While there have been many visitors, an unofficial class to christen the studio, demonstrations and collaborations, this past week I had my first official student- 7 year old R.J. who brought along his mom and grandmother. A 90 minute class netted many wonderful papers. R.J. double dipped, used shaped deckles and added leaves and insect wings collected for the class.
R.J. demonstrating his favorite tool......the mixing stick !
He was content to "hog the slurry" by hand but not sure he wanted to put his hands in the vat after the addition of banana skin and sea grass pulp.
R.J. proudly looking over his creations.
After discussing various ways to dry his paper and viewing samples, R.J. decided to air dry all. He returned to show me the finished work - and I think I may have found a new studio assistant. He will use his best sheet to write "What I did this summer" for his first day back at school on August 16th.
The next class !
A day later I had 8 students (all home schooled) visit Moon Tide Paper Studio for a one hour class. Most had the same reaction to the vat of pulp that R.J. had - yuck !- once the cotton pulp was darkened by banana skin and sea grass pulp... but after a few twirls with the mixing stick fear subsided. It was at least 100 degrees and about 115 heat index !!! We piled into the studio (air conditioned) for a long talk and all participated in a detailed demo -BUT- then we HAD to go out to the deck to form the sheets on felts. We then pressed the posts in my favorite press- always a show stopper. We ran back to the studio (WHEW ) to transfer the paper for the trip home, picture taking and cooling off. They were a wonderful group, worked so well together...all helped each other and all very creative. What fun. Anxious to hear how their papers turned out.
Wonderful smiling faces, next class : hand beating plant fibers !
Paper pressed into plaster button molds !
Still experimenting. (maybe a woodblock print? pulp painting ?) Trying to find the right combination of paper, button image, and medium to use for 200 small pieces of work for the keepsake event at the Friends of Dard Hunter Paper Conference in Gatlinburg TN at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. (http://www.arrowmont.org/) October 18-24, 2010
Can"t wait..........
mary, i love how happy the kids look, you always generate a lot of excitement about making paper and it shows.
ReplyDeletethe "pressed" buttons are great. can't wait to see more.