Helen Hiebert's Blog, page 58

Cut-Out Tree Card

The Sunday Paper #84 + 25 Days of Paper 2015, Day 6

Yay, it’s Sunday and day 6 of the 25 Days of Paper and Saint Nicholas Day! We’ll begin with the tutorial, and a brief Sunday Paper follows below.

Find the red card stock and this screen printed Indian recycled cotton paper in your paper pack. The card stock is just a standard paper; the screen printed paper is called Retro Beads and is available from GPC Papers (a distributor that sells to many stores around the country as well as on-line). The paper cut design on the front of the card shows off the printed paper behind it.

Note that the template in this picture looks a bit different than the actual template. I changed it after I took the photo!

For this project you will need: 

Red card stock cut to 5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″
Retro Bead paper cut to 3-3/4″ x 5″
Tree Card Template: click to download the pdf. For those of you with the paper pack, print this onto a normal sheet of writing paper. If you are using your own paper and have an 8-1/2″ x 11″ sheet of card stock, print directly onto that.
Cutting Mat
Craft knife
Ruler
Double-sided tape, glue stick or white glue
Bone folder

Step 1: Cut the template sheet in half along the line and choose which design you wish to cut out. Obviously, the triangle is easier to cut out (and it will also show off more of the screen printed design). Tape the template onto the right-hand side of the card stock.

Step 2: Using a straight edge and a cutting knife, cut out the shapes on the template.

Step 3: I have this star punch that had just enough reach to create a star for the top of my tree. 

Step 4: Score the card stock in the center.

Step 5: Attach a piece of double-sided tape (or glue) to the top edge of the front side of the decorative paper, as shown. 

Step 6: Affix the taped green paper to the back of the card front, write a note, and send off your holiday greetings! 

Share your variations with us, should you choose to cut out a completely different design over in the 25 Days of Paper FB Group!. 

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Check out this 360-degree pop-up book of Mount Fuji by Yusuke Oono. Be sure to click the link to view the Snow White 360-degree pop-up book.

Origami Heaven looks like a great exhibition if you’re near Stonybrook University on Long Island.

This looks really amazing! Epson has developed this Paperlab Office System: a paper shredder that makes fresh paper out of your office waste. I’d love to see this in action, so let me know if you see one around! I can only imagine the service calls when office workers get curious about what can be recycled…

Ok, today’s paper is short and sweet. Enjoy your Sunday!

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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!

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About the 25 Days of Paper 2015: It’s a great time to celebrate paper, and I’m delighted to share my ideas for using this amazing material with you. Throughout December, I’ll be posting a paper tutorial on even days, and every odd day will bring news about paper artists, stores, distributors and more! 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!

Luminessence Light Sculpture

25 Days of Paper 2015, Day 5

© Stephen White, Dragon Fire, 46″ H x 28″ W x 18″ D

Each piece is signed, dated and numbered signifying it as an original work of art. These works are designed for residential or commercial interiors where a unique artistic expression in lighting is desired.

I have a copy of this lovely 36 min DVD by Bruce Kubert, which includes the story of Stephen’s creative exploration of light sculpture, as well as an extended slide show. You can purchase a copy here.

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About Our Sponsor: Luminessence for most of Stephen’s career has been a solo artist’s studio. Periodically, he has trained others as apprentices, and some of them have gone on to establish their own artistic vision in this medium. Luminessence is represented in showrooms and galleries in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Honolulu, New York City and Stephen’s home town, Eugene, Oregon. His studio and home are his ‘gallery’, too and may be visited by appointment.

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About the 25 Days of Paper 2015: It’s a great time to celebrate paper, and I’m delighted to share my ideas for using this amazing material with you. Throughout December, I’ll be posting a paper tutorial on even days, and every odd day will bring news about paper artists, stores, distributors and more! 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!

Abaca Lantern

25 Days of Paper 2015, Day 4

Many of you know that I love abaca, and much of my artwork utilizes this papermaking fiber from the leaf stalks of a variety of banana plant. What I like most are its translucency and high shrinkage capabilities. It is not a type of paper that you can find in many stores (please leave a comment below if you know of a store that carries it) and to make it translucent like this, you have to have access to a hollander beater. I usually offer translucent abaca for sale during my biannual on-line paper sale (the next sale will take place in January 2016).

Grab the trapezoid shaped sheet of abaca from your paper pack (you received one of the colors pictured below) and let’s get to work. This is one of the simplest projects we’ll be doing.

For this project you will need: 

One sheet of abaca paper (for those of you using your own paper, the sheet is 11-1/2″ L and 3″ H on the high side and 1″ H on the short side).
Transparent tape
Battery operated tea light (highly recommended)
Optional: Paper punch, scissors & glue stick

Step 1: These first few steps are optional: If you have a punch and wish to add another dimension to your lantern, trim a strip of paper off of the wider short edge and punch shapes out of the strip.

Step 2: Use your glue stick to adhere the punched shapes to the angled edge of the paper, as shown. You do not need to add more than shown, because they will start interfering with the layered look created by the overlapping of the swirled paper cylinder. 

Step 3: Attach the short end of the sheet of abaca to a battery-operated tea light with a small piece of transparent tape.

A note about tea lights: There are a variety of inexpensive battery-operated tea lights available in department stores, particularly at this time of year. I would not advise using a real candle for this project, because even if it were in a glass holder, the paper would be too close to the flame.

Step 4: Swirl the paper around the tea light until you get to the end and adhere the end with another piece of transparent tape. I like the option of being able to carefully remove the tape and store my sheet of paper flat, but you could also opt to apply glue for a permanent attachment that doesn’t show.

Enjoy your mini-lantern, and let me know what variations you come up with. Here are a few ideas that I have:

Punch holes or shapes in the paper instead of collaging, for another effect.
Alter the angled edge with deckled scissors or free-form cutting.

Share your ideas in the comments box below or over in the 25 Days of Paper FB group. 

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About the 25 Days of Paper 2015: It’s a great time to celebrate paper, and I’m delighted to share my ideas for using this amazing material with you. Throughout December, I’ll be posting a paper tutorial on even days, and every odd day will bring news about paper artists, stores, distributors and more! 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!

Our Country’s Papermaking Museum

25 Days of Paper 2015, Day 3

Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking – permanent exhibition

In 1939 the Dard Hunter Paper Museum opened at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Seventy-six years later, the museum is now known as the Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking, and can be found in Atlanta, at Georgia Tech.

Dard Hunter, at the Paper Museum when it was located at Institute of Paper Chemistry, Appleton, Wisconsin, ca 1963. Hunter served as Curator until his death in 1966.

In case you don’t know who Dard Hunter is… he is considered by many to be the “father of hand papermaking” in the United States.  Born in 1883, Hunter was heavily involved in the Roycrofters of East Aurora, NY—the American branch of the Arts and Crafts movement.  During his time with the Roycrofters, Hunter developed skills in graphic design, stained glass, and metalwork. His interest  in hand papermaking developed in 1911, when he visited London.  Upon his return, he began his own limited-edition press, called Mountain House Press in Chillicothe, Ohio. He also opened a hand papermaking mill in Lime Rock, Connecticut, which had a short life but long legacy with papermakers. Hunter did more than make paper, he also traveled extensively around the world to learn and document various hand papermaking techniques. These histories were published in limited-edition books Dard produced: with handmade paper, type faces designed by Dard, and hand bound.

Selection of Dard Hunter’s engraving and printing tools, early 20th century

By 1934, Hunter had collected over 10,000 artifacts and 2,000 books related to the history and process of hand papermaking. He felt this collection was too valuable to keep from public use, and in 1939 the Dard Hunter Paper Museum opened at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Hunter stated the museum was established “…with the hope of stimulating interest in the ancient craft of papermaking and promoting understanding of present-day paper and its relation to the graphic arts.” In 1954, the Museum moved to the Institute of Paper Chemistry in Appleton, Wisconsin. Dard was named honorary curator of the museum, and served in this position until his death in 1966.

Prayer Rolls

The museum relocated to Atlanta, Georgia in 1989, and became part of Georgia Tech in 2003 and is part of the Renewable Bioproducts Institute, a research institute at Tech. The museum serves the university community, local schools and groups, and the world of hand papermakers. The museum now has a collection of close to 100,000 artifacts, including collections from Douglass Howell, Harrison Elliott, Sukey Hughes, and others. A digitization project is under way to make these materials more accessible online.

Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking – permanent exhibition

Visitors are welcome to visit Monday through Friday from 9-5, and there is no admission, though donations are suggested. Groups of more than 10 are required to make a reservation for a program.  The museum offers tours for groups ages 5 and up. Workshops are offered throughout the year that focus on different aspects of papermaking and paper craft.  Information about workshops is available online. Schedules are updated throughout the year.  Upcoming workshops include tunnel books, a family kite-making workshop, and basic papermaking. 

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About Our Sponsor: The Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking’s mission is to collect, preserve, increase and disseminate knowledge about papermaking – past, present and future. In today’s electronic world, paper still plays an important role! The museum provides tours and workshops to school groups from kindergartners to college students, and offers workshops on all sorts of papermaking and paper arts for a wide range of people. The Paper Museum also educates in a digital way. Active on Facebook and Instagram, the museum shares items from the collections, historic photos, and even behind-the-scenes looks at exhibit installation.

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About the 25 Days of Paper 2015: It’s a great time to celebrate paper, and I’m delighted to share my ideas for using this amazing material with you. Throughout December, I’ll be posting a paper tutorial on even days, and every odd day will bring news about paper artists, stores, distributors and more! 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!

Window Star

25 Days of Paper 2015, Day 2

Please note that the star in this photo is slightly different than the one you’ll be making. Can you see the difference?

Hooray! It is time to make our first 25 Days of Paper project, the Window Star. Find the 6″ x 6″ piece of colorful kite paper in your paper pack – it’s a colored waxed paper that is used traditionally in the Netherlands for making kites. I ordered this paper from Imagination Childhood. It comes in packs of 100 sheets featuring ten assorted colors, and you can also order larger sheets.

For this project you will need: 

One sheet of 6″ x 6″ kite paper
Glue stick
Optional: Cutting mat, straight edge & craft knife
Optional: Bone folder

Step 1: Prepare Paper: Cut the square of kite paper into eight rectangular pieces measuring approximately 3″ x 1-1/2″ (the kite paper is a bit larger than 6″; basically you cut it in half and then cut the two halves into quarters). I like to use a knife for cutting, but you can simply fold the paper and cut along the fold lines with scissors if you prefer.

Step 2:  Fold and Glue: Do the following to all eight pieces of paper: First (as pictured above) fold the sheet in half lengthwise. Unfold, and then fold all four corners into the center line, creasing the folds with a fingernail or bone folder. Fold the top two corners in once more. If desired, use a glue stick to tack down all of the folded pieces so that each unit lies flat.

Step 3: Assemble: Take two sections and place one of the wider points on top of the other. With the point tips touching, align the edge of the top section with the center line of the bottom section, as shown. Now apply a dab of glue to attach the two sections.

Step Four: Finishing: Continue joining section by section in the same manner. When you get to the last section, attach it to the one before it just like you did the others. Then, tuck that last section underneath the very first section that you started with. If you look carefully at the image above, you can see how the middle section is being slipped between the sections to the left and right. Glue the final section in place. 

That’s it! Attach the star to a window with a small piece of transparent tape. This is my star in the window at sunset. And in case you were wondering, kite paper does fade over time. This star has been hanging in my very sunny Colorado window for over a year. I like the transformation.

This project originally appeared in my book Playing With Paper. If you enjoyed this project, you might be interested in this Window Star Kit. There are numerous variations on how to fold and assemble these stars. Do a search for window stars to see the array of possibilities. There are even entire books dedicated to window star patterns. Try using regular kitchen waxed paper or other papers – and let me know what you discover. 

So, how did I do with the instructions? Please leave a comment if you have a question, and I hope that you will share a picture of your star with us over on the 25 Days of Paper FB group. 

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About the 25 Days of Paper 2015: It’s a great time to celebrate paper, and I’m delighted to share my ideas for using this amazing material with you. Throughout December, I’ll be posting a paper tutorial on even days, and every odd day will bring news about paper artists, stores, distributors and more! 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!

Mizuhiki Paper Cord

25 Days of Paper 2015, Day 1

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

This year I’ll be featuring various paper companies, artisans and products on odd days, starting today; on even days (starting tomorrow) I will provide instructions for one of the 12 projects pictured above. Special thanks to all of you who purchased a custom paper pack (I still have 10 paper packs left for any of you who feel left out)! And of course you are welcome to make the projects using your own papers.

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 hope to make this an annual tradition and continue to grow this group.

Now the fun begins!

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Discover Mizuhiki(Mi-zoo-he-key) Paper Cords, from Paper Tree & Miki’s Paper

Mizuhiki is a traditional Japanese paper cord that come in many colors and is often tied in elaborate knots as decoration for gifts, especially money wrappers. Cords come in many colors, in shiny mylar foil, wrapped in silk thread, or simply painted. It is said that Samurai used Mizuhiki to tie their topknots. The cords are 36” long and you can discover many ways to use them. Our favorite way to use Mizuhiki is to gather 3 or 5 cords to tie up gift packages. A simple square knot holds the cords in place, and you can even thread the ends back through the center knot to create simple and elegant designs.

Explore the possibilities of Mizuhiki for yourself with this special offer: a selected sampler of 100 assorted cords (retail value $35) for only $15 including shipping. A complete list of all the colors available and an instruction sheet for how to tie two basic knots will be included. Place your order at our retail website. If you find yourself in the San Francisco Bay area, please visit our retail store Paper Tree in the Japantown area, or our newly acquired store Miki’s Paper on Fourth Street in Berkeley.

A bit of history: since washi paper is very strong, it was natural to take long narrow strips and twist them into twine for tying packages (and for tying samurai’s long hair into top knots). At some point the twine was painted and tied into elaborate knots for decoration.  At wedding ceremonies Mizuhiki is tied into a male and a female butterfly and used to adorn sake bottles.  At most weddings and other special occasions, Mizuhiki is tied onto folded paper envelopes used for money gifts, a tradition that continues today.

About our sponsor: Paper Tree is family owned and operated since it’s inception in 1967. Miki’s Paper (est 1987) was acquired this year and allows the company to continue to share its love and knowledge of Japanese papers and origami craft.

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About the 25 Days of Paper 2015: It’s a great time to celebrate paper, and I’m delighted to share my ideas for using this amazing material with you. Throughout December, I’ll be posting a paper tutorial on even days, and every odd day will bring news about paper artists, stores, distributors and more! 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!

Lantern Love

The Sunday Paper #83

Sponsored Paper of the Week: Thai Marbled Momi Paper, from Mulberry Paper and More

Look what you can do with Thai Momi Mulberry Paper! From decorating to jewelry and from collage to sculpture, this versatile paper is an beautiful medium for all sorts of projects. Take a peek at these pictures to see what some of our customers have created using this unique paper.

Mulberry Paper and More is offering this special to Sunday Paper Readers: A pack of color coordinated Marbled Momi papers for $10.95, a savings of $6 off of the regular price. Use coupon code: SUNDAY. Click here for this special offer!

Thai Momi Paper starts with pulp from Bamboo and the discarded bark of the Mulberry Tree and is machine formed into a fine paper sheet. To create the beautiful and unique designs, oil-based paint is dropped on top of a vat of water and then swirled creating a marble design. The sheet of paper is then laid on top of the water absorbing the paint design. The Momi Paper is quickly removed and set aside to dry. It is then further dyed using a tie-dye technique to infuse color into the base sheet. While still wet from the tie-dye, the paper is then crumpled creating its unique, soft cotton fabric-like feel.

Because each sheet is hand-marbled and dyed, no two sheets will ever be the same. Enjoy the soft feel and texture of this paper. Once you put it to use in your project, you will have a hard time using normal paper again.

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In the Studio:  

News Flash: if you are participating in the 25 Days of Paper (all are welcome) please join my FaceBook Group, where you can post photos and comments and create community around making.

Have I mentioned that I love the light in my studio? I have these big windows, and some days the light just filters in perfectly, as it did the other day when I was stitching the seams on these little dresses for 50 Revolutions. The first copies of this edition will be shipping out next week.

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Speaking of the filtering of light, I have forever been enamored with the way that light filters through paper. Art of Illumination, part of Bread & Lights Festival at the Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, NC, features over three dozen lanterns created by artists from across the country.

Peter Dahmen is a paper engineer whose work I featured in Playing With Pop-Ups. Be sure to watch the video about his work at the link. Peter uses his amazing skills as a graphic designer in Germany.

Li Xiuhua learned Dongba papermaking after marrying and became the only female inheritor of the national-level intangible cultural heritage in Shangri-la, Southwest China’s Yunnan province. Dongba paper, which is used to record Dongba scripture and draw pictures for the Nakhi people, is a rare, ethnic handmade paper. The couple makes about 7,000 pieces of paper each year.

Check out the paper animation for this catchy music video:

 

Many of you know the story of Sadako, the young Japanese girl who folded 1000 paper cranes with the hope of healing her leukemia, which was caused when the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima where she lived. Here’s a lovely story about her brother, who recently visited the Truman Library to donate the last paper crane that Sadako folded as a symbol of peace for all times.

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About our Sponsor: Mulberry Paper and More, founded in 2007, is a family owned and operated e-commerce company specializing in beautiful papers from around the world. Most of our papers are available in a number of sizes for any project large or small.

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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!

Black Ink Papers

The Sunday Paper #82

Sponsored Paper of the Week: Black Ink Papers

I’m delighted to be featuring these papers for many of the projects I’ve designed for the 25 Days of Paper.

Black Ink Papers from Graphic Products Corporation (GPC), is one of the art industry’s most recognized brands, offering artists and crafters a vast selection of over 700 handmade and machine made papers imported from around the world. Focusing on the ever-changing color trends and needs of the creative end user, GPC works ongoing with designers, artisans and suppliers to accomplish its line of beautifully unique and often one-of-a-kind papers.  

In addition to offering one of the largest selections of creative papers in the art world, GPC Papers is proud to say that many of their papers are eco-friendly, being primarily made from highly renewable, sustainable, and regenerative resources such as plants, bushes, and natural by-products which are native to each country. These “tree-free” resources include the mulberry (kozo) bush from Thailand and South Korea, the banana, hemp and bamboo plants from Thailand, the lokta (daphne) bush in Nepal, the papyrus plant from Egypt, the abaca, salago (lupa) plants from the Philippines, as well as amate bark (from jonote, mulberry and xalama) from Mexico. GPC papers from India are made from recycled cotton rag originating from the garment industry, as well as some papers from the banana plant. Handmade papers use far less energy to produce than conventional machine made papers, with many using solar energy to dry the papers.

Uses for GPC papers include a multitude of applications such as mixed media/collage, encaustic art, fine art, chine-colle, paper arts and crafts, origami, kite making, mobiles, art jewelry, screen printing, block printing, book arts, framing, matting, custom invitations, home décor, room dividers, lamp shades, lanterns, wall paper, gift wrapping, card making, elegant packaging, photography backgrounds, retail displays, menus and more!

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In the Studio:  After assembling the 25 Days of Paper Packages this week, I ended up with a pile of lovely paper scraps which I’m guessing you might be able to turn into a work of art. So, I’ve decided to host a Giveaway that will include these scraps plus a 25 Days of Paper Package. Enter to win by leaving a comment on this post (be sure to leave a way for me to contact you, too). A winner will be drawn at random and announced on Wednesday November 25th. Good luck! 

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Check out 12-year old New Zealander Joseph Simes‘ amazing origami work. Be sure the scroll through the images of his work.  

I wonder if this young man is interested in making a living with his work. Ross Symons of Cape Town has that dialed into his origami inspired lifestyle. Watch out, you’re going to lose a bit of time as you get sucked down this rabbit hole (well worth it)!

I’m excited for Kyle Olmon (a project contributor for my book Playing With Pop-Ups). He’s engineered two holiday cards that are currently in the MoMA store. Festive Dinner Table (pictured below) and Winter Flowers. Who’s on your list?

There is some mystery surrounding this old trunk of unopened letters that was bequeathed to the Museum voor Communicatie in The Hague in 1926. It is a repository of materials from across Europe that provides researchers with a variety of paper, matching enclosures, seals, postal marks, folds, and hands that demand particular scrutiny. The letters thus offer an extremely rare opportunity to scholars of early modern history, material culture, paper, and postal systems.

Here’s a story on Artsy about the paper pulp paintings that Daniel Heidkamp has been making at Pace Prints.

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About our Sponsor: To find a Black Ink retailer near you please visit the Locate a Retailer link. If the paper you are looking for is not available from your local retailer, you can always order from the online store. Browse the entire line of papers here. For examples of creative uses visit the Creative Idea Center.

Want to share photos of your Black Ink paper creations on the GPC Papers Facebook Page? Please email them to info@gpcpapers.com using the subject line: Please Post on Facebook.

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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!

Alternatives for Envelopes

The Sunday Paper #81

Paper of the Week: Envelope Paper

I love developing new uses for common products. Envelopes are attractive because they are like pockets. I’ve developed two projects (featured in my book Playing With Paper) – the Mini Photo Album and the Envelope Folding Screen. Each one requires cutting “windows” through the envelopes so that you can see photographs or decorative papers that are inserted into the pockets. If you use a translucent insert, illumination can be part of the equation.  

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Sponsor of the Week: LAKE OSWEGO FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS – Celebrating 53 Years

Calling All Paper Artists! You are invited to apply to the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts in Lake Oswego, Oregon (20 minutes south of Portland)

Apply online: DEADLINE: January 31, 2016

The theme for this year’s juried Special Exhibit is Chasing Paper. The Exhibit is open to handmade paper and paper arts to include sculptural designs, papier-mache’, folding, curling and laser cutting, excavated books, quilling and other forms of manipulated paper. The Exhibit seeks to explore the unconventional use of this commonplace material in producing extraordinary arts through its manipulation. A $35 non-refundable entry fee covers up to 3 three works. Show Dates: June 24, 25 & 26, 2016. Oh, and I’m one of the jurors.

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In the Studio: 

I previewed this project last week, and now it’s live! Join me in the 25 Days of Paper by purchasing the paper pack. $25 gets you 12 hand picked papers cut to roughly the size you’ll need to make each of the projects below. In addition, I’ll be posting short videos and/or diagrams describing how to make each project, and much, much more! We’ll start making on December 2nd. I hope you’ll join the fun (and special thanks to those of you who have already placed your order)!

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Have you seen these paper bowls? This is a lovely project that took place in Jordan and was developed based on the skills and the potential of the women involved in the project and the location. Jennifer Hier and Eva Schlechte guided these women in using traditional paper craft techniques to reshape and create a new product.

There are perks to reading the real thing! If you subscribe to the print version of the New York Times, you probably received Google Cardboard last Sunday. What did you think?

There is a Kafka event going on at the Rose Hotel in Bangkok. Yoko Seyama has created this origami art and scenography. Unfolding Kafka’s metamorphosis poses the question of how choreography, physical movement, origami installation and visual art interact.

I love it when students are inspired by my work. Isaac Fosl-van Wyke, a student of Melissa Potter’s at Columbia College Chicago, made this short paper animation after watching my film Water Paper Time.

Fractured/Works on Paper looks like an interesting paper show at the Helen Day Art Center in Stowe, Vermont through November 22nd. Read the review.

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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!

Paste Paper

The Sunday Paper #80

Sponsored Paper of the Week: Madeleine Durham Paste Paper

Madeleine Durham loves painting paste paper! The happiest moments of her life are those spent creating in her Santa Fe studio. Painting has always come naturally for Durham, so when she was re-introduced to paste papers a few years ago she immediately saw the possibilities. 

Place an order for Durham’s paste papers on Etsy and enter the code PastePaper11 to receive a 15% discount through the end of December 2015.

Durham enjoys working in a painterly fashion using a brush technique. Pigmented pastes have allowed her to fully express the colorful and fluid abstraction of the style which defines her work. Lively shapes and strong patterns are a central part of her imagery. Durham’s papers are 100% archival made with Golden acrylics and Jin-Shofu wheat paste. Currently, she is working on Arches Text Wove, and her papers are grain short and are slightly larger than 13” x 25” which is a third of a sheet of Arches. Durham is experimenting with new patterns on kozo which will be available soon, larger papers for binders who require more than a 13” short grain, and smaller kozo papers with intricate designs especially for miniature book binders. Durham currently has a line of greeting cards and printed silk scarves are coming soon. She looks forward to sharing her designs and ideas with everyone as they come to fruition!

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In the Studio: 

Throughout December I’ll be featuring various paper aficionados on the blog (makers, artists, designers, stores and distributors) as well as twelve how-to projects (pictured above) featuring some awesome papers. I’ll be selling a paper pack that includes a set of 12 papers so that you can make the projects with me throughout the season (instructions will be posted every other day starting December 2nd). Most of the projects are simple – perfect for getting the kiddos or grandkids involved! Look for news about the kit soon, and I hope you’ll spend  some of your holiday time designing with paper! 

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Did you read about the paper airplane collector in The New Yorker awhile ago? Harry Everett Smith collected paper airplanes on the streets of NYC for more than twenty years. Here’s just one fascinating snippet from the article about Smith (who died in 1991) “The papers are intriguing—scraps and junk mail bear the fingerprints of history, in fonts, colors, and patterns. But what reportedly attracted Smith was the variety of constructions. A friend recalled him observing that there were trends in the designs, ways of folding that would become prevalent and then disappear, only to have a resurgence years later.”

I’m not entirely sure what the fascination is these days with paper cars, but here’s another one designed by British artist Owen Gildersleeve (look him up, he does incredible work). The Nissan Juke is currently the UK’s best-selling car in the sector (which means, I guess, that they had the budget to hire a paper artist to design a cool car)!

Watch this lovely video by Linda Coussement about a gentleman in the Czech Republic who recently quit his corporate job to – drumroll please – become a full time papermaker! 

Isamu Noguchi is one of my all-time favorite artists and designers. I used to love visiting his old studio, which is now The Noguchi Museum in Long Island City. His work is featured in Papercraft: the UK’s first major Japanese washi exhibition in London. Eek, the show just opened and is about to end – only 10 days in duration!

20th century designer Isamu Noguchi’s Akari lamp was inspired by the lanterns used on Gifu fishing boats.

This is kind of unbelievable. An antique paper machine went missing in Wisconsin. Have you seen it anywhere?

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About our sponsor: Madeleine Durham works out of her home studio in the high desert of Santa Fe New Mexico. She is happy to work with artists who have special requests and is also able to deliver patterns in multiples up to a hundred if needed. Visit her on Facebook and feel free to contact her about your specific needs: madeleine@madeleinedurham.com.

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