Friday, January 14, 2011

Paper Conference, Joomchi, Pulp and Books

2010 Friends of Dard Hunter Annual International Hand Papermaking Conference was held at The Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg Tennessee.

Once again an incredible few days of amazing papermaking demonstrations, art shows and lectures by the best of the best in the hand papermaking world. Too many to describe here. To see the results and a quick video (my sea grass papers can bee seen on a table if you look quick!) please check Sights and Sounds of Gatlinburg.

ALSO look at the Crane Paper Company site to see my little button project made for this conference...it is listed under "Small papers showcase large talents" - I'm very honored to be included here.

Joomchi ...a new word and paper process for me !... It's a Korean form of felting paper. Using strong Asian type papers (mulberry) of different shapes and colors stacked and layered over each other to create a design (quilt like), Lisa Hoesing formed one solid sheet from these layered papers. She folded and refolded the stack many times kneading the small folded bundle in between each fold. The fibers somehow melded together. Beautiful. We all made a semi-perfect sheet of paper ... simple BUT requires practice to develop a rhythm and style.

I see Joomchi in my future and will no doubt show up in the classes I teach.


Joomchi ! Paper Felting demonstrated by Lisa Hoesing


Katherine Nash demonstrating her encaustic (wax) technique for Book and Paper Artists.


Shannon Brock's demonstration of pulp layering. Her wonderful work looks like drawings, you'd never guess it was all colored thin layers of pulp. Her fine lines and many translucent layers have always been a mystery to me... not anymore ! Her generosity in sharing her method is typical of most of the master papermakers who attend this conference.


Jim Croft makes the most beautiful books. He makes wooden book covers from trees he selects, makes the thread from spinning flax and tans hides and makes paper from many things including old fire hoses using a stamper - only methods practiced hundreds of years ago (before the Hollander beater was invented) A joy to see and touch.


Finally, Sidney Koretsky, lectures about his excursions in China with his wife, papermaker Elaine Koretsky. They have been traveling and taking willing students on trips to remote papermaking villages in China for more than 30 years.

They had heard rumors of very large papers being made by hand but never located such an operation until the last trip. Their lectures are always full of great information and tales of the trials of traveling by primitive methods (sometimes ox cart) to reach such villages. This was no exception.

The audience was stunned (ooh's and ahh's) watching a video of these gigantic papers being made by hand. The show stopper was a sheet they brought to the conference - asking for volunteers to come up and help unfold this single sheet.... more and more volunteers were needed as the paper grew in size... then a standing ovation.... what a treasure - Elaine and Sydney Koretsky!

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