July 22-23: Handmade Paper Making Class
July 22-23: Handmade Paper Making Class
July 22-23, 2023
11am-5pm EST both days
Bakersville, NC
Specific Location To Be Announced
In this handmade paper making class, students will learn the basics of simple handmade paper making using recycled paper scraps. We will make pulp by blending paper scraps in a blender and will make a variety of sizes and colors of paper. We will go through the process step by step from making pulp to sizing the paper. Paper making is a multi-day process because the paper takes time to dry and to be pressed flat. So, because we are going to fit all the steps into 5 hours, I will have all stages of the process ready. I will also have some finished paper available to play with and some art materials to use including dip pens and ink and watercolor paint. This workshop will not cover all the many extensive ways to make paper. We are simply going to cover this most basic and user-friendly of ways that uses recycled paper scraps and a home blender.
This is a short, playful, hopefully soothing video of the paper making process. I studied the poet and mystic, Mary Oliver during graduate school for art therapy and engaged in a daily practice of writing down her poems on handmade paper with black walnut ink and a dip pen. Then, I began watching Swedish artist, Jonna Jilton’s videos on YouTube and was inspired to start making videos of my own. That is how this video came to be.