identification). When

she teaches adults, she gives each student

a different colored stack to make individual

posts and to prevent mix-ups.

For young children and difficult locations

(like teaching outside in a windy setting),

Leto creates “felt posts.” She stacks five felts

(12” x 12” squares) and, using a darning

needle, loosely sews a loop of yarn (this

can be color coordinated, too) through all

five pieces at one corner. She then ties the

felts together, making as many bundles

as needed for the class (see photo). Each

student can make three sheets of paper with

one of these bundles—two

pieces of felt are

on the bottom, a sheet of paper is couched

on them, the next felt is flipped over, another

sheet is couched, etc., with one felt left

on the top.

Mary had an intern construct a simple

portable hydraulic press (based on designs

by Jana Pullman—more on that in another

column). The felt and paper posts can all

be loaded into it for pressing—the press is

Based in Philadelphia, Winifred Radolan operates

an itinerant teaching papermill, and has taught

papermaking to thousands of adults and children.

In this column, Winnie describes an adult enrichment

workshop she taught at the Yale Center for

British Art.

> TEACHING HAND PAPERMAKING

I thoroughly enjoy every opportunity I have

to introduce a new audience, youngsters

and adults alike, to the magic of creating paper

by hand. But every now and again I have

an extraordinary teaching adventure such

as the one I embarked upon on Saturday,

November 18, in New Haven, Connecticut.

I was asked to conduct the first in a series

of three adult enrichment workshops in

conjunction with the Yale Center for British

Art’s exhibit, “Sun, Wind and Rain: The Art

of David Cox.”

David Cox (1783 – 1859) was a pre-eminent

British landscape and watercolor artist during

the first half of the nineteenth century. His

magnificent watercolors exemplified his lifelong

concerns of capturing the atmospheric

effects of light and weather on the English

and Welsh countryside. While his frequent

substrate was fine Whatman Mill handmade

wove paper, he also developed a fondness

for using lesser quality ream wrappers,

made of linen sailcloth. He often used the

imperfections in this packaging grade paper

as opportunities, such as when he added

wings to an encapsulated speck to create a

bird in flight.

Entitled “Pulp and Paint Transformed:

the Art and Preservation of Watercolors,”

the free workshops offered museum patrons

three opportunities to experience methods

and materials associated with Cox’s art

form. In addition to attending “The Art of

Papermaking” with me, participants could

take “Watercolor Painting, Techniques and

Processes” with Chris Engstrom, of the Creative

Arts Workshop, the following Saturday.

On the third Saturday, the British Museum’s

Chief Paper Conservator, Theresa Fairbanks

Harris, provided an in-depth insider’s look

at the “Art and Preservation of Watercolors”

in the conservation labs.

When planning for my 3-hour workshop

I decided to pack two short introductory

videos plus a small sampling of handmade

papers skimmed from the top of my “bursting

at the seams” teaching box. The first

video, “The Paper Trail,” designed for a

young audience, condenses the more than

two thousand-year history of papermaking

down to only four minutes, enthusiastically

delivered by a fourth grader from Atlanta,

Georgia. Produced by the Institute of Paper

Science, it features many artifacts from

the collection of the American Museum

of Papermaking. After viewing the second

video, a Dutch re-enactment of paper

production in a hand papermill, everyone

would have a rudimentary understanding

of the intense labor involved in making

the paper that Cox used for his paintings.

I packed examples of linen and cotton rag

papers as well as unusual plant fiber sheets.

I also included some samples of paper art

that featured techniques of pulp layering,

embedding, embossing, stenciling, and pulp

painting. Expectations for the workshop

were not to make watercolor paper, but to

introduce the creative possibilities involved

in the art of hand papermaking.

Because this was not my first workshop

for the British Museum, I called ahead to

remind the education team that their space

and my equipment could be “maxed out”

with fifteen adults. Wanting me to have a

good turnout of participants, and allowing

for the probability of a few “no-shows,”

the staff registered eighteen for the day.

Of course, in a testament to the allure and

magic of papermaking, all eighteen people

materialized. I hoped that the group would

include a couple or family who wouldn’t

mind sharing moulds and deckles and

couching stations.

Museum Education staff members Jennifer

Kowitt and Amy Gelbach scrambled to help

arriving students settle in. We quickly set

up an additional table on which to place the

three vats of pigmented cotton/abaca pulp.

When Chris Engstrom, watercolor instructor

for the next workshop, asked if he could observe,

I enthusiastically welcomed him and

put him right to work. The water for the vats

was in unwieldy 5-gallon watercooler jugs, so

his first great service was some weight lifting,

followed by careful pouring.

I kept my introduction as brief as possible

so that we could engage the cozy and

anticipatory group with pulp as soon as possible,

giving everyone ample time to make

and embellish several sheets of paper. As

soon as each person had successfully pulled

and couched a plain sheet, I demonstrated

simple layering techniques and turned

them loose on the vats. I set up a couple of

smaller vats containing pigmented shortfiber

cotton on the couching tables around

the room. I was glad to have packed my premade

screen stencil designs for use in these

mini-vats, as this cut down on crowding

at the bigger vats. And finally, I dispersed

the small containers of pulp paint amongst

the work stations. This finely beaten and

pigmented cotton, thickened slightly with

methylcellulose, could be applied directly

to the couched sheet, or first squirted by

pipette onto the mould, then transferred to

the layered base sheet of paper.

The time passed quickly as this wonderfully

enthusiastic group shared pulp,

equipment, and creativity in making paper.

Jennifer, Chris, and Amy anticipated every

need as they circulated through the room

to assist with any minor pulp emergencies.

Almost before I realized, it was time to

press everyone’s post and explain drying options,

then mobilize the clean-up efforts.

To press the paper, I had my portable Arnold

Grummer press, and some dry synthetic

chamois to sandwich around their posts. I

have always offered two drying options, each

requiring a different amount of pressure/

water removal in the press. In Option 1, the

fast overnight method, lightly pressed sheets

are laid flat next to one another on a Formica

counter or facsimile. A dry towel is placed

over the paper, which is then rolled over

by a rolling pin to adhere it to the counter.

This method yields a two-sided (smooth and

textured) sheet, which is dry by the next day

and can easily be peeled from the counter

top. Generally, most students opt for this

method. In Option 2, I press as much water

out of the paper as Arnold’s press and my

muscle will allow. I instruct students to layer

their hard-pressed papers between blotters

or paper towels and underneath a stack

of all the heavy books at their disposal. If,

every day, for up to a week (depending on

atmospheric conditions), the wet blotting

materials are replaced with dry ones and the

drying paper is re-stacked under constant

weight, flat paper that is identical on both

sides can be achieved. For the very first time

in my papermaking years, the entire group

chose the more labor intensive Option 2 for

drying their production of about eight sheets

of paper apiece. I didn’t know whether to admire

everyone’s commitment, or suspect an

across-the-board lack of home counter space!

Thanks to the great organizational skills

of Jennifer, Amy, and Chris, cleaning up

was accomplished swiftly. This allowed me

just enough time to visit the gallery and

have a peek at the outstanding watercolor

and oil landscapes of David Cox. And I’m

also grateful to Linda Friedlander, Curator

of Education, and Theresa Fairbanks

Harris for giving me the opportunity to be a

part of the programming surrounding this

fabulous exhibit!

This newsletter column began 12 years ago when

the wonders of the Internet were still new for

many of our readers. This will be Pam’s final

column and we greatly appreciate all her work.

In my wanderings through the Internet I

can be amazed by what I find. This time

I have found the site of a large paper company

based in Germany. It is a commercial

paper company; however, I really think it

merits a closer look. Let’s enter by going to

www.gmund.com.

On the top right you have a language

choice of English or German. The opening

splash page is simple, with a horizontal

band of menu items. I am going to save the

best for last, so we will work around and

skip past “Slide Show” for now. Why have

your cake first? Click on the first item—a

stack of paper called “Products.” Up pops a

wonderful close up photo of rolls of colored

paper. Press the dot that says “more,” and

you get a photo of a stack of swatch books,

as well as a complete product list above. By

clicking on any one of the Gmund products,

you get the information contained in the

corresponding swatch book, including all

the specifications, usages, resources, and

applications for that paper. These are essentially

virtual swatch books.

Skipping “Slide Show” for now, we move

on to “Environment.” Here is the complete

corporate charter on the production of their

paper. Water, raw materials, and waste

are critical issues; they want us to know

that they are an environmentally friendly

company.

The next three menu items are new papers

from their product list that have been

singled out. The first, Gmund Shade, seems

rather unique. It is a commercial paper that

has the delicate look and feel of traditional

Japanese paper. This is where I hate the

web—I am definitely a person who must

touch. This is a paper I would want to hold

and feel. Gmund 3, another new product, is

reminiscent of woven fabric. It is made by a

multi-stage embossing process that reveals

different facets in the paper from every

angle. Once again, I’d love to get my hands

on this paper. Gmund’s papers have been

primarily developed for offset, letterpress,

engraving, or silkscreen printing. However,

they now have another new product,

Gmund Digital, for small print runs for

digital projects. It looks as though I will be

checking these out at a future time. The last

item is the shopping, which looks very easy.

Having saved the best for last, we move

back to the “Slide Show.” I must admit, the

biggest reason I loved this site is the photography.

The photos in the slide show are

remarkable. You can pretend to be getting

the tour with a guide and you will be walking

from room to room in their production

plant. A wonderful detail is the blue enamel

wall signs in three languages, German, English,

and French. The first part of the tour

clearly shows an older area where paper is

made by hand. There is even an old-fashioned

telephone next to an ancient desk.

The slides include a nice balance of closeups

and wide-angled shots. You then move

on to the modern equipment, peeking into

the “Hollander Hall” and the “Ink Metering”

room, looking close up at gears and grinders

and huge rolls of paper, and watching

employees pigment, stack, count, sort, and

wrap sheets and sheets of paper. Even the

sample room is an organized dream.

This is a very interesting site, showing

a commercial paper company with a hand

papermaking production component.

Gmund documents its production fabulously—

the only things missing are water,

sound, and smell.

Our Paper History column began in 2003, written

by Peter Hopkins. Cathleen Baker took over three

years ago, and we thank her sincerely for her

insight and inspiration. She passes the baton to

Maureen and Simon Green who will write on the

topic beginning with the next issue.

> PAPER HISTORY

> PROFILES IN PAPER

Susan Gosin co-founded Dieu DonnО Press &

Paper in 1976. She regularly lectures and teaches

papermaking, and has compiled a significant

collection of interviews with noted personalities

in the hand papermaking community. This is the

continuation of the column about VictШria Rabal,

begun in the last issue.

In 1986 Victòria joined European colleagues

Fred Siegenthaler, Sophie Dawson, John

Gerard, Anne Vilsbøll, Julie Lawson, Dorothea

Eimert, and Ray Tomasso to form the

International Association of Papermakers

and Artists (IAPMA). As she was preparing

for the first IAPMA conference, which was

to take place at Capellades in June 1987, she

suffered a terrible accident. While taking

a tour group through the cellar of the museum,

which houses the eighteenth century

mill, she was pulled into a working stamper.

She broke bones in her head, spine, and

back. She was pregnant at the time, and,

miraculously, not only did she survive, but

so did her baby. With characteristic determination

she overcame partial paralysis in

time to greet her IAPMA friends for the

conference at the Capellades Museum.

Although this kind of personal detail is not

always included in a professional profile, I

thought that this incident was so revealing

of Victòria’s heroic character as well as of her

deep commitment to and love of handmade

paper and the art that springs forth from it,

that it is as much a part of her professional

story as it is of her personal life.

As director of Capellades, and aided by

her capable staff which has now grown to

twelve, Victòria has continued to expand the

programs she first envisioned in the 1980s.

The four floors of the museum, and the

basement floor that houses the eighteenth

century mill have been renovated. Visitors

are greeted at the entrance with a professionally

designed permanent exhibit highlighting

the history of papermaking. There

is also a store on the ground floor, stocked

with books about paper and printing,

children’s books, artists’ books for serious

collectors, stationery, sheets of Capellades

handmade paper, and a wide range of handmade

paper products.

Many of the 22,000 schoolchildren and

10,000 others who visit the museum yearly

make their way downstairs to the working

historic mill to make a few sheets of white

and colored cotton paper as part of their

tour. The mill is also used to manufacture

limited quantities of production paper,

which is sold in the Capellades store and to

international paper vendors.

In the fall of 2008, the floor directly

above the permanent paper exhibit and

store will be opened to the public with a new

permanent exhibition of the history of printing

and its relationship to papermaking.

Classes in calligraphy and printing will be

added to complement the roster of classes

offered in papermaking.

The second floor, above the printing

exhibit, is reserved for the permanent collection

of fine books, including a Diderot

first edition. The second floor also houses

a library of books on papermaking and printing,

which is available online to scholars at

the University of Barcelona. A permanent

archive of paper includes an extensive collection

from area mills as well examples of

paper dating back to the thirteenth century.

On the same floor as the library and archive

is a professionally equipped laboratory for

testing pulp and paper.

Victòria has always been interested in the

multiple facets of papermaking, in its colorful

history as a commercial endeavor throughout

the world, and its cultural distinction in the

history of mankind. In 2005, with the help

of the European Commission, she collaborated

with her colleagues at Papiermühle Alte

Gladbach in Germany and Kuovola Region

Federation of Municipalities in Finland to

create a three-year program of meetings for

European paper museums. This resulted in

the publication of an informative and beautifully

designed brochure and map identifying

European papermill museums that make

paper, historic papermills and paper museums,

and technical museums of papermaking. Any

paper enthusiast interested in European handmade

papers will find this a valuable resource.

Victòria’s role as curator and collaborator

includes her responsibilities on the top floor

of the museum, the mill’s former drying

loft, which now serves as a noncommercial

gallery for the exhibition of contemporary

art. Since 1993, the 440-square-meter loft has

been the exhibition site of three or four shows

a year that showcase art using handmade

paper as a critical component of the finished

work or as the vehicle of artistic expression.

In addition to her various collaborations as

director of Capellades, Victòria designs handmade

paper costumes for operas and musical

productions, and produces pulp-painted

images for limited editions of artists’ books

published by John Gerard. Examples of her

pulp painting imagery can also be found in

Hand Papermaking’s portfolio The Art of Pulp

Painting. Currently, she exhibits her art in

Barcelona at N2 Galeria.

For a quarter of a century, the Museu

Molí Paperer de Capellades has flourished

under the guiding vision and clear leadership

of its gifted director. It is unique

among other European paper museums

and historic mills because of the quality

of its educational programs and archival

production paper, and also because of the

contributions it makes through artistic

collaborations and exhibitions. Victòria

Rabal’s identity, first and foremost as

an artist, has motivated her to embrace

the myriad possibilities that hand

papermaking offers to students, teachers,

historians, scientists, and artists. I encourage

any paper enthusiast traveling to

Europe to visit Capellades and, if possible,

the director herself. For Internet travel-

Sidney Berger, a professor at Simmons College

in Boston and Director of the Phillips Library at

Peabody Essex Museum, has been collecting and

researching decorated paper for over thirty years.

This column continues Sid’s discussion of crepe

paper and its various uses, especially the marvelous

Hasegawa books.

> DECORATED PAPER

In my last column I spoke of crepe paper

as a decorative art, with a glance at crepe

paper books. These papers are quite lovely,

with their ability to stretch like Spandex and

their cloth-like touch. I can find little about

its history, though on the Web I did find the

following:

“Crepe” or “crêpe” generally refers to a

specific weave of lightweight fabric, originated

in the late 1700’s, which is crinkled

and slightly elastic in the hand. Crepe

paper is a general descriptive term for

paper that imitates the effect of the fabric.

Crepe paper is made by a water process,

which imparts the texture onto ordinarily

smooth paper. It was critical to the invention

of masking tape! The accordioned

texture allows the tape to partially adhere

to the surface, making it easily removable.

ers, please visit www.mmp-capellades.net

and www.victoriarabal.com to see some of

Victòria Rabal’s work.

(http://www.wilsonart.com/design/

statement/viewarticle.asp?articleid=45)

Unfortunately, this is not explicit about the

invention of crepe paper nor does it discuss its

actual manufacture, except in general (and not

terribly convincing) words.

In a website on paper dolls, the following

appears:

“[I]n the 1880s, Dennison Manufacturing

Company added crepe paper to their line,

starting a trend that lasted for about forty

years. Crepe paper added dimension to

the costumes of paper dolls and provided

countless hours of fun for children at

home and in schools” (http://www.opdag

.com/History .html).

Again, nothing on history or manufacture,

though a date is given. But this does not indicate

when or where the paper was invented.

Another website (http://int.kateigaho.com/

spr05/chirimenbon-books.html) says,

“Although crepe paper had been used in

Japan as early as 1800 for single-sheet

prints, Hasegawa is thought to be the first

to use it for complete books.”

By 1893, this lovely paper was being

used to make flowers and other decorative

products. In a June 18, 1893, article titled

“Evolution of Crepe Paper,” in The New York

Times we find:

When success in working in the plain surface

paper was achieved [in making paper

flowers] it was an easy step to wider fields.

The exquisite Japanese crêpe paper was

seized upon, opening up an almost unlimited

vista of decorative possibilities. This

paper is a delicately finished product of

the manufacturer’s art, made with what

might be called a corrugated surface. It is

soft to the touch, yet very strong in fibre.

It was, of course strong because it was

certainly made of kozo fibers, those long,

thin, strong fibers used in conservation

papers and for prints and paintings.

The manufacture is described this way:

The corrugation is simply the result of

some mechanical manipulation which

creases the originally smooth paper into

tiny folds or tucks that run across its width

so that lengthwise a piece of it is capable of

being stretched to twice its length. It is this

quality of stretching which gives it special

value in making many of the dainty things

produced by the clever fingers that have

become skilled in its use....It is hard to

convey an idea of the beauty of the material

and its brilliant softness; as, however, it

looks more like the fabric it undertakes to

imitate—the woven crêpe—than anything

else, this comparison is adequate description

and sufficient praise.

(See the full article with a query of

nytimes.com.)

Though crepe paper had many uses,

perhaps its most exquisite use was in the

lovely books produced in Japan for export,

mostly printed by “Takejiro Hasegawa, Meiji

Japan’s Preeminent Publisher of Wood-

Block-Illustrated Crepe-Paper Books.” This

is in quotation marks, because it is the title

of a wonderful exhibition catalog of these

books. The author, Frederic A. Sharf, did a

remarkable job pulling together information

about these books and their publisher

(Salem, MA: Peabody Essex Museum, 1994;

Peabody Essex Museum Collections, Vol. 130,

No. 4). Much of the following information is

drawn from this source.

In 1884, Takejiro Hasegawa set up a

publishing house in Tokyo; he was 31 years

old. He recognized an enormous Western

audience for his books, and he hit on the

idea of doing many books aimed at them.

He knew Western scholars who could do

translations for him, and he knew some of

the finest wood-block illustrators of his day

in Japan. He had fine illustrations done on

wood blocks, printing done by a Japanese

printer with Western equipment, and binding

done in Japan, “probably performed in a

cottage-industry setting” (Sharf, 11).

The earliest books were the Japanese

Fairy Tales Series, rendered into English,

German, and French, and all copyrighted

on August 17, 1885, under the imprint

of Kobunsha. These early volumes had

black-and-white illustrations and had plain

brown-paper wrappers.

> TO BE CONTINUED in the next issue.

> FOR BEGINNERS

Green living is increasingly on the

mind, especially in the post-industrial

countries that have, on the whole, forgotten

how to do this. My art practice is the one

area in my life where I will make all exceptions.

I will waste as much paper as I need

to in order to get a print to the right quality

and shape; I will, as one friend put it, easily

spend more money on book cloth than on

a pair of pants; and I will happily order my

fibers from distances across which I would

never source my food.

Recently I have been thinking that there

is no reason to leave sustainable practices

out of this area of my life. While I deeply

value artistic production, and even the

production of multiples, this practice does

not take place outside the ecosystem upon

which we depend. Further, what we might

consider to be good for a piece of paper, e.g.,

the longevity of its color through pigmenting,

might not be as good for our health

or the environment’s. I tended to be rather

casual about my contact with commercial

pigments, until I was at Penland School of

Craft, where any water containing pigment

is disposed of as a hazardous material. I’m

a little more likely to wear gloves while pigmenting

these days.

Papermaking is a medium with substantial

opportunity to develop an environmentally

responsible art making practice. I recently

had the opportunity to speak with Washington

DC-area artist Patterson Clark about his

papermaking process using fibers and fuel

from local invasive plants. Thus, not only is

he making paper from local fibers, but he is

also removing non-native species that threaten

the balance of the local ecosystem. Clark

has developed a working system that might

spark some ideas for your own process.

To cook the bast fibers that he harvests,

Clark burns the woody leftovers from the

plants (Paper and White varieties of Mulberry,

Tree of Heaven, English Ivy, Rose of

Sharon) on a portable wood stove.

The fibers are cooked in rainwater, collected

in a barrel, with potash lye made from wood

ash from the stove. When the fire dies out,

Clark allows the fibers to steep for ten hours

in the cooking liquor, wrapping the cooking

pot in two thick wool blankets to conserve

heat as the bast completes its cook.

Some bi-products of this process lend

themselves to other parts of Clark’s art making.

The black cooking liquor can be neutralized

with vinegar and rendered into a pHneutral

potassium acetate ink for printing

or drawing. Charcoal from the woodstove

can also be used for drawing or ink. The

downed weed trees that Clark sometimes

uses as firewood can also be milled into

lumber for printing blocks, picture framing,

or bas-relief carving. Wiry bast fibers from

some plants, once cooked, can be used to

make brushes, as well.

If local plant fibers are unappealing or

inaccessible (i.e., you live in the midst of

urban concrete), consider what materials

you might recycle. Printmakers and book

artists produce plenty of scraps of cotton rag

that can be re-processed into new papers.

In fact, are you re-processing scraps and

junk sheets of your own papers? Quilters

and sewers also produce scrap fibers,

which are often natural fibers suitable for

papermaking. How can you tap into these

supplies and make use of the waste of other

creative practices? Also investigate industrial

sources. If you are anywhere in the

vicinity of a paper or fabric mill, can you

access their off-cuts?

How can you conserve your water and

electricity use? I suggest re-using water that

you’ve strained from your vats or your beater

when you can. Cut a little off your electricity

usage by adding torn and cut fibers to the

beater before starting the beater rather than

tearing linters as the beater circulates.

Finally, know what you are putting into

your paper and in contact with your skin.

Material Safety Data Sheets should be available

for any additives you purchase to put

into your paper. These can help you determine

how to properly handle and dispose

of chemicals, polymers, and pigments. And

as Monona Rossol, a materials safety expert

who conducted a fantastic training I had

the opportunity to attend, says: “remember,

Mother Nature is not on your side.” That is

to say that using natural materials does not

mean you should abandon all precaution.

This statement was made in the context of

discussing citrus-based cleaners, which do

have toxins that will sit in your liver. There

is nothing wrong with using vinegar, baking

soda, and water when doing some serious

scrubbing in the studio. I know a papermaker

who experienced a severe reaction when

making paper from green gingko leaves. So,

experiment—one can’t innovate without bold

experimentation—but proceed with at least a

little bit of caution!

And finally, build on the knowledge

of your fellow papermakers. The Yahoo

Papermaking group, for example, is a great

resource for finding out about local plants

that are good for papermaking in your area.

Incorporating some of these ideas into

your art making will put you on your way to

incorporating your art practice into a more

sustainable life.

> more for beginners at:

handpapermaking.org/beginner

Listings for specific workshops and other

events in the following categories are

offered free of charge on a space-available

basis. The deadline for the April Newsletter

is February 15. Contact each facility

directly for additional information or a

full schedule. Teachers: Tell your students

about Hand Papermaking! Brochures

and handouts can be mailed to you or

your institution.

Email: info@handpapermaking.org

> CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS

Asheville BookWorks, Asheville, NC, (828)

255-8444, www.bookworksasheville.com.

Hands-on workshops including bookbinding,

printmaking, decorative paper, and

basic papermaking.

Suminagashi, Marbling and Box Making,

February 13 - 16, with Steve Pittelkow. Learn

both Japanese and acrylic marbling to create a

portfolio of beautiful papers for projects, using

your papers to cover boxes as you make simple

but elegant structures with ordinary tools.

Paste Paper: Historical and Contemporary

Surface Design, March 28-29, with Larry Lou

Foster. Learn traditional combed and pulled

patterns as well as contemporary variations of

the same, making “block printed” papers, using

‘pattern jigs’ for editions and finishing papers.

Paper Sculpture, April 20-22, with Frank

Brannon. Explore two different forms of paper

sculpture by using various papermaking fibers.

Atelier Cirkel, Brasschaat, Belgium, 0032-

3633 05 89, www.ateliercirkel.be.

Handmade Paper, February 7 or April 18,

with Denies Van Loon. Experiment with

pigments and fibers to create papers and a

small dimensional piece.

John C. Campbell Folk School, Brasstown,

NC, (704) 837-2775, www.folkschool.org.

Classes in papermaking and other crafts in

the mountains of western North Carolina.

Advanced Watercolor Marbling & Paste Paper

Extravaganza, January 11-17, with Mimi

Schleicher. Explore a variety of techniques,

controlled and abstract, for marbling, followed

by an introduction to paste papers.

Handmade Paper: Expanding the Possibilities,

January 18-17, with Claudia Lee. Use a variety

of pulps and cooked plants to create new

ways to work with paper pulp.

Japanese (Eastern) Papermaking, May 3-9,

with Rajeania Snider. Explore fiber preparation,

sheet forming (both traditional and

modern adaptations), and a wide variety of

decorative techniques.

Carriage House Paper, Brooklyn, NY, (800)

669-8781, www.carriagehousepaper.com.

Papermaking workshops offered in a new

studio space. Visit website for winter/spring

workshop schedule.

Circle of Life Studio and Summer Gallery,

Eagle River, WI, (715) 479-9737,

www.circleoflifestudio.com. Offering weekly

papermaking workshops June through September,

and by special arrangement all year.

Columbia College Chicago Center for Book

and Paper Arts, Chicago, IL, (312) 344-6630,

www.bookandpaper.org. Papermaking classes

in spacious downtown studios.

Desert Paper, Book and Wax, Tucson, AZ, www

.papermakingresources.com. Papermaking,

book, and mixed media encaustic workshops,

as well as consulting and studio rental.

Dieu DonnО Papermill, New York, NY, (212)

226-0573, www.dieudonne.org. Beginning

and advanced papermaking classes for

adults and children.

Gail Harker Creative Studies Center, Oak

Harbor, WA, (360) 279-2105, www.gail

creativestudies.com. Offering courses in textile arts.

Adventures in Papermaking, March 20-22,

with Lisa Harkins. Create a wide variety of

paper samples, learning to make both flat

and dimensional paper and to prepare a

range of fibers.

Green Heron Book Arts, Forest Grove, Oregon.

Classes in book and paper arts at the Accidental

BookMaker. Contact pagrass@aol.com for

more information.

Magnolia Editions, Oakland, CA, (510) 839-

5268, www.magnoliapaper.com. Workshops

in papermaking, printmaking, and book arts.

Maine Media Workshops, Rockport, Maine,

(877) 577-7700, www.theworkshops.com.

Year-round classes in multiple media.

Papermaking, February 8-14, with Bernie

Vinzani. Develop an understanding of the

historical aspects of paper while learning to

prepare and color fiber, form sheets, watermark,

dry, and finish your paper.

Minnesota Center for Book Arts, Minneapolis,

MN, (612) 215-2520, www.mnbookarts

.org. Classes at the Open Book center for

book and literary arts.

Paper Circle, Nelsonville, OH, (740) 753-

3374, www.papercircle.org, papercircle@

frognet.net. Call or e-mail for information

about upcoming paper classes.

Open Studio, second Saturdays, with studio

artists. Gain new skills while working on

themed, relaxed projects.

Japanese Paper Making, May 9, with Sara

Gilfert.

From Plants to Paper, June 6, with Sara Gilfert

and Susie Thompson. Create sheets from day

lilies, asparagus, and more.

The Papertrail, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada,

(800) 421-6826, www.papertrail.ca. Classes in

papermaking, marbling, and related arts and

studio rental scheduled on an as-needed basis.

PapierWespe (PaperWasp), Aegidigasse 3/Hof,

1060 Wien, Austria, (0676) 77-33-153,

office@papierwespe.at, www.papierwespe.at.

Workshops in English and German taught by

paper specialists in downtown Vienna.

Penland School, Penland, NC, (828) 765-

2359, www.penland.org. A full program of

craft workshops, including papermaking.

Subjective Color, June 21-July 3, with Mina

Takahashi. Explore how fiber and color

come together to create a nuanced palette in

papermaking, utilizing a range of Western

and Asian fibers with a variety of coloring

agents including artist pigments, fiber-reactive

synthetic dyes, and natural dyes.

Paper in Three Dimensions, July 19-August 4,

with Helen Hiebert. Take paper from two

dimensions to three through paper folding

and cutting, model making, papermaking

and other techniques; papermaking techniques

will include overbeaten and translucent

pulps, watermarking, and embedding wire,

string, or reed to give the paper structural

form.

Pyramid Atlantic, Silver Spring, MD, (301)

608-9101, www.pyramidatlanticartcenter.org.

Workshops in papermaking, printmaking,

and book arts.

Papermaking Society, First and Third Thursdays,

with Gretchen Schermerhorn. Bring

snacks, discuss papermaking techniques, and

make as many sheets of paper as you can.

Robert C. Williams Paper Museum, Atlanta, GA,

(404) 894-5726, http://ipst.gatech.edu/amp/.

Japanese Papermaking, June 22-26, with

Berwyn Hung. Learn each stage of the

papermaking process, from fiber collection

and preparation to making the paper using

traditional Japanese methods.

Southwest School of Art & Craft, San Antonio,

TX, (210) 224-1848, www.swschool.org.

Classes at the Picante Paper Studio. Special

papermaking classes can be scheduled for

one person or a group; please contact Beck

Whitehead for more information.

Advanced Studio Rental, most Wednesdays,

with alternate days and instruction available

upon request. Use of the Picante studio and

equipment.

Papermaking Saturday, January 31, or February

28, with Linda Draper. Create paper in an

environment that is somewhere between a

class and an open studio.

Stone and Paper Art Center, L.L.C., Mandeville,

LA, (504) 674-9232, www.stoneandpaper

.com. Hand Papermaking, selected Saturdays,

with Mary Elain Bernard. Learn Eastern

and Western methods of making paper and

incorporate local plant fibers.

Valley Ridge Art Studio, Muscoda, WI,

(608) 250-5028, www.valleyridgeartstudio

.com. Workshops in papermaking, bookmaking,

photography, writing, etc.

Paper Batiking Extraordinaire, February 7-8,

with Kathy Malkasian.

Paper and Fabric Marbling, April 4-5, with

Galen Berry. Learn to make beautiful,

multicolored patterned papers including

traditional patterns like the Peacock, Stone

Marble, Spanish Wave, Feather, Nonpareil,

French curl and more.

West Dean College, Chichester, West Sussex,

U.K., (0)1243 811301, short.course@

westdean.org.uk, www.westdean.org.uk.

Hand Marbling on Paper and Fabric, February

27-March 1, with Christopher Rowlatt. Make

samplers of traditional patterns and develop

your own work while learning every stage of

the marbling process.

Hand Marbled Papers, April 23-27, with

Victoria Hall. Explore suminagashi while

learning traditional patterns and the history

of paper marbling.

Recycled Papermaking for Artwork and Decorative

Objects, May 22-25, with Carol Farrow.

Experiment with paper pulps made from reused

paper ephemera to create cards, books,

containers and artworks.

Informing Paper: Recycled Paper Pulp Vessels

and Vintage Paper Casting, May 28-31, with

Magie Hollingworth. Explore ways of forming

organic vessels with recycled paper pulp and

casting with handmade and vintage papers.

Women’s Studio Workshop, Rosendale, NY

12472, (845) 658-9133, info@wsworkshop

.org. Summer Arts Institute includes workshops

in papermaking, printmaking, book

arts, photography, and other media.

Armatures for Sculptural Papermaking, July

6-10, with Chris Petrone and Ellen Kucera.

Create sculpture from the inside out with

elegant armatures covered in skin-like paper,

using basket weaving and welding techniques

to create more complex armatures.

Advanced Armatures for Sculptural Papermaking,

July 13-17, with Ellen Kucera and Chris Petrone.

Translate recent work into armatures and handmade

paper sculptures through one-on-one

discussions with the instructors.

Cross Pollination: Papermaking and Encaustic,

July 20-24, with Tatana Kellner and Cynthia

Winika. Create collages utilizing layering,

translucency and opacity, stenciling, pulp

painting, burnishing and more, incorporating

papermaking and basic encaustic

techniques .

Asian Papermaking, July 27-31, with Tatiana

Ginsberg. Investigate all aspects of Asian

papermaking in-depth, with a focus on Japanese-

style nagashizuki sheet formation and

exploration of decorative techniques.

Pulp Painting, August 3-7, with Shannon

Brock. Combine 2-D image making and 3-D

sculptural papermaking, developing images

by layering and overlapping thin veils of pulp.

Artists! Go Green: Natural Dyes for Paper,

Fiber and Painting, August 10-14, with Rita

Schwab. Learn to use specific parts of plants

for color extraction to use as dyes, to add

texture and color in papermaking and to

process them into paints.

Paper Clay Workshop: Form and Surface, July

27-31, with Elizabeth Kendall. Make tiles

from clay with cellulose fiber incorporated

into the clay body, exploring decoration techniques

and discussing slab construction.

EVENTS

Art, Fact, and Artifact: The Book in Time

and Place is the First College Book Art Association

Biennial Conference, taking place

January 8-10 and hosted by the University

of Iowa Center for the Book (UICB). The

conference seeks to bridge the worlds of

book art, book history, cultural criticism,

and curatorial work through appreciation of

the book as an aesthetic sensorium. Events

include tours of UICB’s papermaking

facilities as well as papermaking and other

demonstrations. More information can

be found at http://uicb.grad.uiowa.edu/

uicb-cbaa-conference/.

The Southern Graphics Council Conference

2009, featuring panels, exhibitions at over

40 locations around Chicago, and demonstrations,

will be held at Columbia College,

Chicago, March 25-29. The theme of this

year’s conference is Global Implications.

The schedule this year includes demonstrations

in hand papermaking by Jen Thomas,

Yukie Kobayashi, and Gretchen Schermerhorn

and a panel discussion on Printmaking

and Papermaking in India. Details are

available on the Internet at:

www.colum.edu/SpecialEvents/Southern_

Graphics_Council/index.php.

The 20th IAPMA Congress meets in Tasmania

March 26-30 in the coastal town of Bur-

> more classes and workshops at

handpapermaking.org/listings.htm

nie, home to Australia’s largest handmade

paper mill. The conference theme is Paper of

the New World and Rejuvenation of the Creative

Spirit. Events include workshops and

lectures and a juried exhibition. The program

can be viewed at www.iapmacongress2009.

com.au.

The Hybrid Book: Intersection and Intermedia,

an International Book Art Conference

and Fair, takes place on June 4-6, 2009 in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Hosted by The

University of the Arts, The Hybrid Book

seeks to explore how book art represents

a multi-arts forum: two-dimensional,

three-dimensional, and time-based, one in

which design, fine arts, craft, language, and

new technologies combine, compete, and

intersect. Events include panel discussions,

including artists working with handmade

paper; exhibitions, and a fair. For information

or to register, please visit www.hybrid

book.org, or email hybridbook@yahoo.com.

The Minnesota Center for Book Arts presents

the Book Art Biennial 2009, to be held July

23-26 in Minneapolis. Through a combination

of presentations by leaders in the field,

peer discussion sessions and hands-on

workshops, Book Art Biennial participants

will explore the theme Mature Content—the

Artist’s Book as Advocate, placing special

emphasis on the efficacy of artists’ books as

agents of social change and activism. The

keynote speakers will be John Risseeuw and

Philip Zimmerman. A centerpiece of the

Book Art Biennial will be the presentation

of The MCBA Prize, a new award recognizing

book art from across the field and

around the world. More information will be

available at www.mnbookarts.org. For questions

regarding Book Art Biennial 2009

or The MCBA Prize, contact MCBA Artistic

Director Jeff Rathermel at jrathermel@

mnbookarts.org.

The Friends of Dard Hunter meet annually

to enjoy speakers, presentations, tours of

local paper and book arts facilities, a trade

show, auction, and banquet. Scholarships

are available to those with financial need.

For information on this conference visit

www.friendsofdardhunter.org. The 2009

meeting will be held in Atlanta, Georgia.

Pulp Function, curated by Lloyd Herman,

founding Director of the Smithsonian’s Renwick

Gallery, will be at the Plains Art Museum,

Fargo, North Dakota, through February

8. It then travels to the James Michener

Museum, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, where

it will be on view March 14 through June 28.

Art made from paper pulp; recycled paper;

cardboard; papier mache; and cut, folded,

or otherwise manipulated paper is featured.

For more information, visit www.fullercraft

.org or www.thenic.org.

The World of Yugen: Japanese Paper Artworks

by Kyoko Ibe is on display through

January 4 at Krannart Art Museum, University

of Illinois, Champagne-Urbana. There

is an opening on August 28 at 5:00 and

additional related programs planned. The

installation of large scale hanging paper will

be accompanied by a separate exhibit of Ibe’s

latest two-dimensional washi works. More

details are available at www.kam.uiuc.edu.

Before Paper will be on display through

February at the new Carriage House Gallery,

245 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn, New York. The

exhibition spotlights methods of human

communication before paper was invented,

including stone, clay, bone, animal skins,

papyrus, leaves, wood strips, and metal.

Artifacts illustrating a world without paper

will be on display alongside documentary

films and books showing many of the ancient

processes. Gallery hours are every Thursday,

2-6 pm. For other hours, call (718) 599-

7857. This exhibition is the first of a series

arranged by the Museum of International

Paper History. The sponsoring organization

is The Institute of Paper History & Technology

at 8 Evans Road, Brookline, Massachusetts, or

online at www.papermakinghistory.org.

Time Travelers, work by Joan Giordano, is

on display through January 5 at Serrano

Contemporary at 547 West 27th Street,

5th Floor, New York City, New York. More

information can be found by calling (212)

239-1271 or visiting serranocontemporary

.com. For images of work by the artist, visit

www.joangiordano.com.

The handmade paper work of Drew Shiflett

will be on view at Lesley Heller Gallery

through January 31. The gallery is at 16 East

77th Street, New York City, New York. The

gallery can be contacted at (212) 410-6120

or Lesley@lesleyheller.com. More information

about the artist can be found at:

www.drewshiflett.com.

Minnesota artist Marjorie Alexander’s

handmade paper piece “Mantle of Concern”

is included in Miniartextil, an International

Textile Contemporary Art Exhibition, this

winter, in Como, Italy. It will then travel to

Rome and Paris. The theme of the exhibition

is “Matrix Natura.” The exhibition website is

at www.miniartextil.it. For more information,

email the artist at marge@maralex.com.

Women’s Studio Workshop in Rosendale,

New York, presents the work of Barbara

Biesinghoff in the Binnewater Arts Center

Gallery from January 9 through January 30.

As an Artists’ Book Resident at Women’s

Studio Workshop, Beisinghoff worked in

the papermaking, etching, and letterpress

studios. The exhibition will be followed by

the work of Laura Moriarty in February,

and the work of WSW Interns Laura Beyer,

Carolyn Baginski, and Kristen Jasionowski

in March. For location and details call

(845)658-9133 or visit www.wsworkshop.org.

Tatiana Ginsberg and Jenn Figg present

“Shadowlandscape” as part of the exhibition

Ephemerality at the Schuylkill Center for

Environmental Education in Philadelphia,

Pennsylvania. The piece is an animation of

an enormous “shadow” made of recycled

handmade paper scraps, filmed over the

course of a single day on the Center’s

grounds, as it moves, evolves, and disintegrates.

The show, which also includes work

by Sarah Phillips, Matt Pych, Theresa Rose,

and Claudia Sbrissa, opens January 12,

with a reception and artists’ talk on January

17, and runs through April 12. For more

information, visit www.schuylkillcenter.org

or call (215) 482-7300.

Project Runway, organized by the Robert C.

Williams Paper Museum of Atlanta, opens

at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International

Airport on January 12. The juried exhibit

will showcase clothing and accessories

made entirely from paper, including ball

gowns, business suits, stilettos, hats, vests

and much more created by paper artists

> EXHIBITS

from around the world. The exhibit runs

through January 12, 2010, after which it

travels to La Sala Galeria de Arte in Santiago,

Chile. For more information, call (404) 894-

7840 or visit www.ipst.gatech.edu/amp.

Spend a day or weekend immersed in a

papermaking workshop at Tidewater Cottage

and Studio in Del Haven, NJ. A two-block

walk from the beach and moments from

Victorian Cape May, the Cottage provides a

quiet retreat space with seashore ambience.

The fully equipped paper studio is available

for rental and workshops. For info contact

Winnie Radolan at winnie.r@verizon.net.

Cultural Collaborative, a small non-profit

working with children in Ghana, West

Africa, is looking for papermakers and

bookbinders to volunteer to teach the kids

next summer. If interested contact aba@

culturalcollaborative.org. For information

on Cultural Collaborative, visit:

www.culturalcollaborative.org.

The Creative Residency program in Visual

Arts at The Banff Centre, Alberta, Canada,

provides studio facilities and support for

artists working in a broad range of media,

including painting, drawing, performance,

ceramics, book arts, textile art, papermaking,

sculpture, installation, photography, and

more. Visit www.banffcentre.ca for information

about residencies and facilities, or

contact Wendy Tokaryk at wendy_tokaryk@

banffcentre.ca or (403) 762-6402.

Artists experienced in papermaking are invited

to apply for the opportunity to spend up

to three months working in the Paper Studio

at the Southwest School of Art & Craft. Artists

are expected to provide their own transportation

and materials. Housing may be available,

but is not guaranteed. Collaborations will be

considered. For further information contact

SSAC, 300 Augusta, San Antonio, TX 78205,

(210) 224-1848, www.swschool.org.

Women’s Studio Workshop offers several

opportunities for artists working in

papermaking and book arts. A year-long

internship program gives young artists

creative support, culminating in an exhibition,

in return for their assistance with the

on-going operations of the facility, including

assisting WSW’s Artists-in-Residence with

their projects and participating in WSW’s

Summer Arts Institute classes as studio

assistants. Studio fellowships are designed

to provide concentrated work time for artists

to explore new ideas in a dynamic and supportive

community of women artists. For

details on these and other programs, visit

www.wsworkshop.org.

> CALLS FOR ENTRIES

The Ice House seeks entries for the juried

exhibit Handmade Paper & Artist Books, to

take place in April 2009 in Berkeley, West

Virginia. Submit up to ten images for consideration

by January 2. Submission details

can be found at http://members.toast.net/

rpingevans, or contact curator Jane Ping

for more information at (304) 754-7558 or

jpingevans@yahoo.com.

The MCBA Prize, a new award recognizing

book art from across the field and

around the world, celebrates the diversity

of book art. A distinguished panel of jurors,

themselves leaders in the field, will select

five finalists, with the announcement of the

winning work at a gala event culminating

Book Art Biennial 2009. Further details,

submission guidelines and entry forms for

The MCBA Prize are available for download

from www.mnbookarts.org. For questions

regarding The MCBA Prize, contact MCBA

Artistic Director Jeff Rathermel at:

jrathermel@mnbookarts.org.

My Paper, My Land, a postcard show held to

coincide with the 2009 IAPMA Congress

in Burnie, Tasmania, invites entries of mail

art. Works should reflect where you come

from and contain at least eighty percent

paper. The size should be ten by fifteen

centimeters. Please send works through the

mail, preferably with postage stamp and

postmark, to Gail Stiffe, 11 Keltie Street,

Glen Iris, Victoria 3146, Australia. Creative

Paper’s Gallery will display the postcards

for one month and on the web. For more

details, contact info@gailstiffe.com.

Works should be sent by March 1.

Conrad Wilde Gallery of Tucson, AZ is reviewing

submissions from artists working with

handmade and machine made paper for a 2009

exhibition. View the General Call for Submissions

at www.conradwildegallery.com. Submissions

for the paper exhibition are due March

3, 2009. The gallery also seeks proposals for

workshops. Questions may be addressed to

info@conradwildegallery.com.

Carriage House Paper will sponsor a 2 1/2

week expedition to papermaking areas in

southwest China and northern Thailand in

February 2009, visiting remote villages where

ancient hand skills have been practiced for

centuries. These areas have spectacular scenic

beauty and remarkable cultures. Specific

information will be available in the fall. For

more information, contact Donna Koretsky

at donna@carriagehousepaper.com or call

(718) 599-7857.

A new gallery, Space On Dobbin, opened

at the end of September 2008, at Dobbin

Mews, the building complex owned by Robbin

Ami Silverberg and her husband and

artist AndrЗs BЪrЪcz, and housing Dobbin

Mill and Dobbin Books. The gallery is connected

to their non-profit, Alma on Dobbin

Inc., an organization that promotes crosscultural

exchange between the US and traditional

underserved cultural communities.

The opening event was a lecture given by

Willem Boshoff, a South African artist, who

spoke about his work, “Garden of Words,”

consisting of installations about the 15,000

endangered plant species in the world.

The Traditional Papermaking Village Project

Province, the Republic of the Philippines.

The project involves making paper from

rice harvested using traditional methods

and other native fibers; papermaking is

scheduled to start in January. A fundraising

workshop will be offered June 26-30, 2009

focusing on Oryza sative, or rice straw. For

more information, contact Asao Shimura

at asaoshimura@yahoo.com.

The Paper Industry International Hall of

Fame in Appleton, Wisconsin, included Dard

Hunter among its 2008 honorees. Dard

Hunter III spoke on behalf of his grandfather

about the importance of the handmade

paper community. For more information and

a complete list of Inductees, call (920) 380-

7491 or visit www.paperhall.org

Donna Allgaier-Lamberti’s process of making

paper from plants is featured in the

October-November 2008 issue of Country

Woman Magazine. The article spans three

magazine pages and includes twelve color

photographs, and is the result of two days in

the studio during September 2007.

To view the feature on the Internet, go to

www.countrywomanmagazine.com and

follow the link titled “Paper Caper.”

The Combat Paper Project, a collaboration

involving war veterans, activists, and artists,

has a new website at www.combatpaper.org.

The site features information on upcoming

workshops and lectures, exhibitions, image

gallery, and more.

Classifieds in Hand Papermaking Newsletter

cost $1.00 per word, with a 10-word minimum.

Payment is due in advance of publication.

Paper Equipment: 5 lb. Valley Beater plus

more. Please contact David, rpmstudio@

mac.com.

Little Critter Hollander Beaters, sized from

3/4# to 10# capacity. Contact Mark Lander,

51 Hodgsons Rd, RD2, Rangiora 7472,

New Zealand; ph 0064 3 3103132;

email: lander-gallery3@xtra.co.nz.

Cotton Linter Pulp. All quantities available.

Call Gold’s Artworks, Inc. 1-800-356-2306.

Papermaking Supplies and Equipment.

Various fibers, chemicals, pigments, etc.

Call Penny at (704) 840-8189 or email

claypenny@gmail.com

> more classifieds at

handpapermaking.org/listings.htm

Hand Papermaking continues to offer

Selected Paper Artists, 2004, featuring

62 images of contemporary artwork by

19 paper artists juried from the Hand

Papermaking Artist Registry. Two

versions of this collection are on sale:

purchase a set of slides for $200 plus $10

postage, or purchase a CD-ROM for $35

postpaid. Both include a 48-page booklet

including image descriptions and artist

statements, plus an introduction and

history of the project. Juried from over 500

current slides, this generous sampling of

stunning imagery demonstrates a wide variety

of techniques. These inspiring images

make an excellent classroom presentation.

They are the perfect solution for educators,

publicists, scholars, and curators looking

for unique talent. They present a helpful

overview for newcomers. They are an inspiration

to anyone interested in handmade

paper art. To place an order send $210 for

the set of slides or $35 for the CD-ROM to

Hand Papermaking, PO Box 1070, Beltsville,

MD 20704. Or call (800) 821-6604

or (301) 220-2393. Additional information

about Hand Papermaking’s Artist Registry

can be found at:

www.handpapermaking.org.

Hand Papermaking would like to thank the

following people and organizations who have

made direct contributions to further our mission.

As a non-profit organization, we rely on the support

of our subscribers and contributors to continue operating.

All donations are greatly appreciated and are

tax deductible. Call or write for more information

on giving levels and premiums.

Benefactors: Barbara Lippman, David

Marshall & Alan Wiesenthal. Underwriters:

Cathleen A. Baker, Sidney Berger & Michele

Cloonan, Tom & Lore Burger, Ali Fujino,

Susan Gosin, Hiromi Paper International,

Mary Lou Manor, Charles E. Morgan, Marilyn

& Steve Sward, Nancy & Mark Tomasko,

Beck Whitehead, Pamela S. Wood. Sponsors:

Gail Deery, Jane M. Farmer, Helen Frederick,

Eve Ingalls Von Staden, Ingrid Rose

Company, Joyce Kierejczyk, Peter Newland

& Robyn Johnson, Margaret Prentice, Anil

Revri, Kimberly Schenck, Scott R. Skinner.

Donors: Grimanesa Amoros, Timothy Barrett,

Nancy Cohen, Nita Colgate, William

Dane, Mona Dukess, Martha Duran, Karla

Elling, Lori B. Goodman, Helen Hiebert,

Rick Johnson, Sally Wood Johnson, Elaine

Koretsky, Hedi Kyle, Andrea Peterson, Nancy

Pobanz, Brian Queen, Winifred Radolan,

Dianne L. Reeves, John L. Risseeuw, Mary C.

Schlosser, R. H. Starr, Jr., Claire Van Vliet,

Tom Weideman. Supporters: Lynne Allen,

Marjorie & Harold Alexander, Martha Anderson,

Lois D. Augur, James Barton, Lora

Brueck, Inge Bruggeman, T. Patterson Clark,

Rona Conti, Charles Cooper, Wavell Cowan,

Elizabeth Curren, Jennifer Davies, Dianne

Dolan, Jonathan Fairbanks, David Lance

Goines, Dorothy Fall, Kathy Fitzgerald,

Sara Gilfert, Deborah Hamburger, Theresa

Fairbanks Harris, Helen Hiebert, Barbara

Hunter, Mildred Monat Isaacs, Lou

Kaufman, Allye Kranish, Elaine Koretsky,

M. P. Marion, Gordon Marshall, Edwin

Martin, Joyce McDaniel, Marion Melody,

Ann Montanaro, Patricia L. O’Neal, Harry

& Sandra Reese, S.A. Scharf, Pam Scheinman,

Agnes Schlenke, Jessica Spring,

Karen Steiner, Marie Sturken, Sheila

Sturrock, Betty Sweren, Betty Ustun, Elsi

Vassdal-Ellis, Anne Williams, Women’s

Studio Workshop, Kathy Wosika. Friends:

Dorothy Berman, Linda Costello, Rosalind

Fink, Sue Ann Foster, Steve & Bonnie

Heller, Ellen Kulka, Kathy A. Ludwig in

honor of E. Shirley Baker, Kyle Olmon,

Adie Pena, Natalia Romero, Ellen Rubin,

Thomas Stritch, Robin Sutton, Dagmar

Vrkljan-Kubastova, Dale Weyermann.

In-Kind: Laurence Barker, Carol Barton,

Sid Berger & Michele Cloonan, Georgia

Deal, Janet DeBoer, Rose Folsom, Peter

Ford, Helen Frederick, Helen Hiebert,

Le Madeleine Restaurant, Lisa Hill, Peter

Hopkins, Sukey Hughes, Emily Martin,

Russell Maret, Drew Matott, Ken Polinskie,

Preservation Technologies, Pyramid

Atlantic, Britt Quinlan, Amy Richard,

Gretchen Schermerhorn, Shawn Sheehy,

Bonnie Stahlecker, Betty Sweren, Trader

Joe’s, Claire Van Vliet, Whole Foods.

a

Remembering Marilyn Sward, Hand Papermaking was touched and grateful

to receive very generous gifts in her honor from Cathleen A. Baker, Timothy Barrett, Paul Denhoed,

Helen Frederick, Susan Gosin, Lois & Gordon James, John Risseeuw, Karen Stahlecker, and Jody Williams.

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