Helen Hiebert's Blog, page 9

Washed Child

The Sunday Paper #497

February 25, 2024

Triaxial weaving is a brain bender! It took me a long time to muster up the courage to try it, and even longer to get it down. Now I show participants in my Weave Through Winter online class how I’ve learned to do it. But my method isn’t foolproof! Teaching this has taught me (again) that there are many ways to teach and many ways to learn. Some course participants don’t even attempt this; others try and give up; and others take it to levels that are above and beyond my own attempts. I love that!

——————————————————————————————–––––––

There are only two spots left for this special travel program to Italy. Book Arts in Venice, led by Kalamazoo Book Arts Center Executive Director Jeff Abshear, takes place June 4 – 15, 2024. Work at the Scuola Internazionale di Grafica in Venice, and Tipoteca Italiana Fondazione, one of the largest typography museums in Europe, to create a collaborative handmade book. No previous experience in printing, letterpress, or book arts is required. This will be the 13th year that Jeff Abshear, a seasoned, Italian-speaking guide, has traveled to Europe with small groups to work in historic book arts studios. Also included in the program is a visit to the 60th Venice Art Biennale, one of the largest international contemporary art exhibitions. 100% of previous Book Arts in Venice participants said they would recommend this trip. The registration deadline has been extended to April 1. Don’t pass up this opportunity for an immersive experience in Italy! Click here for more info

Saint Mark’s Square in Venice

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Here’s an article on Everything you Need to Get Started Learning Origami. There are some great resources listed, and I visited one of the shops – Taro’s Origami Studio in Brooklyn’s Japan Town – last spring.

Photo: Marki WIlliams

———————————————————————————————–––––––

I love this! Tuan Ngyuen created Washed Child with discarded paper he’d previously used for drawings. He washed the paper and repurposed it into this new sculpture, connecting to the notion of transformation that’s familiar to so many refugees and immigrants. This is currently on view at the Bowdoin College Museum of Art.

Tuan Nguyen, Washed Child, 2018, ink and pencil on laundered paper. Courtesy of the artist.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

The newest publication by Poposition Press is on Kickstarter. Purchase your copy while helping to support this unique project. Pull Me Apart is a nature-inspired interactive sketchbook! You can manipulate artist Heather Clements’ watercolor paintings with pull tabs, flaps and more in this innovative art book.

—–—————————————————————————————–––––––

Paper TidbitsHave you had a chance to listen to my interview with Melanie Mowinski on Paper Talk?The Paper Year will open for registration again April 1-10. Click here to Hold Your Spot.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

About Our Sponsor: The Kalamazoo Book Arts Center (KBAC) is a nonprofit organization in Kalamazoo, MI, that practices, teaches, and promotes the collaborative arts of the book including hand papermaking, printmaking, letterpress printing, bookbinding, and creative writing.

———————————————————————————————––––––

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

Tell 3500 paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in my blog posts – links to products in which I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Washed Child appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

Murmurings

The Sunday Paper #496

February 18, 2024

I mentioned last week that I’ll be traveling to Tasmania in September in conjunction with Paper on Skin, a wearable paper art fashion show. I was going to share the registration link today for the workshops I’m teaching there, but they sold out quickly. I do have two spots left in my Red Cliff Paper Retreat if you’d like to come to my Colorado studio in August. We will be exploring a variety of ways to work with paper + thread.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

I had the pleasure of interviewing Melanie Mowinski on Paper Talk. Mowinski likes paper, but she loves what goes ON paper. Paper becomes a vessel on which she prints, collages, draws, constructs, and more. Mowinski draws inspiration from the landscape of her Berkshire Hills home and residencies and travels to places like Iceland, Morocco, Tasmania, Venice, and most recently, from along the Camino de Santiago in Spain. She began her daily creative practice over 20 years ago as a Peace Corps Volunteer – what began as a way to document the “toughest job she would ever love,” evolved into one of the most important parts of her artistic practice. This practice formed the foundation of her book Collage Your Life, published by Storey Publishing in 2022.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

I know that many of you took part in Madonna Yoder’s Advent of Tess. I followed along for part of the journey myself! If you enjoyed folding tessellations, you might be wondering how to fold these patterns with more repeats. Tessellation Academy is a great next step after Advent of Tess to learn the principles behind folding any pattern with more repeats, to learn skills on other grid types, and explore more advanced twists and structures too!

The emphasis will be on understanding the structures and principles of folding origami tessellations so that you can fold whatever pattern you want, with however many repeats you want, whether there’s a tutorial for it or not. The Tessellation Academy membership has three lessons on a single topic, spread out over a month – a beginner tutorial, an advanced tutorial, and a live theory and design workshop. Topics may focus on a particular structure, a pairing of twists, a style of folding, or the options available after certain choices have been made. The goal of this membership is to build the community of tessellation folders and inspire more people to fold and design origami tessellations.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Janice McDonald is an artist with a daily collage practice (read about that here). She is currently showing work at Spark Gallery in Denver (through 1/25). The collage below, titled Murmurings, reflects her impression of all the voiced, musical, and environmental sound input we are exposed to in our daily lives. We often manage it as background noise, yet the occasional idea, note or snippet of conversation breaks through the din in surprising ways. This collage incorporates transfers of text that are indecipherable, along with elements of text that were considered, but did not find a place in the associated small works that make up the rest of the show.

“Murmurings,” collage, acrylic transfer and ink on wood panel, 36 x 36 x 2,” ©2024, Janice McDonald.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

I enjoyed reading the description of how a Louise Bourgeois print (Crochet IV) was created at Mixografia.

—–—————————————————————————————–––––––

Paper TidbitsWe had a blast making Strip Books last month in The Paper Year. Watch the video.The Paper Year will open for registration again April 1-10. Click here to Hold Your Spot.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

About Our Sponsor: Gathering Folds helps aspiring tessellation folders to deeply understand tessellations with courses focused on broad structures, theory, and folding skills so they can approach new patterns with confidence and even start designing patterns of their own.

———————————————————————————————––––––

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

Tell 3500 paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in my blog posts – links to products in which I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Murmurings appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

Thai Kozo

The Sunday Paper #495

February 11, 2024

I used to travel several times a year prior to the pandemic, and things are ramping up again, and my travels are getting more far flung. How is it that I get to make three international trips in 2024? It began with our ski vacation in Europe last month (for those of you who were following along, my knees are much better).

In June, I’m taking a group on a 12-day Japan Paper Tour (I traveled to Japan with Ted back in 2019 when our son was doing a semester abroad. We had several paper excursions, which I blogged about, and I mentioned that I might lead a tour one day. That day has finally come, and the tour has filled with people who expressed interest way back then).

Trip #3 will be to Australia and Tasmania in September! I will be teaching two workshops right after Paper on Skin, an international wearable paper art competition that will be held in Devonport, Tasmania. Submit your design concept for the first stage of the pre-selection process by this coming Friday, February 16th, and if you make it through the final round, I will see it in person!

Registration opens tomorrow (2/12) for my workshops: Bend, Form, Sculpt (2-days) and Pleat, Crumple Connect (1-day). Join me if you live down under, or maybe you’re interested in traveling there. Find out about all events here.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

Sourced with precision from the Paper Mulberry Tree, Flexi Mulberry Bark (pictured) is crafted through a comprehensive process that refines this premium fiber into versatile, pliable sheets. These sheets of fiber are perfect for various artistic applications. The intricate mesh of its soft and refined fibers offers a distinctive texture, adding depth and versatility to artworks. This material is exceptionally adaptable, lending itself well to coloring, stitching, and sculpting, making it an ideal choice for creative expression. 

Kozo Studio produces a wide variety of decorative handmade and machine-made papers (including flexi mulberry bark) in their Thailand factory. I just placed my first order and can’t wait to start creating! Click here to see me unveiling my order on Instagram. Kozo Studio offers FREE shipping on orders over $99. 

———————————————————————————————–––––––

There are two paper shows in Cincinnati right now: Paperwork at Manifest Gallery features 17 works by 15 artists from 12 states. Among the featured pieces are this paper kimono (below left) entitled Reading is Resistance: A Tribute to Banned and Challenged Books by Cleveland Heights, Ohio artist Paula Damm. It’s made of dyed library cards, kozo paper, cotton thread and needles. The exhibit runs through Feb. 23. We Felt Everything Without is at the Weston Gallery and features several illuminated paper sculptures by Ohio State University art lecturer Aaron Peters. Special thanks to Ron Shaull for alerting me to these shows and for the photos below (Shaull also helped Peters create the paper for his sculptures).

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Check out this video about Sophia Bogle, who restores old books. It is a fascinating snapshot into book restoration, and you get to see her unique tools and process. I love that she signs each spine’s interior, leaving her mark within each project in an invisible way.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Are you looking for a job? Hand Papermaking is seeking a new Executive Director.

—–—————————————————————————————–––––––

Paper TidbitsClaudia Lee’s book, The Weekend Crafter: Papermaking, is now available as a PDF ($12)If you are in NYC, head to Kinokuniya Bookstore next Sunday to see the origami vending machine (and please report back).

———————————————————————————————–––––––

About Our Sponsor: Since 1985, Kozo Studio has been proudly serving creative minds all over the world with our high-quality kozo papers.

———————————————————————————————––––––

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

Tell 3500 paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in my blog posts – links to products in which I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Thai Kozo appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

Paper Fashion

The Sunday Paper #494

February 4, 2024

February is a fun month for me – what a treat it is to have guide Weave Through Winter online class participants through a month of paper weaving while weaving along with them. It is hard to put into words, but suffice it to say that it is a (good) challenge, I learn a ton, and I am continually inspired to try new things and share them with the group. This year is extra special, because I am hyper focused on my next how-to book (working title: A Paper Waving Journey) which is based on this course.

Check out the hashtag #weavethroughwinter to see what has transpired over the past six years of this class, and/or take a look at my instagram feed @helenhiebert to see my daily creations.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

The prestigious Paper on Skin wearable paper art competition is now open for entries. Paper on Skin invites artists and designers to embrace the challenge of designing a wearable garment made from at least 80% paper. The event is held in Devonport, Tasmania (AUS), and draws on the industrial history of papermaking in the region. This year there are a total of ten awards, with a prize pool over AUD $14,000. Entries close on February 16th, 2024. This is the first stage of the pre-selection process, calling for design concepts only.

Paper on Skin is presented in partnership with the Devonport City Council, with assistance from the Tasmanian Government and North West Support Services. The gala event and award evening will be held on the 21st September. I have a special announcement relating to this event that I’ll be making soon! 

——————————————————————————————–––––––

Sustainability in Chaos, a show that Eileen Wallace and I juried, is currently on view at the Robert C Williams Museum of American Papermaking in Atlanta. There is an in-person reception this Thursday, February 8th. For those of you who aren’t in the area, there is also a virtual lecture series that runs through the duration of the exhibition.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

I adore this! While away on assignment, the cartoonist and illustrator Alfred Joseph Frueh would send letters home to his wife Giuliette Fancuilli. Through collage, cuts and structural folds, Frueh demonstrates quite literally how space can be constructed through letter-writing, as the page forms the walls of a gallery.

Image from the Alfred J. Frueh papers / Archives of American Art / Smithsonian

———————————————————————————————–––––––

This is so cool on so many levels (please click through to read the full piece). Jerushia Graham recently created a digital billboard as part of Local Stories, an initiative that presents lesser-known facts about downtown Atlanta’s rich history. Graham’s work honors the leadership and legacy of John Wesley Dobbs, a political activist and the unofficial “mayor” of Atlanta’s Auburn Avenue during the first half of the 20th century, through papercutting and animation. Here’s a youtube video with a few more images and text about the project.

Jerushia Graham, museum coordinator for the Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking, in front of her digital billboard honoring the unofficial “mayor” of Auburn Avenue John Wesley Dobbs. (Photo by Allison Carter)

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Dieu Donné recently launched the 2024 West Bay View Foundation Fellowship application. This fellowship is an immersive, full-time, six-month paid studio position for a visual artist with a strong basis in papermaking. The deadline for applications is March 1, 2024.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Paper TidbitsHave you listened to my interview with Susan Warner Keene on Paper Talk?The International Association of Papermakers and Paper Artists is a membership organization with an incredible list of timely opportunities for papermakers and paper artists that is continuously updated.

———————————————————————————————––––––

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

Tell 3500 paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in my blog posts – links to products in which I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Paper Fashion appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

Der Weisse Ring

The Sunday Paper #493

January 28, 2024

My husband Ted and I just returned from a sky and snow holiday in Europe (lots of blue and white). Well, I had a holiday and he did a little work. As editor of Vail Beaver Creek Magazine, Ted did some reporting about a couple of ski resorts that Vail Resorts now owns (Crans Montana and Andermatt). Our trip begain in Lech Zürs, Austria, where we had a few days without any commitments. One fun thing we skied was Der Weisse Ring: the white ring – a half-day tour with approx. 22 km of ski runs and 5,500 meters of altitude. We were also able to ski to James Turrell’s Skyspace Lech. I’ve visited other Skyspaces, like The James Turrell Skyspace at Live Oak Friends Meeting in Houston. His spaces are especially good to visit at sunrise or sunset, when the sky is changing rapidly.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

Weave Through Winter begins on Thursday, and I am looking forward to creating a weaving-a-day along with participants. You can still join us! If you’d like to get a taste of paper weaving to see if you like it, check out my Woven Paper Heart tutorial on YouTube (just in time for Valentine’s Day).

——————————————————————————————–––––––

I had a lovely conversation with Susan Warner Keene on Paper Talk. Warner Keene is a Toronto-based artist working in handmade paper, who has been exhibiting in Canada and internationally since 1980. She graduated from the Ontario College of Art, where she specialized in weaving and feltmaking, subsequently shifting her practice to focus on papermaking by 1990. The acquisition of a Reina beater enabled her to set up her studio to develop artworks that are created during the papermaking process itself, exploring ways to make objects with an internal architecture created by the material conditions.Her ongoing interest in the intersection of ideas and materiality is reflected in her exploration of aspects of language, the book form, and the nature of the page.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

If you’re on the Oregon Coast (or need a reason for a getaway) visit Lincoln City’s Fiber Arts Studio Gallery. Susan Webb Rebecchi’s magical characters in fantastical environments are on display through March 31 in an exhibition titled “Articulated Fantasy Sculpture”.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Originally made through a process of upcycling discarded blue rags  into pulp, blue paper broke onto the art scene as a new material in northern Italy at the end of the 14th century. The forthcoming exhibition at the J. Paul Getty Museum and the catalog – Drawing on Blue: European Drawings on Blue Paper, 1400s–1700s – traces the introduction and adoption of blue paper as a drawing medium throughout Europe over the course of several centuries, presenting roughly 100 works united by its use.

As seen on Hyperallergic: Giovanni da Modena, “Riding Procession with a Princess, Two Men, and Pages” (c. 1410–50) (© Kupferstich-Kabinett, SKD; photo by Herbert Boswank).

———————————————————————————————–––––––

The PBS News Hour recently featured paper cut artist Nikki McClure on their arts and culture series, Canvas.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Paper TidbitsHave you had a chance to listen to my interview with Julie McGlaughlin on Paper Talk?The Sebastopol Center for the Arts is seeking submissions for Pulp: Book & Paper Arts. Donna Seager of Seager Gray Gallery in Mill Valley will serve as Juror. DEADLINE IS February 23.Special thanks to my local newspaper, The Vail Daily, and reporter Tricia Swenson, for this Q&A that appeared in the paper last Sunday.

———————————————————————————————––––––

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

Tell 3500 paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in my blog posts – links to products in which I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Der Weisse Ring appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

A Woven Alpaca

The Sunday Paper #492

January 7, 2024

The beginning of the year is my busy season, and I have so many things to share with you this week!

January is when I open annual enrollment for The Paper Year, my yearlong online program (deadline to join is 1/9/24) and Weave Through Winter, my month-long online class (registration deadline is 2/1/24). Thank you to those of you who have signed up! If you’re interested in either class, please click on the images below to read more, watch the videos and register.

We are developing a wonderful paper community, it is exciting to offer these programs to a growing number of international participants, and I learn so much from everyone I get to work with! Here’s to another year of fun together.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

I am thankful to get to accompany my hubby on a two-week ski holiday in Europe. He is editor of Vail Beaver Creek Magazine and will do some reporting about a couple of the ski areas that Vail Resorts is associated with, including Lech Zurs in Austria, and Andermatt and Crans-Montana in Switzerland. We’ll be traveling 1/10 – 1/24, and I’ll be taking a little hiatus from writing this blog. Look for the next issue on 1/28/24. I’ll be posting most days on Instagram if you’d like to follow our journey. 

——————————————————————————————–––––––

I had a lovely conversation with Julie McLaughlin on Episode #118 of Paper Talk. McLaughlin has been making paper and exploring its sculptural possibilities since the early 90’s and making large sheets from kozo fibers for the last 14 years. Her interest in wearable paper garments subconsciously began over 50 years ago when she wore her first paper dress (popular in the 1960’s) and she continues to push the boundaries between paper and textiles today.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Do you watch Craft in America on PBS? Special thanks to a blog reader for sharing this recent episode that features the unique piñatas of two artists: Roberto Benavidez, who makes sculptural piñatas, influenced by Hieronymus Bosch paintings and medieval manuscripts; and Lorena Robletto, who creates spinning piñatas. The segment starts at 11:50 mins.

© Roberto Benavidez

———————————————————————————————–––––––

The Paper Studio is my free Facebook group, where we have a monthly challenge and flaunt what we’re creating with paper every Friday. Check out this woven alpaca that Therese Lennert posted recently. It is so much fun to see the variety of contributions in this group. You have to answer 3 simple questions to join the group (this keeps the bots away). We look forward to seeing your work!

© Therese Lennart

———————————————————————————————–––––––

This is a great story about a collaborative painting (on a piece of Japanese paper) that was created by The Beatles when they were sequestered in a Japanese hotel room for several days in between performances. It involves a lamp, too!

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Paper TidbitsHave you had a chance to take a look at Helen’s 100 Papery Picks for 2023, which I published last week?Here’s a 3-minute video review of what Paper Year members created in December – a Double Pamphlet Pocket Book.

———————————————————————————————––––––

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

Tell 3500 paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in my blog posts – links to products in which I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post A Woven Alpaca appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

Helen’s 100 Papery Picks 2023

Happy New Year! Whether you’re just discovering this blog or you’ve followed it from the beginning (we’re coming up on Post #500!!) thank you for following along on this paper journey.

This is the third annual end of the year list of 100 of my favorite papery things – from tools to tutorials, inspirations to online explorations – I hope you enjoy reading through it as much as I enjoyed putting it together.

I would love to know your favorites too – please leave your comments below. You’ll notice that several of the recommended items came from other paper lovers this year. Thank you!

Feel free to share this list with your paper-loving friends. Enjoy!

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Paper: Figuring out which paper will work best for a particular project is tricky, but it can be a delightful journey. There are so many qualities – thickness, opacity, foldability – to name a few. My advice: try it and see if it works. If it does, it becomes a favorite paper. If it doesn’t, you learned something!

O-Gami papers are crisp, strong, beautiful, and perfect for anyone who wants a superior folding paper. Paper Circle makes these 100% abaca handmade sheets in a variety of richly pigmented colors.Loose Ends advertises itself as uncommon materials for uncommon artists, and they really do have unusual papers, most of which are small batches from independent papermakers in the USA and abroad. They also sell unusual ribbons, ephemera, and organic textiles. Recommended by Helen Spielman.French Paper is a commercial mill in the US. They have started selling multi-packs – you get a selection of several colors – which makes it easy to explore their paper collections.Kozo Studio in Thailand creates a wide variety of handmade and decorative machine-made kozo papers. Free shipping on orders over $99.Think of a special wish and write it on Flying Wish Paper, and then shape your paper into a tube and place it on a platform. Light the top edge of the tube and watch it burn down in a small, beautiful flame.Rock Paper is a unique substrate that is waterproof, cuts, folds and embosses well, and you can work on it with a variety of media. Some sheets are translucent, and the small sheets come in lovely colors.Acuity Papers is a family owned online retailer of Fine Art Paper. They carry a wide selection of printmaking and drawing papers from around the world.Ilan Garibi and Gadi Vishne, over at Happy Folding, have evaluated over two dozen common and uncommon origami papers and gathered together information about sourcing, prices, and which techniques the paper is best for. Recommended by Madonna Yoder.The Handmade Paper Exchange is an annual paper swap of full sheets of handmade paper. Send some, get some! Deadline is January 15.Origami-Shop (in France) has a fantastic selection of unusual papers for origami, along with some of the best books on the subject.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Techniques: There are so many ways to transform paper, and I am fascinated with all of them! Take a walk on the wild side with paper by following the links below – you might just end up in a paper vortex.

The pieces I’ve seen that were inspired by Paula Krieg’s recent series of Seminole Patchwork with Paper are incredible. I love how she had an idea and developed it with her online community.There are so many ways to weave paper! Look at how Sia Hurtigkari is exploring scale, color, and finish.Chilean artist Catalina Swinburn’s elaborate sculptures use thousands of pieces of folded paper to explore world history. She is drawn to ideas around migration and displacement, turning material derived from books, documents, and maps into large-scale wall pieces and intricate, robe-like compositions.Get a glimpse into how Awagami Factory creates handmade paper for a collection of gorgeous wallets for the company PostalCo.This work, by Sanaa Gateja, is created from rolled paper beads. The production of his materials provides sustainable employment for craftswomen across Uganda.Xavier Casalta creates his works on paper, one dot at a time. He estimates that a recent piece contains about 48 million dots of meticulously stippled black ink.This is a lovely profile of Ramona Garcia, who hosts workshops to teach others about the history of the traditional Mexican paper mache doll and incorporates art therapy to promote mental health.Colette Fu was artist-in-residence at BIMA and created this giant pop-up book called 许愿树 (Wishing Tree).Yulia Brodskaya never ceases to amaze! Over the past year, the artist has developed a series in which she portrays the “people of Gaia”—a hopeful vision of what people will be like in the future – using her unique paper quilling technique.I have enjoyed watching the evolution of Matt Shlian’s sculptural work with paper over the years.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Online Resources: I’m still a fan of actual books, paper, and libraries, but there’s no arguing that the internet allows us to share and learn about things we might never discover in the analog world. Many of these are repeats, and they’re worth repeating! Here are ten blogs and organizations that spread the love of paper.

The International Association of Hand Papermakers and Paper Artists (IAPMA) is a membership organization for paper artists.Ann Martin delights in showcasing the very best paper art and craft created by worldwide artisans via the Artist Spotlight series on her allthingspaper.net blog. Also featured are step by step paper craft tutorials, the latest paper art and paper craft books, as well as round ups of paper jewelry, handmade ornaments, paper crafting kits, etc. She sends out a colorful newsletter every three weeks that’s loaded with even more paper-y goodness. Subscribe to her newsletter.Hand Papermaking’s print and online publications chronicle the finest work in the field of hand papermaking, while advancing the scholarship and production of handmade paper and paper art. The biannual print journal includes tipped-in paper samples; how cool is that?!North American Hand Papermakers is an organization that brings together people interested in hand papermaking, to encourage sharing of practical, historical, and artistic knowledge about the craft.Trish Witkowski is ending her popular Fold of the Week series after 15 years. What an amazing run, and all 655 inspirational episodes (plus the 10 last ones that are coming out soon) will always available to view.Jade Quek keeps tabs for us on everything book and paper-related with her Book & Paper Arts Calendar. You can sign up for her monthly e-newsletter at the link.The Movable Book Society is a nonprofit organization that provides a forum for artists, book sellers, book producers, collectors, curators, and others to share enthusiasm and exchange information about pop-up and movable books.Do you listen to my podcast, Paper Talk? This past year, I conducted 17 interviews with papermakers, paper engineers, origami artists, surface designers, book artists and authors.Papercraft Miracles is a woman-owned small business in Buffalo that creates sustainable handmade paper & stationery, handcrafted paper flowers, handbound books and plantable seed bombs.The Kalamazoo Book Arts Center hosts a popular annual Illustrated Accordion exhibition. Entries are due on January 22.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Books/Magazines/Articles: My collection of books about paper continues to grow, and I have catalogued them on Library Thing. Here are ten new faves, some in my collection, some on my wish list.

Pattern & Flow, by Mindell Dubansky, chronicles the flourishing of American decorated paper arts beginning in the 1960s and extending to the 2000s and showcases marbled paper, paste paper, fold-and-dye papers, and more.The Art and Art Therapy of Papermaking: Material, Methods, and Applications, by Drew Matott and Gretchen Miller, provides a comprehensive collection about the contemporary practices, media, and value of hand papermaking as social engagement, art therapy, and personal voice.Kelsey Pike’s new book, Modern Papermaking, makes the craft relatively easy and accessible since all the essential tools and supplies can be DIY’d, recycled, and thrifted. It provides all you need to start making paper.The heroin in The Paper Magician is assigned an apprenticeship in paper magic and learns to fold animated paper creatures, among other things.Laura Russell’s limited edition artist’s book, Exquisite Warriors celebrates 26 women battling Parkinson’s Disease. This book is an empowering exploration of exquisite women! All profits from this edition will be donated to an organization supporting women with PD.National Book Award finalist Beth Kephart’s new book, My Life in Paper: Adventures in Ephemera, is a memoiristic inquiry into the ways in which paper shapes and holds our lives via a series of letters written to the late Dard Hunter.Papermaker’s Tears, Essays on the Art & Craft of Paper, V2, edited by Tatiana Ginsberg, is now available from The Legacy Press.Beatrix Mapalagama has published a beautiful book about her work at the Papierwespe in Vienna over the past few decades. This book is filled with photos of inspirational ways of working with paper developed by Mapalagama and others.Uppercase Magazine released Volume R, Rag & Pulp, in their Encyclopedia of Inspiration series as told through beautiful imagery and inspiring stories and interviews.In an age of AI and digital overload, the humble notebook is more relevant than ever. I’m looking forward to reading The Notebook, A History of Thinking on Paper, by Roland Allen, when it comes out.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

One-Sheet Wonders. Something that has captivated me throughout my career is how many ways a single sheet of paper can be transformed! Here are 10 one-sheet wonders that caught my eye.

Uashmama’s Toge Toge Lampshades are flat sheets of their signature washable paper that velcro together and fit perfectly around a standard wine glass. They come in fun colors and are illuminated with a tea light.I am totally entranced every time I see one of David Umemoto’s designs. He sells architectural DIY templates through his company, No-Bu-Ru.com.Sho Shibuya creates paintings on the front page of the NY Times – creating a visual and emotional interpretation of the news.I love Paul Spencer’s Twistmas Trees (sold out for this season, but still cool to look at).Gina Pisello shares a few new tutorials on her blog each year. I enjoyed these Spiral Boxes.This is an interesting story about folded paper triangles.João Charrua folds human faces from single sheets of paper. I love what he says about paper folding: “Origami requires rational and sequential thought, where each fold goes to form part the whole, and they all have to come together to produce the final result.”Paula Beardell Krieg made a video tutorial for one of the projects in The Art of Papercraft – the Pleated Display Stand designed by Hedi Kyle. Paula’s got some clever additional tips for the project and paper recommendations too. Share a photo if you make one!Check out the July/August issue of Popular Mechanics, featuring an animated paper airplane.Pulpatronics tackles single-use electronics with paper RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Artists / Designers /Tinkerers: I once thought I might run out of people to feature on the blog, but I’m convinced that this is a never-ending list. Enjoy these 10 and I’ll introduce you to 10 more next year. 

Paper Life! Ocean  is a series of paper sculptures by Tina Kraus who is thinking about how the climate crisis, pollution, and the loss of biodiversity have already had a big impact on nature and life on this planet.This is a lovely profile of Ruma Choudhury, who runs a company called Paper Nest. Through her extensive research in Birbhum in West Bengal, India, she has been able to successfully procure fibers from 38 natural resources which are indigenous to this district.Here’s something to make you smile! These monumental paper installations by Marianne Eriksen Scott-Hansen bring vibrant flora indoors.Marieke de Hoop runs PapierLab in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. She has been making and experimenting with paper for the past 40 years using traditional papermaking techniques. De Hoop works with other artists and makers to create unique, beautiful and sustainable papers and products.I enjoyed this interview with Shigeru Ban on Heidi Zuckerman’s podcast, About Art. He constructs entire buildings with cardboard.Kelli Anderson started a monthly good mail club this year. I always look forward to receiving her monthly paper experiment, which ranges from paper contraptions to small pop-up books, magic tricks, zines and art prints.HiiH Lights makes gorgeous lighting fixtures in Oregon. They bring together the function of light, the craft of handmade paper, and the art of sculpture. Handcrafted in Astoria, Oregon, their designs are in residential and commercial settings, as well as galleries throughout the country.Minneapolis, Minnesota artist Liz Sexton creates sculptures that blur the line between the animal kingdom and human life. Working with paper mâché, she creates large masks of fish, birds, and mammals that are meant to be worn.Check out this fantastic profile of Amos Paul Kennedy on Hyperallergic.Paper flowers seem to be all the rage these days, but I haven’t seen anything quite like these. Arnold Drake turns paper napkins into beautiful flowers and brings joy to people in coffee shops around Portland as they watch him make his art.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Tutorials + Classes: There are endless possibilities for what you can make from/with/of/on paper. Here are just a few ideas.

Janine Vangool, editor of Uppercase Magazine uses earth friendly packaging to ship her magazines, but she’s gone one step further to develop a series of tutorials that encourage subscribers to reuse the mailers.I hosted three free mini Zoom workshops this past year. Catch the replays and create your own: 1. Faceted Map Ring 2. Crown Lantern 3. Pleated Paper Card 4. Tea Light TopperThere are several book arts centers across the US that offer workshops in books arts, printing, tool making, papermaking, letter arts and more. The San Francisco Center for the Book, Minnesota Center for Book Arts, Center for Book Arts NYC, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center are a few that come to mind. What have I missed?Cathryn Miller created a new series of papery Advent tutorials for 2023. Here’s the index to all 25.Mariela has been generously providing origami tutorials on her YouTube channel, OrigamiManiacs, since 2011. Not only is she teaching how to fold amazing origami structures but she also invites the masters of origami from all over the world to share and teach their structures. Recommended by Jade Quek.Kit Davey makes playful art to spread delight across the planet. She offers live online workshops in book arts every couple of weeks.Matthew Reinhart’s endless enthusiasm for paper is infectious. He’s got loads of tutorials over on his YouTube channel.Madonna Yoder at Gathering Folds creates amazing tessellations and teaches origami folders the principles behind folding, reverse engineering, and designing tessellations so they can fold whatever patterns they like.Megumi Lorna Inouye’s upcoming book, The Soul of Giftwrapping comes out in April, 2024, but here’s a sneak peak project – How to Wrap a Book without Tape. Check out these Skillshare courses by Clarissa Grandi, who plays around with geometry and mixed media and teaches others this fantastically accessible art form.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Inspiring Projects: It is truly amazing to witness the ideas that people come up with to contemplate what is happening in our world and to make it a better place via paper.

Bruce Foster created a giant (8 foot tall) pop-up book for the for the Christmas service at Crossroads Church. Check out the four spreads: a winter scene, the Nativity, theThree Wise Men, and the Crown of our King of Kings.This is a great story about a company in India that is providing sustainable employment to rural women. Itsy Bitsy is a scrapbooking company and the biggest consumer of handmade paper in the country.How cool is this? Since 2015, the arts nonprofit Visual AIDS has celebrated Valentine’s Day with women living with HIV through LOVE POSITIVE WOMEN (LPW), a grassroots initiative that uses the holiday as a backdrop for activism and advocacy through community kinship and artistry. With the help of Brooklyn-based paper-making mill Dieu Donné, LPW invited artists, activists, and community members to design hand-crafted Valentine’s Day cards to distribute internationally to women living with HIV.“Around 1,300 years ago, a woman leant over a precious book, and etched some letters into the margin, along with some cartoonish drawings. She didn’t use ink – she scratched them in, so they were almost invisible to the naked eye. Until last year, no-one knew they were there…” Now, researchers are able to “see” these etchings thanks to a new imaging technology at the Bodleian Library, which can map the physical texture and contours of a book page, manuscript, or the surface of other historical objects such as printing plates.Who knew that mathematicians were searching for a shape that never repeats itself (of course they were)!  The guy behind the discovery of ‘The Einstein Tile’, David Smith, is a retired printing technician who spent a lot of time at home cutting shapes out of paper and experimenting with them. The National Museum of Mathematics in New York and the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust in London then asked members of the public for their most creative renditions of an einstein. A couple of the finalists used paper! Nearly 4 million origami hearts were displayed at the complex of the famed Angkor Archaeological Park in northwest Cambodia’s Siem Reap province to show support for the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.Graveyards are increasingly becoming a matter of concern for the environment. You can contribute to nature and show your responsibility towards the generations to come before reaching the grave. Ecopod Coffins are made from 100% recycled paper.I have no words for all of the (unnecessary) pain and suffering in the world. We humans just keep messing up! Heather Dearman is CEO of the 7/20 Memorial Foundation (her cousin Ashley was paralyzed in the Aurora, CO shooting, and Ashley’s daughter Veronica and unborn baby were killed). One of the things the foundation does is fold paper cranes, each with a message of love and support, turning them into wreaths to be sent out to communities impacted by a mass shooting. You can participate in the Paper Crane Peace Project.This article shares the interesting history of paper balloons (kamifusen). They are a specialty of Izumozaki, Niigata Prefecture, Japan, where they have been produced for more than 100 years.Alexis Arnold’s Crystallized Books transform novels, guides, and maps into gleaming sculptures that consider how we value and use objects. Arnold submerges found books into a hot bath of water and borax. When water boils, its molecules expand, and as the saturated water cools again, the molecules shrink and any excess borax crystallizes. Out of the pools come books coated with dense, translucent clusters that stabilize the objects as warped, crinkled mounds.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Videos: If a picture is worth a thousand words, what does that make a video worth? Here are 10 videos in a variety of formats that I think are valuable to watch.

David Martinez is a Venezulean programmer who is a dreamer and paper folder  residing in Bogota, Colombia. He very generously shares his origami creations both on Instagram and YouTube. Recommended by Jade Quek.The wearable paper artworks created by finalists in the Paper on Skin competition demonstrate the incredible versatility of paper and the innovative capacity of the artists. As a special treat for international audiences, films have been made of all of the works (and the gala parade), allowing the wearability and craftsmanship to be viewed in detail. Paper on Skin is held in Devonport, Tasmania (AUS). Recommended by Diane Britt and Lyndal Thorne.Did you know I have a YouTube channel? I always like to say that making paper is one third set up, one third making, and one third clean up, so this Papermaking Series features videos in all three areas.I’ve followed the career of Sarah Brayer, who lives in Kyoto, since my early days at Dieu Donné Papermill in NYC. This piece follows the fabrication of her fusuma-e (sliding partition pulp paintings) for a Zen temple in Kyoto.Many of you have seen this, but it’s always fun to watch Papermaking on Sesame Street! Look for a familiar (although much younger) face and listen to the catchy tune.I enjoyed this fascinating lecture (recorded at the Cincinnati Asian Art Society) by Diane Maurer, artist, teacher and author, who tells the story of her career in teaching, demonstrating and writing books about decorative paper.Here’s a new video about Polly Verity’s work. I love how she explains that she doesn’t like to pre-plan – she likes the freshness, or spontaneity, of making folds or creases and seeing what happens.Felon: An American Washi Tale debuted recently at Princeton. This one-person show features the poetry of Reginald Dwayne Betts and a paper kite set created by Kyoko Ibe, the artist behind a previous rendition of Recycling: Washi Tales. The through line is Elise Thoron, the NY writer and director of both pieces. Watch the video about the project here.Ann Manuel is working on a lovely paper installation called Breath, consisting of hundreds of seed pods and flowers. The work was inspired by the experience of witnessing her mother’s final breath — and her mother’s dying wish to see the flowers from her garden preserved.Click through to watch a lovely video about the Living Seashore that Jane Kim created (with paper) for the National Aquarium in Baltimore. I love how she talks about art and how it can make things that are hard-to-see (like underwater animals) visible.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Tools & Supplies: Here’s an eclectic list of tools and supplies for papermaking and paper crafts.

Shanna Leino manufactures a small line of hand tools for bookbinders and craftspeople that are as beautiful as they are functional.Need a sugeta for Japanese Papermaking? Carriage House has you covered!I love my press from Arnold Grummers – it can press small sheets of handmade paper as well as books, flowers, and other small items that need pressing.I get several adhesives from Washi Arts: this double-sided tape,  rice starch paste in a tube and this tapioca starch glue stick.Hollanders in Michigan specialize in handmade papers and bookmaking supplies. Recommended by Tess Hall.Talas in NYC has a wonderful and wide range of supplies of handmade papers and bookmaking supplies at reasonable prices. Recommended by Tess Hall.Eco Enclose is an innovator in eco-friendly packaging and shipping supplies, and they have great customer service. They offer free samples (but they ask you to pay for shipping – I think that’s fair).Colophon Book Arts Supply sells everything you need for bookbinding, box making and marbling. I’m a big fan of their Londonderry linen thread spools – I think I have one in each color!I’m a big fan of all kinds of attachments and connections. Eyelet Outlet sells a wide variety of decorative brads, which are a fun way to connect sheets of paper. I purchase colorful eyelets from them, too.I use these bulldog clips to hold things together as I work, especially when creating lampshades. Their flat surfaces come in handy for clipping them to shade frames without leaving a mark.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Helen Hiebert Studio in Red Cliff, Colorado. Photo by Red Cliff Paper Retreat participant Dell Combs.

About Helen Hiebert Studio: My interest in how things are made (from paper) keep me up to date on current paper trends, which I write about weekly on this blog. I also host the podcast Paper Talk, featuring artists and professionals who are working in the field of hand papermaking and paper art.

Discover my most popular papermaking and papercraft resources – including information about tools and supplies, how-to videos, and paper tips – all in one place by joining The Paper Advisor (it’s FREE)! You are also welcome to join my free facebook group, The Paper Studio, where we share what we’re making with paper on Flaunt it Fridays!

I run The Paper Year, an online membership program, where we explore creative paper techniques each month in a supportive community. My other popular online class is called Weave Through Winter –  this course takes place each February as we explore the art and craft of paper weaving. I’m also the author of six books about paper crafts and papermaking, and I offer an annual paper retreat and host two papermaking master classes in my Red Cliff, Colorado studio each summer and fall.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper? Or, perhaps you’re interested in promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

Thanks to everyone who has already pledged your support!

———————————————————————————————––––––

I occasionally have affiliate links in my blog posts – links to products in which I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Helen’s 100 Papery Picks 2023 appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

Let It Snow!

The Sunday Paper #491

December 24, 2023

Dear Readers,

I hope you are enjoying a nice long holiday weekend filled with love, comfort and peace. I created this card in a design class at the School of Visual Arts over 30 years ago. I’m delighted to have seen many variations over the years, including this one, made by a reader. We are expecting a white Christmas here in Colorado, and I am hard at work on my Helen’s 100 Papery Picks list to share with you next weekend. Here’s last year’s list, if you happen to need a rabbit hole to run down…

Peace Card by Penny LePome; instructions and template can be found in The Art of Papercraft

——————————————————————————————–––––––

If you’re in the UK, you don’t want to miss this upcoming exhibition (opens 1/20/24). PULP celebrates the possibilities of the paper in all its forms, from quilled flowers to figurative sculptures to playful miniatures. The exhibition is collaboratively curated by the Paper Artist Collective and GF Smith (both sites are worth perusing).

© Kate Hipkiss, as seen on Colossal

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Need one last craft project to round out the year? We made these Tea Light Toppers at a recent online event. All you need is a letter-sized sheet of translucent paper and a glue stick (plus a tea light, of course). Pictured here: lanterns by Patricia Martinek, Gina Pisello and Val Forbes.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

This is a fascinating lecture (recorded at the Cincinnati Asian Art Society) by Diane Maurer, artist, teacher and author, who tells the story of her career in teaching, demonstrating and writing books about decorative paper. Fun fact: I called Diane (on the phone) for advice back in the early 90’s, when I was asked to write my first how-to book.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Also in Cincinatti, Bruce Foster created a giant pop-up book (8 feet tall) for the for the Christmas service at Crossroads Church. Check out the four spreads: a winter scene, the Nativity, theThree Wise Men, and the Crown of our King of Kings.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Paper TidbitsMinnesota artists, submit your work to the 2024 Minnesota Book Artist Award. Deadline is 1/8/24.If you’re planning to Weave Through Winter in February, start your paper stash now by saving your used holiday wrapping paper, cards, announcements, catalogs, etc.My membership program, The Paper Year, is open for registration through 1/9/24. If you’re interested in exploring paper techniques in a supportive community, please check us out. Here’s what a member from Italy, Deborah Shayne, has to say:

I will enthusiastically continue being member of The Paper Year as long as Helen continues offering the course. It has been is a joy to follow and has  illuminated my last three years. Helen is always supportive, patient  and enthusiastic and  also offers so many “extras” along with the subscription. On-line teaching is wonderful in the right hands and,  living in Italy myself, she can offer the course to an international audience. 

Her monthly projects are designed for the new paper enthusiast as well as the experienced artist since Helen encourages our interpretations and “paper twists”. She is thorough in her explanation video for each project and backs it up with a written step -by -step description. Participants feel confident about successfully completing  each project. Finally, we also learn from her community of members , many of whom have been with her since the beginning. It is enjoyable and valuable sharing ideas with them.

———————————————————————————————––––––

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

Tell 3500 paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in my blog posts – links to products in which I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Let It Snow! appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

Stillness in the Dark

The Sunday Paper #490

December 17, 2023

My last workshops of the year will take place this coming week, and they are both free – I hope to see you at one or both! We’ll be making a different lantern at each workshop to shine some light on the darkest day of the year.

Wednesday, 12/20 at noon Mountain time (Denver): Tea Light Topper – Register Here.

Thursday, 12/21 at 3pm mountain time: Winter Solstice Lantern – Register Here.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

A reader sent me a link to this blog post by a former NY’er living in Paris. I was reminded of how I liked walking by the holiday shop windows at night when I lived in NYC. Her post features the holiday windows at Printemps. The paper puppets were designed by paper artist, extraordinaire, Mathilde Nivet.

95 articulated puppets with over 170,000 paper decorations

———————————————————————————————–––––––

I was delighted to meet Megumi Lorna Inouye at the Codex Book Fair a couple of years ago and to hear about her upcoming book, The Soul of Giftwrapping. She was just starting the project with the same company that has published most of my books, Storey Publishing. The book comes out in April, 2024, but here’s a sneak peak project – How to Wrap a Book without Tape.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

This feature is thanks to another blog reader – you guys are the best! Anke Neumann created Cloud of Imagination for the Folger Theatre at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC. The sculpture is composed of 250 individual handmade paper components, each lit from within by optical fibers that trace the contours of the softly cascading forms.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

This is behind the NY Times paywall, so you won’t be able to click through unless you’re a subscriber. In March, a troupe of mathematical tilers announced that they had discovered this “aperiodic monotile,” a shape that can tile an infinite flat surface in a pattern that does not repeat — “einstein” is the geometric term of art for this entity. The National Museum of Mathematics in New York and the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust in London then asked members of the public for their most creative renditions of an einstein. A couple of the finalists used paper! 

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Paper TidbitsThe Kalamazoo Book Arts Center hosts an annual Illustrated Accordion exhibition. Entries are due on January 22.I’m so thankful to have dealers who help me get my artist’s books out into the world. Special thanks to David Abel from Passages Bookshop who travels the country, showing and selling my artist’s books!

———————————————————————————————––––––

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

Tell 3500 paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in my blog posts – links to products in which I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Stillness in the Dark appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

Origami Ornaments with Purpose

The Sunday Paper #489

December 10, 2023

I’ve written about Paper for Water before, a wonderful organization started by two young girls who wanted to make a difference when they learned that a child was dying every 15 seconds from unclean water and that millions of girls like them were spending their day hauling water rather than attending school. They have been selling origami ornaments for more than ten years and have funded many water projects worldwide, one sheet of paper at a time. Paper for Water has an inventory of beautiful origami ornament gifts that they send to their donors (I was fortunate to receive these two). Consider donating – by purchasing an ornament – and bring clean water to a community in need around the world.

——————————————————————————————–––––––

Book Arts in Venice will take place June 4 – 15, 2024. Travel to Northern Italy to work in traditional book arts and letterpress studios. Work at the Scuola Internazionale di Grafica in Venice, and Tipoteca Italiana Fondazione, one of the largest typography museums in Europe. Visit historic sites and tour the 60th Venice Art Biennale, one of the largest international contemporary art exhibitions. Explore the beauty, art, and culture of the region in a small group with a seasoned, Italian-speaking travel guide, Kalamazoo Book Arts Center Executive Director, Jeff Abshear. This is what past participants are saying: “The whole experience of “daily living” in Venice was absolutely great.” “I loved learning about the city’s history as viewed through its art.” 100% of previous Book Arts in Venice participants said they would recommend this trip. Perhaps this is your year to travel to Italy!

———————————————————————————————–––––––

I had the pleasure of interviewing Kit Davey on Paper Talk, a Redwood City, California-based artist specializing in book art. Davey’s work pushes the boundaries of “bookness” by using unusual materials such as mica, acetate, flattened coins and teabags as pages, and making book covers from shells, coins, driftwood, rulers, buttons and acetate. She has taught over 70 different book structures, holding her classes on Zoom so that students the world over can join her. Her work is available on her website and at San Francisco Bay Area art events. She makes a book a day and shares them on Instagram.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Check out this incredible photo essay about Xuan paper, a type of handmade paper that was originally produced in ancient China and used for both Chinese calligraphy and paintings. The procedure of making Xuan paper was listed as a world intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2009.

Wu Fan dries paper at a workshop of Xuan paper in Jingxian County, east China’s Anhui Province, Dec. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu)

———————————————————————————————–––––––

If you haven’t signed up yet, please do – create a Tea Light Topper to illuminate the shortest day of the year and celebrate the return of the light. The session will begin with a short, face-paced overview of The Paper Year, followed by the workshop. (The Paper Year will open for registration that day).

Register for this event and get the supply list here. This workshop will take place on Weds, 12/20 at Noon mountain time.

———————————————————————————————–––––––

Paper TidbitsHaystack is hiring a Programs & Studio Director and a Communications Coordinator.As some of you know, Chandler O’leary, a shining star in the book arts field, passed away in April. Some of her fans have reopened her online shop.MadeTV is hosting a series of free holiday craft workshops, and I’m teaching how to make a woven paper lantern on 12/21. Join me!

———————————————————————————————––––––

In the Shop:

———————————————————————————————––––––

About our Sponsor: The Kalamazoo Book Arts Center (KBAC) is a nonprofit organization in Kalamazoo, MI, that practices, teaches, and promotes the collaborative arts of the book including hand papermaking, printmaking, letterpress printing, bookbinding, and creative writing.

———————————————————————————————––––––

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

Tell 3500 paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in my blog posts – links to products in which I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.