Helen Hiebert's Blog, page 52

Pop-Up Tree

25 Days of Paper 2016, Day 1

Today begins another 25 Days of Paper to celebrate the season by sharing the wonders of paper.

This year, I’ll be highlighting the projects from the Twelve Months of Paper Calendar on odd days and various paper companies, artisans and products on even days. Special thanks to all of you who purchased a calendar. The custom paper pack has been a big hit, and of course you are welcome to make the projects using your own papers too. I’d also like to give a big shout out to the calendar sponsors: Arnold Grummers, Oblation Papers & Press, Paper Connection International and Washi Arts. You’ll be hearing more about these paper companies over the next 25 days.

Please note: if you are giving the calendar as a gift, or prefer to focus on the projects throughout the year, I will be repeating these odd-day blog posts at the first of each month in 2017.

I’ve started a FB group where we can share our creations, leave tips and comments and ask questions (only really important ones please). Join us! Tell your paper loving friends, too! The response so far has been great, and I plan to make the calendar an annual tradition.

Feel free to share this post with your paper-loving friends.

Now the fun begins!

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I thought I’d kick the 25 Days of Paper off with the first tutorial in the calendar. It’s a bonus project – for December 2016. Have you hung your calendar? I’d love to see a picture (please post it in the FB group). Here’s a picture of mine.

And now, without further adieu, the Pop-Up Tree:

About the paper: The Pop-Up Tree in the center is made from a Japanese printed paper called Pearlized Peas from Washi Arts. It is a light card weight, which makes it perfect for folding and holding its shape. If you don’t have the custom paper pack, cut a square of paper to 7-1/2″ x 7-1/2″.

Step 1: Mountain fold the square of paper in half in both directions (pattern side face up) to create four square quarters. Unfold paper then valley fold diagonally in both directions. If you have a Japanese hole punch, punch a small eighth-inch hole in the very center (if not, you’ll make a small cut in step 3).

Step 2: Orient the paper so that the solid green side is face up (as pictured in step 1). Push down in the center with your fingertip. The paper will pop and you will be able to follow the natural direction of the folds, guiding them to create this origami base fold.

Step 3: Fold each of the four folded edges in to meet the center fold, creating a tree shape. Using a ruler, cut off the bottom triangles beneath the folds you just created. If you didn’t punch a hole in Step 1, cut a tiny slit across the tip of the tree, cutting through all of the layers.

Step 4: Turn the tree inside out and reverse folds as needed to create an accordion pattern all the way around the tree. Use the template found in the center of the calendar as a guide to cut slits into the eight mountain folds, working your way around the tree. Carefully pop the folds in and crease them one at a time.

Here’s a video of how to make this project.

And here’s a lovely blog post about the Pop-Up Tree project on the My Paper Arts Blog!

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About the 25 Days of Paper 2016: It’s a great time to celebrate paper, and I’m delighted to share my ideas for using this amazing material with you. Receive updates via e-mail by adding your address in the upper right hand corner of this page. Enjoy the season, and feel free to leave a comment below and check out what people are making in the 25 Days of Paper FB Group!

Italian Papers

The Sunday Paper #135, November 27, 2016

Paper of the Week: Fabriano

Founded in 1282, the paper mill at Fabriano is the oldest continuously operating paper mill in Europe. Fabriano’s art papers are used by artists worldwide, and if you ever find yourself in the Ancona region of Italy, I highly recommend a trip to the museum and mill. This shot shows off the amazing technique of chiarascuro watermarks (also known as shadow marks or light and shade watermarks).

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In the Studio:

If you don’t have a copy of the Twelve Months of Paper calendar yet now is the time to buy (holiday gift anyone?). There’s quite a heck of a deal on the calendar + paper pack through the end of the day tomorrow (Cyber Monday). Thanks for supporting my small business too! I’ll see you on Thursday when the 25 Days of Paper begins!

Make these projects during the Twelve Months of Paper

Papery Tidbits

Curious about the 25 Days of Paper? Check out some of last year’s blog posts.
Registration for the 2017 Red Cliff Paper Retreats (Sept 8-10 and Sept 12-14) is now open!
Do you know about my how-to books, another gift idea for you or yours?

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Speaking of Fabriano, check out this gorgeous new book called Intimacy by Mary Heebner, who worked in Italy on this project. The watermarked sheets with watercolors on the reverse side are stunning. Check them out!

Here’s another holiday gift idea! Chuck Fischer and Robert Sabuda have teamed up to create these amazing Legacy Pop pop-up cards of the world’s greatest architecture.

The DaVinci Code… the Enigma Code… The Origami Code! Researchers are embracing the origami philosophy in robotics, medication and nanotechnology. But how did this ancient art of folding penetrate these leading research fields? Take a look!

Here’s a fun article about origami using dollar bills by Greta Weber: How My Uncle’s Curious Hobby Ended Up in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

Need a job? Hand Papermaking Magazine is in search of a new Executive Director. Could it be you?

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If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper? Click on the paper button at the left (I made that paper) to see how you can provide support.

And if you run a paper-related business, you might be interested in promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

Thanks again to those of you who have pledged your support, and enjoy your Sunday!

Paper Food

The Sunday Paper #134, November 20, 2016

Paper of the Week: Paper Napkins

I was having lunch with participants at a workshop this weekend and someone brought over a napkin. We’ve all jotted notes on a napkin, right? This was the first time I’ve seen napkins designed intentionally to write on! They brought up memories of when my kids were little and it seemed like an eternity waiting for meals to arrive when we went out to a restaurant. What a great idea for a quick game at the table – a little personal interaction instead of turning to those handheld devices.

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In the Studio:

The 25 Days of Paper Blog Marathon begins soon (December 1)! This week I sat down with my planner and a copy of the calendar to map it all out. Daily blog posts will feature tidbits about the projects and papers as well as a selection of amazing paper companies and their products. This is a heads-up that you’ll be receiving daily e-mails from me throughout December, so hang on and get ready for some paper fun!

Papery Tidbits

If you still need a 2017 calendar and enjoy paper crafts (or know someone who does) why not order a copy of the Twelve Months of Paper calendar.
I’m enjoying my weekend teaching and lecturing for the Rocky Mountain Weaver’s Guild in Denver. What a great group!

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If you happen to find yourself in Paris this coming week, get over to The Lively Bookshop and view a selection of  pop-ups, animated, and movable books! And if you can’t make it to Paris, you can view them here.

Philippe UG , Flora princess , editions of Grown Ups / The Doors of Perception (artist’s book)

If you know me, you know that I love collapsible paper objects. Check out this cool Origami Lamp Shade that twists as it collapses.

Paper fashion shows are becoming more common these days. Check out the selection from the RIT Beaux Arts Ball and an interview with the winner – Heather Williams – a third-year medical illustration student, who was one of about 300 CIAS Foundations students to participate in the event.

Here’s a cute animated paper meal from Yelldesign – and it doesn’t have any calories (but I don’t think it would taste very good either).

More paper food! Have you tried rice paper bacon?

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If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper? Click on the paper button at the left (I made that paper) to see how you can provide support.

And if you run a paper-related business, you might be interested in promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

Thanks again to those of you who have pledged your support, and enjoy your Sunday!

Onward with Courage

The Sunday Paper #133, November 13, 2016

Paper of the Week: Ballot Paper

Have you ever thought about how much paper is used to print ballots (not to mention the multi-page voter information packets and other paraphernalia). Sometimes I wonder about things like this; I mean the cost of the paper alone for a single election must be in the $10,000’s!

I read up a bit on ballots and found a few fun facts.

The first use of paper ballots in America was in 1629 within the Massachusetts Bay Colony to select a pastor for the Salem Church. Paper ballots were pieces of paper marked and supplied by voters (at that date, those paper ballots must have been handmade sheets).
Americans who voted this past week might have voted using punch-card ballots, optically scanned paper ballots (which are generally handwritten) or computerized systems that record votes. In a few districts (mostly small and rural), voters might have filled out an old-fashioned paper ballot and put it in a box.

The title of this blog post came from artist Mel Chin, one of several who were asked to express their feelings about the election through an e-newsletter from Creative Capital, an organization that invests in artists who shape the future. I like the sentiment captured in those three words.

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In the Studio:

The week flew by! I was in San Diego last weekend to lecture and teach a workshop through San Diego Book Arts. We’d have to sit down and have coffee for me to tell you about everything I did, but suffice it to say that I had a fabulous class with 17 participants! The picture below was inspired by some browsing I did in the Athenaeum in San Diego, prior to my lecture there. What I find so enchanting with libraries is that I feel like I’m on a treasure hunt when I’m in one, and I almost always make an interesting discovery. This athenaeum is a music and arts library, and they had some fantastic books about paper. I took the image below left featuring words by Josef Albers, who was instrumental in the Bauhaus movement and taught at Black Mountain College beginning in the 1930’s. The image at right shows models made by some of his students.

I didn’t keep good notes! I think the page on the left is from Paper, An Elegy, by Ian Samson.

Papery Tidbits

Do you know about Paper Talk, my podcast series ? It’s an ongoing series of interviews featuring artists and professionals who are working in the field of hand papermaking. Recent interviews feature Catherine Nash, Tim Barrett, Andrea Peterson, and Mary Hark. Subscribe to Paper Talk on iTunes.


Often, when I travel to lecture, the person who introduces me mentions a fun fact from these 10 Tidbits that you can read on my About page. Have you seen the papermaking episode on Sesame Street?


If you still need a 2017 calendar and enjoy paper crafts (or know someone who does) why not order a copy of the Twelve Months of Paper calendar.

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Whoa, there’s a lot happening in Washington D.C. right now, including several shows featuring paper. I was so happy to discover this overview of them, and the work of Giang Dinh is new to me and so elegant!

Giang Dinh’s “Figure #1,” on view in “Stories in Paper” at the Japan Information and Culture Center. (Giang Dinh/Japan Information and Culture Center)

Is the artwork for these royal mail Christmas stamps computer generated or crafted from paper? They are pretty cool either way!

Here’s a great animated paper promo piece for the album Sommarfågel by Wintergatan. The music is great, too!

I really dig this work – Unprinted Material – by Nendo. What do you think? Literally speaking, this has absolutely nothing to do with paper; but visually speaking, it has everything to do with it! Make sure you click through to watch the video.

There are several PAPER SALES going on this weekend and next:

This Weekend: Hook Pottery Paper‘s 19th Annual Fall Sale, LaPorte, Indiana: November 11 –  13

Next Weekend: The Japanese Paper Place Washi Artists’ Sale, Toronto, Canada: November 19

And darn! This Annual Paper Connection International sale ended yesterday, but make sure you visit them on-line! They are a proud sponsor of the Twelve Months of Paper calendar.

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If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper? Click on the paper button at the left (I made that paper) to see how you can provide support.

And if you run a paper-related business, you might be interested in promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

Thanks again to those of you who have pledged your support, and enjoy your Sunday!

Calendar Sale!

The Sunday Paper #132, November 6, 2016

Paper of the Week: Eric Gjerde’s Bio Paper

Mmmm…. slime! Check out this amazing new bio-paper that Eric Gjerde has been working with for the past few years. Specimens is the first of its kind: a book created with a new bio-paper medium made entirely from bacterial cellulose. Its pages were once alive. The quality of this new paper is its unparalleled strength and transparency. Each sheet is grown in a vat and harvested after several weeks. After processing, many layers – five or more – are laid on top of one another with the text block carefully placed within. Then the entire stack is pressed. The act of pressing these sheets is what gives them their strength. You can see the results online here and in person at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts November 11, 2016 – February 19, 2017.

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In the Studio:

Election Day SALE! Save $30 on the following packages:

Two Calendars for the price of one: $30
Deluxe Calendar Package: 2 Calendars + 1 Paper Pack: $65
Deluxe Calendar Package: 1 Calendar + 2 Paper Packs: $70

Click here to read all about it, and order soon to take advantage of the savings. Offer ends November 8th at midnight MST!

Papery Tidbits

There’s a new podcast episode on Paper Talk featuring Mark Hark of Hark! Handmade Paper. Listen to our conversation about her work in St. Paul, Madison and Ghana!

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This Guatamalan Día de Todos los Santos kite festival looks amazing! I think I see some paper on those uniquely shaped kites, although the primary material seems to be fabric.

In light of the current election and the fact that we’re living in the computer age, this article about the discovery of an ancient piece of papyrus is fascinating and makes me wonder if people in the future will have these sorts of common documents to discover, research, ponder and argue about!

This is why I got hooked on paper… by stumbling across a paper shop in Japan in the late 1980’s. They didn’t exist in America at that time. This photo is of Ozu Washi, and I have no idea whether this is the store I was in, but it doesn’t really matter anymore. I’m still hooked on paper!

This is a fun story in The New Yorker about paper doll expert Tom Tierney, who created more than 400 paper-dolls books, most issued by Dover Publications.

Here’s a lovely video about the work of artist Sandro Tiberi who works with handmade paper, watermarks and lighting. Sorry, it’s in Italian, but it sounds and looks wonderful!

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If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper? Click on the paper button at the left (I made that paper) to see how you can provide support.

And if you run a paper-related business, you might be interested in promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

Thanks again to those of you who have pledged your support, and enjoy your Sunday!

Combat Paper

The Sunday Paper #131, October 30, 2016

Paper of the Week: Combat Paper

Combat Paper is an organization that helps veterans cope with experiences of war through the transformation of military uniforms into handmade paper. I first met the founders of Combat Paper in Washington D.C. about 10 years ago when I heard a moving and passionate talk by Drew Cameron (veteran) and Drew Matott (papermaker) . Pulp printing techniques were used to set the image above onto handmade paper rendered from a variety of materials from Combat Paper workshops including: US military uniforms, American Flags, US bank notes, USFS uniforms, Fire Fighter uniforms, bed sheets, tablecloths, sweatshirts and t-shirts. Combat Paper travels around the country conducting workshops with veterans. Their van was stolen recently and a fundraiser is taking place now so that they can continue their important work. Click here to support Combat Paper!

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In the Studio:

My intern Tracy Norman and I are making a lamp for the upcoming Art of Illumination exhibition at the Cameron Museum of Art in Wilmington, NC which will be on view Dec. 3, 2016 – Jan. 8, 2017. I’m curious to see if it looks like I’m envisioning it in my head!

Papery Tidbits

Mark your calendars (no pun intended) for the  Twelve Months of Paper calendar two for the price of one sale which will take place on election day.


I’ve almost finished planning my teaching gigs for 2017, and I’m planning for two back-to-back Red Cliff Paper Retreats (September 8-10 and September 12-14, 2017). Let me know if you want to receive early notification, and stay tuned for the new theme.


I’m looking into traveling to New Bern, NC and Amelia Island, GA in late spring 2017. Let me know if you’d be interested in joining a workshop at one of these locations.

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It would be lovely to experience Tahiti Pehrson’s exhibit, The Journey of Light, a paper cut installation installed in the windows of the Viacom offices in NYC. It sounds like a perfect piece for employees to experience throughout their workday: “The morning sunlight catches the fibers of his 100 percent cotton rag paper mandalas, casting a mellifluous glow across the building. Throughout the day, Pehrson’s patterns reflect the shifting afternoon and evening shadows, creating a subdued decoupage for employees to observe as they descend the stairway on their way home. The next day, the cycle begins again.”

This piece looks so intriguing… has anyone seen it in person? It is on view in Unbound Narrative through January 15th at the Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, North Carolina.

I love the sentiment of Matt Hawkings when he says “there’s something magic to me about the flattest thing in the world becoming dimensional.” Check out his paper transformations! I’m dying to see where those threads lead!

This is a fascinating article about paper as a substrate for image. In her works on paper, Marsha Cottrell discusses, among other things, how she builds an image on a sheet of handmade paper (instead of just printing out what you see on the computer screen.

Detail of Marsha Cottrell’s “Untitled (1:15:43pm),” 2016 (Images: Courtesy of the artist and Anthony Meier Fine Arts)

Two of my all-time favorite artists are Sol Lewitt and Eva Hesse, who used to write letters to each other (on paper!). Here’s a lively reading of a letter by Lewitt to Hesse by Benedict Cumberbatch.

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If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper? Click on the paper button at the left (I made that paper) to see how you can provide support.

And if you run a paper-related business, you might be interested in promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

Thanks again to those of you who have pledged your support, and enjoy your Sunday!

Rolled Newspaper Animals

The Sunday Paper #130, October 23, 2016

Paper of the Week: Abaca

I write about abaca a lot, I know, but I think it is a fiber worthy of it. Take a look at the two examples above. Both were created in the same way: pieces of hemp thread were laid in between two wet sheets of high shrinkage premium abaca. Both sheets were pressed, and then their fates diverged. The sheet on the left was removed from the felt it was pressed on and allowed to air dry, and the sheet on the right was restraint dried between blotters. Check out the shrinkage of the sheet on the left!

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In the Studio:

This has been a slow week in the studio, as I’ve been busy with relocating my mother to Colorado and making headway in the college application process for my son! I’m happy to report that progress has been made on both fronts. As you read this, I’m just returning from the meeting of the Friends of Dard Hunter in Santa Fe.

Papery Tidbits

I have just completed fulfilling all of the Kickstarter orders for the Twelve Months of Paper calendar. Let me know if you are a supporter and haven’t received your calendar!


I’ve almost finished planning my teaching gigs for 2017, and I’m planning for two back-to-back Red Cliff Paper Retreats (September 10-12 and September 13-15, 2017). Let me know if you want to receive early notification, and stay tuned for a new theme.


I’m looking into traveling to New Bern, NC and Amelia Island, GA in late spring 2017. Let me know if you’d be interested in joining a workshop at one of these locations.

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Check out these unique paper sculptures by Chie Hitotsuyama. The Japanese artist is embarking on her first tour of the United States, with four exhibitions running concurrently in different parts of the country until January 2017.

Matthew Reinhart is a paper engineer extraordinaire, and he was visited by NPR’s Science Friday!

Fiber artist Carmen Romine examines our relationship to time through the medium of paper in her new show at HEDGE Gallery in 78th Street Studios in Cleveland.

Bea Szenfeld, a Polish-born, Stockholm-based artist whose medium is paper, creates unique fashion pieces. View more at the link!

Check out these paper lookalikes: ceramic cups by Tim Kowalczyk that look like cardboard.

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If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper? Click on the paper button at the left (I made that paper) to see how you can provide support.

And if you run a paper-related business, you might be interested in promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

Thanks again to those of you who have pledged your support, and enjoy your Sunday!

Warhol’s Paper Dresses

The Sunday Paper #129, October 16, 2016

Paper of the Week: Post-It Notes

Dear Friends,

This tiny piece of paper made my day a couple of weeks ago for several reasons: 1. it was delivered via snail mail; 2. it was an affirmation that people out there really do appreciate this blog and 3. It was attached to a donation check! Here’s to you, dear readers. I am soooo appreciative of your support, in whatever fashion it comes!

If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper? Click on the paper button at the left (I made that paper) to see how you can provide support.

And if you run a paper-related business, you might be interested in promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

Thanks again to those of you who have pledged your support, and enjoy your Sunday!

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And now a bit about post-it notes, from Wikepedia: In 1968, a scientist at 3M in the United States, Dr. Spencer Silver, was attempting to develop a super-strong adhesive. Instead he accidentally created a “low-tack”, reusable, pressure-sensitive adhesive. For five years, Silver promoted his “solution without a problem” within 3M both informally and through seminars but failed to gain acceptance. In 1974 a colleague who had attended one of his seminars, Art Fry, came up with the idea of using the adhesive to anchor his bookmark in his hymnbook. Fry then utilized 3M’s officially sanctioned “permitted bootlegging” policy to develop the idea. The original notes’ yellow color was chosen by accident, as the lab next-door to the Post-It team had only yellow scrap paper to use. 3M launched the product as “Press ‘n Peel” in stores in four cities in 1977, but results were disappointing. A year later 3M instead issued free samples directly to consumers in Boise, Idaho, with 94 percent of those who tried them indicating they would buy the product. The product was sold as “Post-Its” in 1979 when the rollout introduction began, and was sold across the United States from April 6, 1980. The following year they were launched in Canada and Europe.

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In the Studio:

I’ve been busy with a custom order of 100 sheets of what my client calls “Helen’s Wild Abaca” (the finished sheets are on the right, below). She’s using the paper to veil her photographs in a new artists’ book. Stay tuned – I hope to have images to share with you soon.

Papery Tidbits

The Bay Area Book Arts Jam is happening TODAY! Linda Marshall from Washi Arts will have copies of the Twelve Months of Paper calendars at her booth, along with her gorgeous Japanese papers and tools.


I’m looking forward to a short jaunt to Santa Fe next weekend (Thurs – Sun) for the annual meeting of the Friends of Dard Hunter. I’m giving a Pecha Kucha presentation called “A Papermaker’s Challenge” on Friday night. If you’re attending, I hope you’ll come!

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I so wish that I could get to the Corvallis Arts Center in Oregon to see Dawn Stetzel’s work: I Could Live There: Low-Resource Sculptures. Although this isn’t solely a paper show, many of the works are made of paper like this piece called House Dress (made from fabric and discarded packaging). Dawn (whom I met at the Sitka Center for Art & Ecology many moons ago) said that her favorite part about displaying her artwork is the opportunity to create dialogue with viewers and see how it resonates with people from all different backgrounds. Check it out if you can!

I’m sure most of you are familiar with Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup art, but did you ever see his paper dresses? He was one of the first artists to hook up with the fashion world.

AFP PHOTO /LOUISA GOULIAMAKI (Photo credit should read LOUISA GOULIAMAKI/AFP/Getty Images)

In contrast to high fashion, here’s a story about the delight of watching people make paper by hand for the first time (i.e. getting down, dirty and DIY). The Mobile Mill team (aka Jillian and Maxum Bruschera) got a nice write-up about their Sacramento based adventures. Maxum says: “You see people take the mould and deckle and dip it into the pulp and press a sheet of paper and immediately their imagination is sparked and they start asking all sorts of questions and their energy starts getting kicked up and everything so there’s like a transformation you see happen when somebody can engage in a process.”

Hand papermaking got a lot of press this week – yay! Click through to hear Drew Matott talk about his work with Peace Paper.

This is a bit of a side-story… not about paper but about Free E-Books in the New York City subway. How cool is that? Has anybody tried it yet??

Early Postage Stamps

The Sunday Paper #128, October 9, 2016

Paper of the Week: Laminated Lace Paper

I love the look of lace paper, but don’t often use really thin papers with holes in it. For some reason, I can’t find an application (what do you do with thin lacey sheets)? But I love this look! These are sheets of lace paper that are laminated to a thicker base sheet with konnyaku (a Japanese adhesive). Thanks for the idea Washi Arts!

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In the Studio:

There’s a new episode over on Paper Talk (my podcast series) featuring Amanda Degener. Not only is Amanda an artist and co-proprietor of Cave Paper in Minneapolis, but she’s also the co-founder of Hand Papermaking Magazine. Have a listen!

 

Papery Tidbits

This is your last call to join me for the Twelve Months of Paper Workshop in Edwards, CO next Saturday, October 15th. The workshop fee includes a calendar, custom paper pack and you will leave with 4-5 completed projects + materials for making the rest!


Today we are packaging the Custom Paper Packs for the Twelve Months of Paper calendars. Those of you who ordered calendars + paper packs should be receiving them within the next 10 days.


I am looking for a few more sponsors for the 25 Days of Paper blog marathon in December. If you make a paper product and are interested, find out more here.

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Imagine this: handmade paper postage stamps. Until the last few months of 1854 (during the time of the Austro-Hungarian empire at least) the paper was handmade, and the sheets were watermarked.

Rock on, Linda Benglis! In recent years, her signature works have a new element—handmade paper. And with her latest show at Cheim & Read in Chelsea, she uses the handmade paper to wrap around chicken wire and paints over the sandy texture of the paper with vibrant energetic colors.

Photo by Brian Buckley courtesy of Cheim & Read Gallery

Here’s a new pop-up book by Helen Friel: Midnight Creatures will be available just in time for Halloween!

This is a rendition of origami like I’ve never seen it before. Architect and origami artist Ankon Mitra is dedicated to the magic of folding, experimenting with a thousand different ways of folding, applying them to as many different kinds of material as may be observed in nature. Using new technologies and software, combined with the basic principle of folding paper prototypes by hand, Ankon seeks to reinvent this ancient art of Origami as a new three dimensional creative vocabulary of great beauty and immense aesthetic.

Every once in awhile, you find a real treasure on-line. I’m hoping that some of you will think that of this. Claire Van Vliet is an amazingly talented woman in our field, and her book Woven and Interlocking Book Structures is now available digitally (for free). Hopefully many of you have the real thing on your bookshelf too!

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If you enjoyed reading The Sunday Paper today, why not sign up to get it delivered to your in-box each and every Sunday? Click here to subscribe (it’s free), and you’ll receive my nifty pop-up alphabet template as a thank you gift!

If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper? Click on that cute paper button (I made that paper) to see how you can provide support.

And if you run a paper-related business, you might be interested in promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

Thank you to those who have pledged your support, and enjoy your Sunday!

Light Paper

The Sunday Paper #127, October 2, 2016

Paper of the Week: Light Paper

I think this is one of the coolest papers I’ve made, and the fact that LED lighting systems have become so popular has made it possible. I’ll be debuting these Light Papers at the Friends of Dard Hunter meeting in Santa Fe later this month. Additional embedded wires make these fun to sculpt, resulting in make-your-own Light Sculptures, like the one you see here.

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In the Studio:

I’m excited to share the collaborative artist’s book LandEscape, which I’ve just completed with Karen Kunc! This 3-minute video will give you a nice sense of the piece.

Papery Tidbits

Join me for a Twelve Months of Paper Workshop in Edwards, CO on October 15th. The workshop fee includes a calendar, custom paper pack and you will leave with 4-5 completed projects + materials for making the rest!


Woo hoo! Yesterday, I sent out the first batch of Twelve Months of Paper calendars.


I am looking for a few more sponsors for the 25 Days of Paper blog marathon in December. If you make a paper product and are interested, find out more here.

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Check out these paper chairs made in China! Since 2009 Hangzhou-based PINWU Design Studio has been focused on revitalizing this artisanal heritage and translating it into new products and designs. Unique!

This is a bit off topic, but not far because I’m guessing that many of you love patterns. Have you heard of The Design Library (located 75 minutes from Manhattan in the Hudson Valley village of Wappingers Falls)? It is the world’s largest collection of patterns. I’m adding this place to my bucket list!

Ooh la la! Kara Walker’s giant silhouette’s are on view at the ICA Boston. Coinciding with the ten-year anniversary of organization’s move to its iconic waterfront building, this exhibition celebrates the museum’s first decade of collecting.

And while we’re on the topic of cut paper, check out these intricate and exquisite works by Pippa Dyrlaga.

Pulp & Deckle is a papermaking studio in Portland, OR. Here’s a great TV story about all of the facets of their fascinating business! They’re in the process of retrofitting an old espresso truck into a mobile papermaking operation. Watch their Facebook Livestream video.

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If you enjoyed reading The Sunday Paper today, why not sign up to get it delivered to your in-box each and every Sunday? Click here to subscribe (it’s free), and you’ll receive my nifty pop-up alphabet template as a thank you gift!

If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper? Click on that cute paper button (I made that paper) to see how you can provide support.

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Thank you to those who have pledged your support, and enjoy your Sunday!