Helen Hiebert's Blog, page 69

Abaca Workshop

I had a wonderful 3-day workshop in Portland last weekend at the Oregon College of Art & Craft. Ten ambitious and enthusiastic women brought their diverse skills into the classroom to create a variety of interesting objects.

The table above is filled with samples I brought made from abaca, a plant fiber which is extracted from the trunk of a non-fruit-bearing banana tree. I beat the abaca for 5 hours in a Reina beater (many people refer to this as overbeaten abaca). The long beating makes the paper both translucent and high shrinking).

This fiber has fascinated me for almost 20 years and led to the production of my film Water Paper Time in 2008. If you watch the trailer for the film, you’ll get a glimpse into what took place each night after we left the studio and as the paper dried.

We spread out into two work spaces so that each participant had their own vat and couching station.

We focused on two primary techniques: 1. embedding string, wire and other natural materials between sheets of abaca; and 2. building wire armatures to cover with paper.

 

Nicole embedded sheeps wool “drawings” between sheets of paper and laminated wet sheets onto a 15″ ballloon.

She hung the papered balloon to dry.

Thankfully, the balloon stayed in tact during drying and was a spectacle during show and tell when illuminated.

 

Rebecca spent a good portion of the workshop (and the evenings in between) constructing two armatures from copper and steel wire.

She patiently covered the armature panel by panel.

Rebecca brought in a turned wooden base that she’d fabricated in another OCAC workshop, which will become the base for one of these shades.

Nancy brought in found objects, such as this topiary, which she covered with paper.

Diane turned a sheet that was a flop into this interesting form. Above you see it wet.

And here it is dry.

Nicole created this armature. Before,

and after.

Sanda covers her armature, perhaps not expecting how much shrinkage might occur.

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The finished sculpture!

Diane embedded floral wire wrapped in raffia and hemp threads between her sheets.

Here are the four sheets connected to a wire lamp base.

And that wasn’t everything these women created! I hope you enjoyed this glimpse from our weekend. Feel free to share your own abaca creations with us in the comment section below.

Related Posts Three Days in Santa Fe Artist Profile: Jenny Pinto Columbia College Chicago My 10 Top Paper Picks The Papermaker’s Studio Guide

On the Bookshelf

I am in Portland for 12 days (the first five have flown by). Yesterday, the kids and I went to Powells Books and we each went our separate ways (they know where to find me… in the papercraft section). I was delighted to see all four of my books on the shelf grouped together. Nearby was Dard Hunter’s well known publication, Papermaking.

And a hard bound edition of the same book! This was the first time I’d seen the original version.

I always peruse this section for new publications and was happy to find the newly published All Things Paper by Ann Martin, which I’d just read about on her blog. The paper jewelry in the book is quite amazing!

And Paul Jackson is one of my favorite paper artists. I hadn’t seen his book Structural Packaging yet.

500 Paper Objects features many artists I’m not familiar with. I’ll definitely order a copy of this (it is too heavy to add to my luggage this trip).

 

Today I stopped by Powell’s on Hawthorne to peruse their pop-up book section (an entire floor to ceiling shelf of pop-up books!) and these two were my favorite.

 

Raggedy Ann and Andy, with paper engineering by Kees Moerbeek.

And The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, featuring Robert Sabuda‘s paper engineering. Check out the collapsed balloon? here.

And here it is inflated. Quite amazing. The first spread in the book features a swirling tornado! Brilliant paper engineering!

 

Holy smokes, as my grandfather-in-law (and Batman) used to say. Powells even has an Espresso Book Machine. You slip in your disk with the book laid out, punch a few buttons and away it goes, printing and binding your book!

What is your favorite paper book, new or old? Please leave a comment in the box below.

 

 

 

 

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Papermaking in Latvia

Shortly after we moved to Colorado last summer, I received an e-mail from Latvia. I’d heard of Latvia, but I had to look at a map to pinpoint its location. Aha, just north of Lithuania, where my husband’s ancestors hail from (no, I didn’t take his name – Katauskas  – but that is another story).

 

Ilze Dilane wrote that she was interested in working with me. We are still working out the details to see if she can come here or I can go there as we each juggle our families and our work. Perhaps we’ll have to end up doing both, because I think each of us has the desire to travel. In the meantime, we’ve been penpals for the past 9 months, and I’m impressed with Ilze’s ambition.

This is Ilze

A few years ago, Ilze spent time working with Beck Whitehead at the Southwest School of Art in San Antonio, Texas. Apparently, like so many of us, she got hooked!  I’m pretty sure that she is the only serious hand papermaker in Latvia.

Ilze found and moved papermaking equipment from Sweden and set up a papermaking studio at the Pardaugava Music and Art School in Riga, Latvia, where she lives. The Cronquist Paper Studio (named after the Swede who sold his equipment to the school) offers papermaking classes for school-aged children, as well as life-long education classes for adults, and education for pre-school children.

 

 

After advertising her first adult workshop last year, Ilze was introduced to a manager at Antalis, a Latvian paper distributor. Long story short, Ilze worked with employees from the company, teaching them how to cut white jeans and green t-shirts into pieces and turn them into green pulp in the Peter Beater. In the end, they made 150 sheets of paper which were used as invitations for Antalis’ 20th anniversary.

 

 

Another project which Ilze spearheaded this year was with Latvia’s only producing paper factory, Ligatne.

The company set up a recycled paper collection box in a large supermarket in Riga – most of the recycled paper in Latvia is sold to other countries in Europe. In an effort to use their own paper, the company has installed recycling containers like this one in Latvian schools, offices, and other public places.

Here you see the recycling container in the background.

To celebrate the placement of this new recycling container, Ilze organized a public papermaking event.

 

I think the public was intrigued, and I cannot get over the colorful equipment!

I’m happy to know that papermaking is a growing art form in the Baltic, and I look forward to traveling there one day!

Do you know about papermaking in other countries around the world? Please share a bit about another corner of the earth by leaving a comment below.

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Origamic Architecture

As many of you know, I’m writing a new book called Playing With Pop-Ups. I’m in the home stretch… my final manuscript is due July 1. I find this deadline both nerve wracking and relieving! But let me be the first to say that I’ll be smiling come July 1.

Pop-Ups were actually my entrée into the world of paper. Back in 1986, when I was an exchange student in Germany, I stumbled across a three-dimensional alphabet.

I soon became obsessed with rendering it in three dimensions. It wasn’t as easy at it looks!

 

I’ve had mixed results when showing this image to people. Some people see it and some don’t. How about you – can you read it?

This work led to the discovery of Origamic Architecture (OA), which was a new medium back then (in the 80′s). A Japanese architect, Masahiro Chatani, is credited with developing this form of working with paper. He did some fascinating paper sculptures: pop-ups and slice forms.

This is one of his simple forms. I love it for the simple elegance. When you collapse it (or stretch the base sheet) it returns to its original state (a flat sheet of paper). In other words, just through cuts and folds, the paper transforms into three dimensions.

Here is another form that Chatani developed: the sliceform, which involves several slices of paper that are interlocked, kind of like a house of cards.

I recently made contact with Andrew Crawford, who carries a line of Chatani’s cards as well as products from other OA experts on his website. Chatani authored several books featuring projects and templates.

He also has a following, and there are many paper engineers today who are practicing and advancing OA. Two of them will be featured in Playing With Pop-Ups.

Ingrid Siliakus (who is also featured in Playing With Paper) spends up to a year developing some of her intricate paper sculptures.

Cosmopolitan, by Ingrid Siliakus

Equinox, by Ingrid Siliakus

Siliakus has also authored The Paper Architect, featuring templates for buildings you can fold yourself.

Elod Beregszazi is newer on the scene. He runs this website, Popupology, featuring a new line of pop-up jewelry, kinetic surfaces, and many DIY projects. Keep a look out for the project that Beregszazi contributed to Playing With Pop-Ups.

San Marco, by Popupology

I’m going to leave you there for now. There are others who are pushing the limits with Origamic Architecture. Do tell us who you know about by leaving a comment below.

Now, back to finishing my book!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Artist Profile: Liz Faust

Liz Faust in her papermaking studio

When I was in Santa Fe a couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to spend some time with Liz Faust, who lives in Eldorado (a lovely community outside of Santa Fe) and runs Red Paper Studio.  I first met Liz in Banff, Canada in 2005, when we both attended an IAPMA (International Association of Hand Papemakers and Paper Artists) meeting. As you’ll see, we share an interest in paper and light.

Liz and her husband Vince recently relocated to Santa Fe (from Kalamazoo, MI) where they purchased a beautifully adobe home to live in, and another smaller house which they’ve converted into studios (Vince is a welder/sculptor, and another artist, Deborah Meyer, shares the space as well).

You can view and purchase Liz’s work at Hillside Market in Santa Fe. I’ll share some images, but first lets take a peek at some of the innovative papermaking equipment that Liz has created to make her studio operate efficiently.

Pulp is heavy, right? Check out this vat on wheels, plus the drain that is attached to the bottom of the vat for easy emptying. A plug fits into the hole on the inside.

welded & powder coated armatures

Liz creates amazing welded steel forms that she sends out for powder coating (to add color and prevent rust). She covers the armatures with a thin mesh materials and then sprays pulp onto them (she mainly uses cotton, flax and abaca fibers). Read more about her process.

She converted the bathroom into a pulp spraying booth – genius!

And completely waterproof. The water drains into the old bathtub:

Liz has a valley beater, a true work horse which many a papermaker refers to as the “best” in a beater.

For easy drainage (and to avoid heavy lifting), she places a bucket lined with a strainer under the beater drain and attaches a drain hose to the nozzle she’s affixed to the bottom of the bucket. The hose runs outside through a sliding door, the water flows outside, and the vegetation in this arid climate soaks it up.

Here are some sea creatures I found in the guest bathroom at Liz’s home.

A lovely table lamp.

And some floor lamps:

Liz also makes jewelry:

And you can view more work and read more about Liz here.

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Where Do You Find Inspiration?

You never really know what to expect when you go on a TV or Radio Show. I’ve been on both in the last month to promote my newest book Playing With Paper. In my TV interview with Tricia Swenson from my local station, I was caught slightly off guard right off the bat when she opened our conversation with a statement rather than a question. Thankfully, I was prepared and, after a slight fumble for words, launched into a description of the book. I think the rest of the interview went okay… you are welcome to see for yourself!

And this past Sunday, I was a guest on Rebecca Parson’s Artistically Speaking radio show. She asked a question that she probably asks everyone she interviews: Where Do You Find Inspiration?

Dandelion seed head, from an amazing website called Inspiration Green!

I can’t really express how I felt when I heard that question. I mean, there are so many answers! I replied with a curt answer referencing nature and my life, and then launched into an example, describing a the Mother Tree Project, which was inspired by my own journey through motherhood. In fact, the real inspiration for the project was almost random, sparked by a comment I overheard when a father told his children that me breastfeeding my newborn son was one of the most beautiful things in the world.

Milk, 2008, a piece inspired by my reflections on nursing my babies

I guess I want another opportunity to answer that question: where do you find inspiration? But I think it is one of those questions that will be with me for life. But one thing I know. Not only am I inspired to make art, but I also get inspiration from my art, from coming up with the ideas through figuring out how to make them a reality. It is like solving a puzzle. And it is a process; it isn’t just about the finished piece.

I am so grateful to those of you who have contributed wishes to my current project in development: The Wish. We’re at 100 and counting, and I have wishes from 10 countries. I’m currently figuring out how to drill 300+ holes evenly around an 8″ diameter wooden sphere (almost have that problem solved); I’m reading through the wishes that have been contributed to see how they inspire me; and I am looking for ways to produce an audio component that will project the contributed wishes into a gallery space. It is challenging, it is invigorating, and it is a little scary.

Three Wishes, currently on view at the Berea Arts Council in Berea, Kentucky

The Wishing Wall, 21 wish-disks hanging on crocheted lines, Berea, Kentucky

I could go on about this topic, but I’ll stop there. But first, I looked up inspiration in the dictionary and found these definitions:

1. stimulation to do creative work; 2. somebody or something that inspires; 3. creativeness; 4. good idea; 5. divine influence; 6. breathing in

I’d love to hear about where you find inspiration. Please leave a comment below!

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Artistically Speaking Radio Interview Tomorrow!

Please join me in a live interview with host Rebecca Parsons on her radio show Artistically Speaking this Sunday (5/19) at 3:30(PT), 4:30(MT), 5:30(CT) 6:30(ET)!

I’ll be talking about my new book, Playing With Paper as well as my art, my other books and DVD’s.

I’ll post the link to the show on Tuesday for those of you who can’t tune in.

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Three Days in Santa Fe

Today’s blog post is short and (hopefully) sweet. I drove to Santa Fe last Thursday, where I did one-day workshop for the Santa Fe Community College papermaking class and gave a lecture and a two-day workshop for the Santa Fe Book Arts Group. I’m home already – it was a whirlwind!

I enjoyed two morning runs by the traditional adobe architecture in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.

 

The community college had a nice papermaking facility, and we packed it with students!

Twelve of them filled the space, each with their own vat and couching station. The workshop involved abaca (aka the incredible translucent shrinking material).

Amongst the supplies that students could bring to the workshop were materials for inclusion. Suzanne won the prize for the most unique collection.

There was some alternative shifu making…

which resulted in this three dimensional form.

Pressing took place in the courtyard.

next to these interesting winter gardens.

The abaca was translucent and shrinking took placeAt the end there was clean-up.

and show and tell (most people made paper the second day, but Maia turned hers into a lamp and some lanterns).

All in all, it was a great weekend in good company! Many thanks to my hostesses, Marci Easterbrook and Marilyn Chambers, and to Santa Fe… I look forward to seeing you again.

What is one of your favorite papermaking workshop memories?

Artist Profile: Jenny Pinto

I met Jenny Pinto twelve years ago when she came to work in my studio in Portland. She had posted a note on the BookArts listserv, and the subject line read: papermaking with plants & lampshades, or something to that effect. Well, that caught my attention since I’d just written Papermaking With Plants and I was also making lamps with my handmade paper.

Jenny’s banana paper sampler

Jenny came to Portland from her home in Bangalore, India and spent a month with me during the summer of 2000. She helped me make the projects for my book Paper Illuminated; we experimented with abaca and her native banana fiber (which is quite similar to abaca) and she came to the coast with me to take a workshop on making paper with plants.

I haven’t seen Jenny since that summer long ago. The time is marked by my son’s growth: he was a year old when she came and is now 13! But we’ve kept in touch through e-mail and images, and I’m delighted to see how far she’s come in paper.

She’s made table lamps,

Anthurlum, table lamps

Pyramid table lamps

Cube Sea Urchin table lamp

Wall fixtures:

Wall Flower

Ceiling Lamps:

Floor Lamps:

Arch

And site specific works:

Space Bangalore

Sea Urchins: Holiday Home in Ionavaia

Jenny has also done some amazing installations, like this one at the National Gallery of Modern Art in Bangalore.

Make sure you click on the links above to see more of her beautiful creations.

Jenny has done a number of innovative papermaking projects which have empowered women. Kirana, a group of 8-10 women which Jenny mentored, is a modest workshop making paper from household waste paper and agricultural waste fibers. They produce an interesting range of embossed paper bags, cards and gift bags that have a tiny but loyal customer base in the US, UK and Australia. You can read about the other projects Jenny is doing here.

Do you know of an amazing woman working in paper (perhaps it is you)? I’d love to hear about her! Leave a comment below.

 

Support Hand Papermaking!

There are only a few organizations dedicated solely to the field of hand papermaking. Hand Papermaking is one of them, and I encourage you to check out their on-line auction that is happening right now (ends at 5pm on May 4th). There are lots of goodies to be gotten: decorative papers, papermaking tools & equipment, artists’ books, portfolios and more!

 

 

Many of you might know of Hand Papermaking Magazine, which is the journal in our field. Two issues of the magazine have been published every year since 1986, resulting in a unique repository of information and inspiration on the art and craft of hand papermaking.

In fact, there is an on-line index which allows you to search for topics of interest that have been featured in the magazine. Each issue contains articles on a variety of topics within the field, including: contemporary artistic approaches, craft techniques, historical topics and reference, international development, and educational initiatives. Articles are written by experts in the field, many of them practitioners, and each magazine includes at least one unique sample of handmade paper.

When I started subscribing in about 1992, I made sure to purchase all of the back issues. You can do this too! There is a set of twenty years of the magazine available in the on-line auction

 

I have my own Hand Papermaking encyclopedia. It is truy a wealth of information and a resource every papermaker should have. The magazine can also be found in many libraries as well.

Hand Papermaking also publishes a quarterly newsletter, featuring several columns ranging from topics such as paper history and teaching tips for hand papermaking to profiles of prominent papermakers. The newsletter also includes timely listings for national and international exhibitions, lectures, workshops, etc. I wrote a beginner’s column for several years, which is available for free on-line (and continues to be authored by notables in the field).

The magazine, the newsletter… wait, there’s more! Hand Papermaking produces an incredible portfolio every two years. Housed in a clamshell box, each portfolio features the work of 20 or 30 artists on a particular topic (ranging from photographic processes on handmade paper to watermarks; pulp painting to pop-ups in handmade paper). Each edition is limited to a quantity of 150.

You can find a copy of the sold-out photographic portfolio in the on-line auction.

Last but not least, Hand Papermaking runs an on-line Artist Registry, where anyone can peruse the handmade paper art being made today. The registry can be searched alphabetically, by region, and by specialty, which makes it a handy research tool. Artists who are interested in joining the registry can click here to find out more.

There are many other things that this amazing organization does, but I think I’ve covered the major offerings.

Interested in subscribing? There’s a perk! Begin your new subscription to Hand Papermaking magazine and newsletter before April 30 (that’s tomorrow) and get a free DVD…The Papermaker’s Studio Guide (a $30 value).

For those of you who already subscribe, tell us what you love about Hand Papermaking in the comments below.