Hand Papermaking is excited to announce Rosa Chang as its new Executive Director!

Rosa is a Baltimore–based artist, author, and educator with a robust background in nonprofit management. Most recently she served as Special Projects and Grant Associate at the Maryland State Arts Council.

The clear choice to lead Hand Papermaking into its fourth decade, Rosa recently spearheaded the Baltimore Natural Dye Initiative, which required managing extensive collaborations  between agencies and institutions in both the US and Korea. Outside of her professional roles she maintains passion projects such as the Indigo Shade Map, an online mapping project and blog online since 2020, which traces natural indigo’s global historical roots while orienting to contemporary conversations and diverse communities.

As a Korean immigrant, fiber artist, and illustrator Rosa brings a fresh perspective to Hand Papermaking. “I am committed to promoting inclusivity, creativity, and sustainability,”says Rosa Chang. “I sense a deep resonance with Hand Papermaking’s guiding principles and look forward to exercising these values with the Hand Papermaking community.”

Hand Papermaking board chair Marie McInerney states, “We are so excited for the future of Hand Papermaking and trust Rosa Chang to lead the way!

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Rosa Chang's Full Bio

Rosa is a multifaceted creative soul, weaving her passions for art, writing, and gardening into a tapestry of harmony between humanity and the natural realm. Her artistic endeavors are a celebration of the organic, drawing inspiration from the raw beauty of natural materials and landscapes. Across various mediums and scales, Rosa's creations breathe life into her vision of a symbiotic relationship with nature. Currently, Rosa is deeply engaged in fostering cultural exchanges by sharing the rich heritage of Korean and Asian traditional Indigo and Natural Dye textile processes. Through workshops and community initiatives, she endeavors to cultivate an appreciation for these time-honored crafts and the cultures they represent.

In May 2023, Rosa's creative journey reached a new milestone with the publication of her debut picture book, "My Indigo World," where she not only authored the enchanting narrative but also brought it to life with her illustrations. This captivating work has garnered widespread acclaim, receiving nominations from esteemed awards and organizations. Among its accolades are being named a 2023 New York Public Library Best Book, a 2024 NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book, and earning a spot on prestigious reading lists such as the Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List and the 2024 CCBC Choice. Additionally, it has been selected as a 2024 Maryland's "Great Reads from Great Places" Library of Congress Children's Book Selection for the National Book Festival.