Helen Hiebert's Blog, page 2

Performance On Paper

The Sunday Paper #563

July 14, 2025

I’m getting work ready to ship off to Atlanta for a group exhibition at The Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking with Nancy Cohen and Sara Garden Armstrong. One element in the show will be these abaca specimens. I hope you can come meet the three of us at the opening on September 4th – save the date if you’re in the area – an official announcement will be coming soon.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

I read about this exhibition in Hiromi Paper’s newsletter. Performance on Paper (May 3 – August 10, 2025) features prints and drawings created at the intersection of music and dance by twenty artists active from the 1960s to the present, exploring how works of art on paper can store sound and movement, becoming lasting visual records of ephemeral sonic and dance experiences.

Jason Moran, Touch 6, 2019. Dry pigment on Gampi paper. 25 1/4 × 38 in. (64.1 × 96.5 cm). UCLA Grunwald Center for the Graphic Arts, Hammer Museum. © 2019 Jason Moran.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

I can’t wait to get my hands on Aimee Lee’s new book, As Good As Our Tools. “For over two millennia, humans have made paper by inventing, improving, and adapting a range of tools and equipment to effectively create the best product. In the 20th century, European-style hand papermaking experienced a revival made possible by specialized studios and tools. This field of creative hand papermaking is small but robust, enabled by a key group of people: the toolmakers. These skilled makers build the equipment and tools essential to making paper by hand but receive little attention.” Published by The Legacy Press; available from Oak Knoll.

———————————————————————————————––––––

I enjoyed reading about this interview with Megan Cignoli, who is drawn to materials that feel fragile – paper pulp, raw clay, fabric, plaster, eggshells, glass – because they carry emotion and feel honest. She tries to hold onto a moment, like saving a note or a feeling. That tension between holding on and letting go is at the heart of what she makes.

RUOK, 2025, recycled paper, clay and pigments on Birch Board

———————————————————————————————––––––

This headline caught my attention: What Happens When You Throw a Paper Plane From Space?

———————————————————————————————––––––

Paper TidbitsHere’s a sneak peak inside my upcoming book, Weaving With Paper. Although you can pre-order on Storey’s website, you might want to wait until I announce my special pre-order in early bonuses in early October. The book comes out on December 16th.I so enjoyed the Jitterbugs created by members of The Paper Year in June. Watch the video!

———————————————————————————————––––––

If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper?

Tell 4000+ paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in these posts – to products that I receive a small commission on if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Performance On Paper appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

Paper Procession

The Sunday Paper #562

July 7, 2025

The Paper Year is open to new members now through July 10th. Here’s what we’ll be making in July (a Reusable Book Cover), August (Pillow Boxes with guest artist Susan Niner Janes) and September (a Pop-Up Sampler). We explore a different technique and project every month, and if you join now, you gain access to the entire Paper Year Library (with more than 50 projects).

And here’s what a longtime member has to say about The Paper Year:

If you have any hesitation about joining an online course because it might be impersonal, The Paper Year is just the opposite. The ongoing course offers an encouraging community of paper artists … having just the right mix of sharing as much or as little as you want. Helen guides you with step by step instructions that are well-structured and a benefit to both novice and professional artists. Monthly Zoom sessions allow you to become acquainted with your classmates, and I particularly enjoy that we share images of our work and the practical tips we receive from each other. It keeps me motivated. Another enjoyable feature of The Paper Year is Helen’s sharing of international paper artists; exposing you to creatives from around the world that you might not be aware of. 

Helen’s passion, enthusiasm and vast knowledge of the paper arts is shown in every aspect of her instruction. And the knowledge I have gained through her books and instructions has truly been a gift for my art practice. This is what keeps me signing up year after year. – Claudia W from NY State

Click through to read all about The Paper Year and join us. And please reach out if you have any questions.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

The Papermaking Art Retreat in Oaxaca, Mexico will take place Feb 5–12, 2026. Join artist Paula Hartmann and cultural guide Katrin Schrimpf for an unforgettable 8-day creative immersion in the artisanal heart of Oaxaca. Learn traditional papermaking with Eduardo Santiago Gijón using native plant fibers like agave and corn husks, explore natural dyes, and take part in a paper jewelry workshop with a local Mexican artist. Paula will guide participants in creating poetic paper mobiles that draw on movement and craft traditions. Wander Oaxaca’s colorful street art alleys, hike ancient Zapotec trails, and enjoy rich cultural offerings like alebrije painting and a traditional cooking class. Stay in cozy, art-centered accommodations in both peaceful San Agustin Etla and vibrant Oaxaca City. “This retreat was pure magic—calm, authentic, and full of inspiring people.” – Anne; “Each day was a new adventure into the art, the land, and the people.” – Rebekah. Sign up for a free informational webinar on August 5th.

———————————————————————————————––––––

I love this story on so many levels! Learn about a student who is preparing for the future through hands-on learning as she makes paper with local fibers. Laura Dahl is spending this summer creating a signature College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University handmade paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

If you are in or around Yorkshire, I hope you can get over to Yorkshire Sculpture Park it see the multi-decade survey of Kentridge’s sculptural practice (through April 19, 2026). The Pull of Gravity is the first show to focus on his 3D work outside South Africa. His work, Paper Procession, displayed outdoors, is a commission created for YSP of six monumental, colorful sculptures that parade in front of a century-old yew hedge.

———————————————————————————————––––––

A blast from the past,  check out the University of Iowa Center for the Book’s papermaking effort for the National Archives Charters of Freedom project, circa 1999, which resulted in paper that sits under the Declaration of Independence.

———————————————————————————————––––––

Paper TidbitsThe 2025 Guild of American Papercutters Conference, the 2025 GAP Members Exhibition “Mountains and Valleys,” and the inaugural GAP Excellence in Exhibition Awards will all take place August 15-17 in the lovely Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Commune with fellow papercutters, learn new cutting techniques, practice your craft and make life-long friends!The Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State is currently hosting “Washi Transformed: New Expressions in Japanese Paper” organized by Meher McArthur.

———————————————————————————————––––––

If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper?

Tell 4000+ paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in these posts – to products that I receive a small commission on if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Paper Procession appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

The Book Arts of Moby Dick

The Sunday Paper #561

June 29, 2025

We made these Mini JoY Banners yesterday in a workshop I held on Zoom to kick of registration for The Paper Year, my online membership community. Who doesn’t need a little JoY reminder these days – simply hang one of these in clear sight. My childhood friend sent me this photo – she and her sister-in-law joined us from London, ON.

Watch the replay and learn how to make your own Mini Joy Banner.

The Paper Year is now open for new members now through July 10th. Click through to read all about it and join us. Reach out if you have any questions – registration is open through July 10th.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

Over the past year Lori Goodman and Teddy Milder collaborated on collective grief-in memoriam, by reflecting on the mass killings of the holocaust; genocide, war and devastation in Gaza; and atrocities occurring throughout history, including the current threats on democracy. They were simultaneously inspired to make work to mark collective grief and created over 100 black sculptures of handmade, pigmented and dyed abaca and kozo paper. To leave the work with a gesture toward healing and hope, they created additional sculptures – pigmented with a saffron hue—as an offering of light. The work was recently exhibited at The Barn Gallery, in Eureka, CA.

———————————————————————————————––––––

Draw Me Ishmael: The Book Arts of Moby Dick is the first exhibition focused on the book arts of the hundreds of editions of Moby Dick that have been published since 1851: the illustrations, binding designs, typography and even the physical structures. Drawn almost entirely from the Phillips Library collection, this intimate gallery space in the James Duncan Phillips Trust gallery explores decades of creative approaches to interpreting the novel visually in book form. Now on view at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA.

Henry M. Johnson, Acushnet (Whaler) log book 1845-1847. Log 1234. Ink, pencil and watercolor on paper. Phllips Library, gift of Augustus P. Loring, 1957.

———————————————————————————————––––––

Check out these light-as-a-feather paper lamps by Montreal-based artist and designer Camila Gaza Manly. And how cool is this? Her first collection began with a 100 day challenge.

———————————————————————————————––––––

This is an interesting article about a defunct papermill that is coming back to life as consumer demand for fast food feeds a business plan to produce lightweight wrapping and packaging material.

———————————————————————————————––––––

I hosted the first Papermaking Master Class of the year (1 of 2) last week. We had a good time exploring the variety of ways you can work with paper. Special thanks to Lynne, Elena, Kirk and Gesine for traveling to Colorado from North Carolina, Michigan, Arizona and Montana.

Paper TidbitsI’ve had a last minute cancellation for my upcoming Taos Paper Retreat. Please reach out if you’d like to join us, July 20-26 at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House, for a week of paper weaving.

———————————————————————————————––––––

If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper?

Tell 4000+ paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in these posts – to products that I receive a small commission on if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post The Book Arts of Moby Dick appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

Layered Paper Portraits

The Sunday Paper #560

June 22, 2025

I’m looking forward to working with the first Papermaking Master Class cohort of the season this week in my studio. This is a great excuse for me to clean up. We’ll be working with several fibers as we explore the techniques in my book, The Papermaker’s Companion.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

Patricia Brett is currently showing at TenBerke Architects in NYC. “Line Weights: Cast Paper Reliefs” is curated by McKenzie Beynon and is on view through August 22nd at 41 Madison on the 17th Floor (gallery hours Wednesday and Fridays 11:00am – 5:00pm). Brett’s artistic practice is a bit of “mad scientist meets conjurer.” She sets up an experiment with materials, allows her hands and body to take over and engage intuitively with them, then see what happens.

———————————————————————————————––––––

Wowza! Check out these layered paper portraits by Lauren Camara. Behind each of her paper portraits is a photograph she’s taken, an image reimagined through her own lens, shaped by how she sees the world.

———————————————————————————————––––––

“Portrayals in Paper: Tales of Overcoming,” is an exhibit featuring the paper quilling of artist Nikki Besser, now on display at the Crossing Arts Alliance in Brainerd, MN,  through July 5th.

———————————————————————————————––––––

In case you didn’t see this last week, I’m hosting a FREE Zoom mini-workshop next Saturday. Come make a Mini JoY Banner with me. The session will begin with a short, face-paced overview of The Paper Year (which will open for registration that day). This workshop will take place on Saturday, June 28th at Noon mountain time (GMT-6). Register for this one-hour event and get the supply list here.

In light of current events, I think we could all use a little JoY right now. Come make a Mini JoY Banner to remind yourself to create joy in your own life; send it to a friend; or post what you create far and wide so that the entire world sees it. Of course you can create any letter/word combination that you wish. And hopefully, you will experience JoY while making these clever “letter pockets” at this free online community event. Please invite your friends to join us. I look forward to seeing you!

———————————————————————————————––––––

I hope that those of you in the Bay Area will get to see Ruth Asaw: Retrospective at SFMOMA (through September 2, 2025). I’ve seen at least one folded paper piece posted online by someone who saw the show.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

Paper TidbitsI’ve had a last minute cancellation for my upcoming Taos Paper Retreat. Please reach out if you’d like to join us, July 20-26 at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House, for a week of paper weaving.

———————————————————————————————––––––

If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper?

Tell 4000+ paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in these posts – to products that I receive a small commission on if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Layered Paper Portraits appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

Protest for JoY

The Sunday Paper #559

June 15, 2025

FREE Zoom mini-workshop alert! Come make a Mini JoY Banner with me on June 28th. The session will begin with a short, face-paced overview of The Paper Year. (The Paper Year will open for registration that day – Hold Your Spot).

This workshop will take place on Saturday, June 28th at Noon mountain time (GMT-6). Register for this one-hour event and get the supply list here.

In light of current events, I think we could all use a little JoY right now. Come make a Mini JoY Banner to remind yourself to create joy in your own life; send it to a friend; or post what you create far and wide so that the entire world sees it. Of course you can create any letter/word combination that you wish. And hopefully, you will experience JoY while making these clever “letter pockets” at this free online community event. Please invite your friends to join us. I look forward to seeing you!

——————————————————————————————–––––––

I enJoYed discovering these works on paper by Lyonel Feininger, a major figure of the Bauhaus. What began as sketches, woodcuts and hand-carved toys for his sons soon expanded into a large series of drawings and watercolours made for the private enjoyment of friends and family. He called them “ghosties,” “spooks,” “little people,” “grotesques,” “demons,” “pixies,” “Mysterious Petes” and other names.

Lyonel Feininger, Three Ghosties, c.1950. Pen and black ink, brush and watercolour and gold paint over charcoal on beige wove paper, 8.9 x 10.4 cm. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. © Estate of Lyonel Feininger / Artist Rights Society (ARS), New York / CARCC, Ottawa, 2025 Photo: NGC

———————————————————————————————––––––

Set aside 10 minutes to watch this installation unfold before your eyes. The Five Continents of All Our Desires by Joël Andrianomearisoa at Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town, South Africa, celebrated relations and connections. Watch the construction of the installation with black silk paper, as six large-scale sculptures form a suspended archipelago in a poetic reference to land masses and geographies of the imagination. 

——————————————————————————————–––––––

I am intrigued by the experimental approach of Dennis Lee Mitchell. Armed with an acetylene torch, he follows a careful process of experimentation, mixing powders and combined pigments with time and heat, much like ceramics and glazing, that has led him to the unique colorways in the smoke captured on paper. The process involves intentional science enhanced by chance—sometimes, colors combine and when heated, smoke in an entirely new hue.

In the spirit of a true abstract expressionist, Mitchell represents himself on his own terms using the rarely executed medium of smoke even as he walks in the footsteps of Yves Klein and Claudio Parmiggiani, who both experimented with smoke. Unlike his predecessors, however, smoke has been his primary medium to date.

———————————————————————————————––––––

Paper sculptures encounter otherworldly happenings in this animated short film. Shotaro Kitada and Hoji Tsuchiya  collaborated on a music video for a track called “Prime” from Japanese saxophonist Tamoaki Baba’s 2024 album, Electric Rider. Constructing a world of paper cutouts and sculptures, Kitada and Tsuchiya worked remotely to make the experimental short film, never meeting in person due to their geographic distance.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

Paper TidbitsHave you had a chance to listen to my interview with Marianne Guély on Paper Talk?Kelli Anderson has designed some cleverly paper engineered cardboard protest signs. Here’s one.I used her sentiments on my own protest sign for a peaceful rally here in Edwards, Colorado yesterday.

———————————————————————————————––––––

If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper?

Tell 4000+ paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in these posts – to products that I receive a small commission on if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Protest for JoY appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

Glimpse

The Sunday Paper #558

June 8, 2025

I created this mini banner to remind myself that I am responsible for creating JoY in my life. And guess what? I enJoYed designing it! Come make one with me – save the date – June 28th from 12-1pm MT. I’ll be hosting a free workshop on Zoom to kick off registration for The Paper Year. Details next week!

——————————————————————————————–––––––

I had the pleasure of speaking with Marianne Guély on Paper Talk. Studio Marianne Guély is a Paris atelier working at the crossroads of art, design, and craftsmanship. Specializing in the poetic staging of paper, the studio conjures up immersive worlds where imagination is reignited and stories come to life. Paper, a living material, enters into dialogue with space and imagination alike. Operating within the realm of luxury, Studio Marianne Guély conceives and shapes poetic universes, from the infinitely small to the grandiose, where beauty reveals itself in the precision of detail and the finesse of gesture. Enjoy our conversation!

———————————————————————————————––––––

I hope that someone reading this got to this exhibition at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Waters of the Abyss: An Intersection of Spirit and Freedom, featured the work of Brooklyn-based Fabiola Jean-Louis, who is known as the “newspaper lady” by her neighbors. To her, paper is sacred. With it, she interrogates Haitian liberation, Vodou, and opens portals to new worlds.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

I created this short video to show what we created in the Paper Lantern class I co-taught with Tim Barrett recently at the Paper & Book Intensive in Oxbow, Michigan.

———————————————————————————————––––––

This is a lovely film by Glimpse. Artist Matt Shlian invites us into his Ann Arbor studio – a place where geometry dances, experimentation leads the way, and process is everything. With hands guided by intuition and precision, Matt transforms flat sheets of paper into dimensional poetry. As we follow his meticulous rhythm, we glimpse not just the art, but the mind behind it.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

Paper TidbitsThe Guild of American Papercutters welcomes submissions to “Mountains and Valleys,” juried by Marie-Helene Grabman with awards up to $1500, inviting cut paper artworks that celebrate the Appalachian region and other elevations and depressions. Deadline: June 14.If you’re in the Atlanta area, don’t miss this! Internationally renowned paper artist Radha Pandey is teaching a natural dye workshop at the The Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking on Saturday, June 14th.

———————————————————————————————––––––

If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper?

Tell 4000+ paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in these posts – to products that I receive a small commission on if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Glimpse appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

Lantern Walk

The Sunday Paper #557

June 1, 2025

I’m flying home from Detroit today, where I wrapped up my Michigan trip by spending 3 days with our son, Will. The photo below is from a lantern walk on one of the last evenings at the Paper & Book Intensive – a lovely culmination of the workshop I co-taught with Tim Barrett. The giant lantern was created as a class project (under Tim’s guidance) and was one of the top sellers at the auction, which raises funds for future scholarships.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

I don’t hear much about paper from China, and according to this article, China’s Xuan paper largely disappeared from the international marketplace for decades after demand from its biggest export destination, Japan, dried up in the early 2000s.  The paper is a silent but vital part of some of the most iconic works in Chinese calligraphy and painting. Efforts are underway to distribute it abroad.

———————————————————————————————––––––

More paper and light! Radhika Sanghvi’s Sculptures are a conversation between form, light, and feeling. “As dusk falls, my sculptures shift in character, offering new patterns, moods, and details with every angle. Illumination breathes life into the form. It’s not just about lighting a space — it’s about creating emotion, quiet wonder, and a moment of pause,” says Sanghvi.

[image error] ——————————————————————————————–––––––

Immerse Yourself in the World of Kinetic Art at the Paper Mobile Retreat in Toronto! Join paper artist Paula Hartmann from September 22-27, 2025, for an inspiring 5-day retreat in the heart of Toronto. Delve into kinetic art by creating Polish paper chandeliers (pajaki), Scandinavian straw himmeli, and delicate Calder-inspired mobiles that come to life with the slightest breeze.Guided by Paula’s unique artistic approach, influenced by Eastern European and indigenous traditions, you’ll create one-of-a-kind pieces that dance in the air. This retreat is perfect for everyone—from hobby crafter to professional artist, including paper lovers, sculptors, designers, art teachers, and those passionate about sustainable art practices.

———————————————————————————————––––––

Joe Freedman creates the most amazing drawing machines. His newest is based on the first drawing machine ever made by Count Giambattista Suardi in 1752, which used a system of gears mounted on a rail to create wonderful geometric patterns.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

Paper TidbitsThis wrapping paper turns all of your presents into bread.The North American Hand Papermaker’s conference takes place September 11-13 in Minneapolis, MN.The International Association of Papermakers and Paper Artists (IAPMA) conference will be held in Shanghai, China in October 29 – November 2, 2025.

———————————————————————————————––––––

About our Sponsor: Paula Hartmann is a self-taught mobile maker and crafter currently working and living in Toronto, Canada. In her home studio she creates different styles of mobiles, kinetic sculptures, whimsical installations and jewelry pieces, which are partly inspired by East European and indigenous craft traditions.

———————————————————————————————––––––

If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper?

Tell 4000+ paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in these posts – to products that I receive a small commission on if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Lantern Walk appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

Paper Circle

The Sunday Paper #556

May 25, 2025

Hello from Western Michigan. I’m taller here! That stretch from my feet to the water is at least 50 feet. We just wrapped up Session 1 of the Paper & Book Intensive (in which I created bone folders and tactile (fabric) books). It is wonderful to be a student. Today is break day – Tim Barrett and I are setting up the papermaking studio for our lantern making class that begins tomorrow, and I’m in Saugatuck at a coffee shop writing this post. Isn’t Memorial Day weekend the start of summer? It’s still brrr cold here, but so great to be amongst likeminded old & new friends and colleagues.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

Paper Circle is sunsetting, and they are running a promotion through May 31st – buy a full size sheet and get the next full size sheet for free. They have lots of o-gami thin, medium and thick in tons of colors, unbleached abaca, hemp, cotton and kozo sheets. They also have dried paper mulberry fiber:  buy two pounds get one free.

———————————————————————————————––––––

Check out these lights by Australian-based artist Lana Launay, who works with natural materials, such as handmade paper, beeswax, and coffee-stained raffia, creating pieces on request for clients in Australia (and taking international orders through Love House in New York, and selling select designs at Claude Home, also in NYC).

Lana Launay building her Modular light. Photo by Nic Gossage.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

Liliane Burkhard, a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa research affiliate, was selected as one of two Artists in Residence for the European Geosciences Union (EGU) 2025 General Assembly in Vienna, Austria. Burkhard created a large-scale installation that bridges science and art by transforming discarded conference posters into a floating cloud sculpture. With the installation, “Clouds of Insights,“ Burkhard created a space for reflection and conversation, while also emphasizing sustainability by repurposing materials from the conference itself.

———————————————————————————————––––––

I so enjoyed this poem, sent to me by a blog reader this week (original source). It conjured lovely images in my head:

Stationery
Agha Shahid Ali

The moon did not become the sun.
It just fell on the desert
in great sheets, reams
of silver handmade by you.
The night is your cottage industry now,
the day is your brisk emporium.
The world is full of paper.

Write to me.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

Paper TidbitsHave you had a chance to listen to my interview with Cynthia Thompson on Paper Talk?The North American Hand Papermaker’s conference takes place September 11-13 in Minneapolis, MN.

———————————————————————————————––––––

Author’s Corner

With my new book coming out in November, I thought I’d spend the months leading up to publication sharing a bit about the process of bringing a book to life. Feel free to send me your questions, and I’ll try to address them here. Autographed copies of Weaving With Paper will be available for pre-order from me (along with special bonus content) this summer.

I started writing how-to books back in the early 00’s, before e-books were a thing. Fortunately, my books have sold well enough (thanks to YOU) that they are all available digitally these days. For the month of May, Papermaking with Garden Plants & Common Weeds is just $2.99 (75% off)!

 

About Our Sponsor: Paper Circle is a small non-profit  that was started twenty two years ago by master papermaker Sara Gilfert. It is a small production studio, education center, gallery and gathering place in Nelsonville, Ohio.

———————————————————————————————––––––

If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper?

Tell 4000+ paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in these posts – to products that I receive a small commission on if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Paper Circle appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

The Paper and Book Intensive

The Sunday Paper #555

May 18, 2025

I’m on the road again… heading to the Paper and Book Intensive (PBI) in Oxbow, Michigan. This is an annual summer camp for book and paper artists! I get to take two classes during Session 1, and then I will co-teach a class with Tim Barrett during Session 2. And since our son moved to Detroit in October, I’ll be capping off my trip by spending a couple of days with him.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

Speaking of PBI, I met Jim Croft many years ago there, when he was teaching a tool making workshop. He visited my studio in Portland a couple of times to test beat hemp fire hose in my beater. Croft is a medieval-inspired bookbinder and papermaker who has spent his life learning and teaching the ‘old ways’ of making books, tools, and a living from the land. Some friends of his created this website to help find good homes for his books.

———————————————————————————————––––––

I had the pleasure of speaking with Cynthia Nourse Thompson, professor and Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Zuckerman Museum of Art at Kennesaw State University, on Paper Talk. Thompson was also Associate Professor and Director of the graduate programs in Book Arts & Printmaking and Studio Art at University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA for six years; served as Associate Professor and Curator of Exhibitions at University of Arkansas; spent twelve years as Professor of Book, Print and Paper Arts and Chair of Fine Arts at Memphis College of Art; and also worked at Dieu Donné Papermill, Harlan & Weaver Intaglio and Rutgers Center for Innovative Print and Paper (now the Brodsky Center at Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts). Enjoy our conversation!

——————————————————————————————–––––––

This article uncoils the age-old craft of paper filagree, or quilling. I remember exploring this technique when I found a library book about it in seventh grade. It has an interesting history, and contemporary artists are pushing the medium to new heights.

For the piece “Birches At Sunset,” Sandra White chose vibrant colors to make the nature scene. White compressed and layered coils to make the sunset, the water reflection and the white birch trees. Courtesy/ Sandra White

———————————————————————————————––––––

Wowza! Ayumi Shibata’s delicate sculptures – carefully cut from countless sheets of paper and tied together – symbolize the artist’s hope for a world where everything exists in harmony. As seen on My Modern Met.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

Paper TidbitsJim Croft is offering a 2-week Old Ways of Making Books from Raw Materials workshop in Idaho, June 24 – July 9.I just learned about this book, published to accompany a traveling exhibition celebrating Women’s Studio Workshop’s publishing history: A Radical Alteration: Women’s Studio Workshop As A Sustainable Model For Art Making.

———————————————————————————————––––––

Author’s Corner

With my new book coming out in November, I thought I’d spend the months leading up to publication sharing a bit about the process of bringing a book to life. Feel free to send me your questions, and I’ll try to address them here. Autographed copies of Weaving With Paper will be available for pre-order from me (along with special bonus content) this summer.

Weaving With Paper is heading to the printer next week! Today, I’ll share part of the introduction that appears in the book:

“I have a vague memory of weaving strips of construction paper in elementary school—did you weave them, too? My interest in this practice was rekindled when I started working with paper in college. First, I discovered a unique Japanese style of pop-ups called “origamic architecture.” Then, shortly after graduating, I visited Japan and was inspired by the paper and wood shoji screens (room dividers) and the way that light filtered through the paper. I began teaching myself how to construct shoji screens and paper lampshades—experimenting with ways to enhance the paper with light—layering, piercing holes, and even making my own paper with watermarks.

Sometime in my twenties, I recalled that early paper weaving from childhood, and I created two lamps with woven shades. I was surprised (and disappointed) when the result wasn’t what I expected. The two papers blended together when illuminated, the light blurred the over/under weaving pattern, and the woven paper looked homogenous when it was backlit. There were a couple of interesting effects, however: The slits (or gaps) between the woven segments did let light through, and the weaving looked different when the lamps were turned on (the papers blended) as opposed to when they were off (the papers had the familiar woven checkerboard pattern).

I embarked on a quest to find a way to differentiate between those woven layers, and I came up with the idea of cutting “windows” in one of the layers, which resulted in the effect I was looking for!”

———————————————————————————————––––––

If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper?

Tell 4000+ paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in these posts – to products that I receive a small commission on if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post The Paper and Book Intensive appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

Give The Wall

The Sunday Paper #554

May 11, 2025

Happy Mother’s Day!

I’m throughly enjoying being a student in Paula Krieg and Susan Joy Share’s Zhen Xian Bao series. I took their 4-week class in March, and I’m currently participating in a 2-week session. We’re exploring how to determine sizing in order to develop our own structures. Here’s a travel ZXB they designed and shared with us this week. I was so excited I had to make my own, which I’ll be taking with me to the Paper & Book Intensive (more on that next week). This view shows it opened up, but it folds down compactly for travel and/or carrying around.

 

——————————————————————————————–––––––

Another month in The Paper Year has flown by, and my students created some amazing Swirling Flowers. Watch the video. Pictured here: Paper Year member Susan Ruptash dip dyed her paper prior to folding it. The Paper Year will be open to new members July 1-10.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

For Give the Wall, Amanda Guest has created a site-specific wall installation at Studio Delson in Brooklyn, placing her works throughout the space (now through June 18th, by appointment). Guest’s “sensual minimalism” explores rigidity and fluidity, and movement within and away from the grid.

———————————————————————————————––––––

Hand Papermaking is the journal in our field. Every year, they host an online auction featuring all kinds of paper goodies, from fibers and pigments, to handmade papers and paper art. I’ve donated the two items you see pictured below (Pure Paper and a Set of 3 Lampshades). There is so much more on the auction page.

———————————————————————————————––––––

Check out the large scale work of Kim Heekyung, created with hanji and pigment, as featured on Art Delivery from The Jealous Curator.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

Paper TidbitsThere’s one spot left in my Taos Paper Retreat. We’ll be weaving paper during the week of July 21st in the land of enchantment. Click here to read all about it and join us!

———————————————————————————————––––––

Author’s Corner

With my new book coming out in November, I thought I’d spend the months leading up to publication sharing a bit about the process of bringing a book to life. Feel free to send me your questions, and I’ll try to address them here. Autographed copies of Weaving With Paper will be available for pre-order from me (along with special bonus content) this summer.

There is an entire chapter dedicated to tools and materials, and of course paper! The most unique tool is the weaving tool, which I learned about when a participant in my online class, Weave Through Winter, told me about this clever device that was readily available in Germany. She sent me a tool, and now they are available through Washi Arts. I think they were developed a long time ago to help children learn to weave, and I explain this in more detail in the book.

———————————————————————————————––––––

If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper?

Tell 4000+ paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in these posts – to products that I receive a small commission on if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Give The Wall appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.