Blue,Blue, Green Indigo

I was finally able to play with some indigo plant fiber.
  Honey Horn Plantation here in South Carolina is the home of the Coastal Discovery Museum. They keep a small garden plot of  local low country plants that were once important to this region. Every fall/winter they cut back their indigo patch and I was able to obtain a small amount of leaves and branches for experimentation thanks to Mira Scott who scouted the area for indigo.

These finished sample sheets await a gelatin sizing and have dried to a nice soft sage green, surprising because most green leaf plant fiber result in a tan finish. I did not have enough plant material to make more then 2 tiny pieces of fiber only paper which remained dark "spinach" green.

(I was hoping for a blueish tone -it was  indigo after all)

 

 

Dried sheets - between blotters-  I also loft dried in spurs and air dried several sheets. Fiber cooked with soda ash (in colander) was a very dark green.

 

The remaining fiber was added to my Critter beater with 2lbs of cotton linter and still a nice dark blue/green pulp was the result before drying.

more cotton linter added to extend the batch...... a pale sage paper.

Leaves and small stems of indigo processed for cooking. The thicker stems were saved for possible bast fiber use....BUT bast too thin !!! not usable...

"IN" the indigo with friend and artist Mira Scott (left) at Honey Horn.

Recycled United States of America

An Evening of the Arts
Island School Council for the Arts
Supporting Promising Artists
September 21st, 2012

I love the use of printed pages for all sorts of things - notes, cards, tags, collages, decoupage and art pieces.  Maybe its my former life as a print maker - the ink, black and white or a beautifully type set page. I think its because the paper holds a message, word or  thought which adds a layer of energy to whatever it is used for.

 

Using a chapter from the an old discarded Encyclopedia Britannica titled - The United States of America. (also the title of the piece) I glued, rolled and dipped the pages in wax to create this work on canvas.

It was created for Evening of the Arts to benefit the Island School Council for the Arts  - Hilton Head Island, SC

 

 

 

The above are Holiday cards using book pages and newsprint.  "Best Holiday Fishes" was created by my friend and artist Pat Sahertian. The flag using a Christmas Angel stamp and news stories of 9/11/ 2001 was my Christmas card prayer/wish -Peace on Earth - for 2001.

"The Voice Within" Big Book Big Paper Success

Picture This Gallery "The Voice Within" July 7th - August 17th, 2012

The works of Mary C. Leto and Mira Scott

78 D Arrow Road Cypress Square Hilton Head, SC 29928

info@picturethishiltonhead.com

A book installation created by both artists will be the centerpiece of the exhibit.

This is the result and long awaited appearance of the  4' x 17' handmade book titled

 "The Voice Within"

The "big paper", made from cotton and marsh grass, was the support for Mira's gorgeous paintings. The book was designed to showcase and compliment Mira Scott's work.

It was set up down the middle of the gallery and Mira Scott's colorful impressions of the low country were framed and exhibited on one wall and my books on another. Smaller books were exhibited on a  custom made table fashioned by Mark S. Tierney, photographer.

wall book - "A Garden Journal"

"Baker's Dozen" - the building is a slip case for 3 folio's of small etchings on handmade paper.

several small books

ceramic pomegranate holding  small handmade paper scroll's containing Robert Browning's poems "Pomegranates from an English Country Garden" in place of seeds - I had 18 books in all.

This was an amazing project to work on  with the help of artist Nancy Mitchel (intern and guardian angel, nurse,sister, friend) and Mark S. Tierney who pulled it all together with Mira Scott who's vision and persistence made it all happen.

BIG PAPER - success

REDO
I went over every detail of my process. I made sure that the mold and deckle was absolutely level and little to no sagging of the screen. This turned out to be very important for even drying.  I devised a system to remove as much water as possible (sham wow) both before and after pressing, improved the drying method and reworked the idea of the book form. Success
 

I propped up corners and tied down the deckle with wire measuring all precisely.

I dried only 2 sheets at a time between blotters and under weights.  I filled gallon milk jugs with water which worked like a charm....and easy to handle too! When done just empty and string up from ceiling ! The paper was dried inside a room with a dehuminifyer.

Since warping was possible wherever this book would be shown I decided to make a "fence" from thin wood  and glue the paper onto the back and front...joining panels with a series of tabs still folding in an accordion fold.

The finished paper stacked on the floor 14 sheets all together... success.

Big Paper continued....

STARTING OVER.... The result of a lot of hard work by several people and the arrogance of thinking I knew how to make any kind of paper resulted in a minor disaster. Cockled, folded paper not worthy of a paper/book maker !. I solicited help from a very knowledgeable source and was given the best advice ever "rethink your drying system" along with "start over and chalk it up to experience" and preceded by - " I think your in a pickle !!!" and a pickle it was ! This paper is to be used to create a large accordion book in collaboration with artist Mira Scott and the deadline was looming.

Pressing dampened paper under heavy weight usually produces some lovely flat papers... too much pressure all at once - folds. ( paper 4 ft. by 2 1/2 ft. )

Don't try this.

Large papers drying outdoors had to be covered in case of rain in the evening... although very sunny days the dampness of the evening and morning hours  caused some mold to grow. The paper did not dry quickly.

Even though the pulp and paper formation looked great...it ended in a folded mess  ...had to start over again using a different drying method.

Third Annual A.R.T.

Art Recycled from Trash

Picture This Gallery, Hilton Head South Carolina
Third Annual Juried Exhibit  April 2nd -28th 2012

An amazing selection of wonderful pieces were exhibited this year along with several from a local pre school (seen hanging from the ceiling)in a separate category - complete with a milk and cookie afternoon reception giving youngsters a valuable lesson in recycling and a chance to be proud of their sculptures.

My contribution this year was an altered book titled: "Commercial Geography". Each piece had to be created with 75% manufactured goods that would end up in a land fill.

I used parts from several books rescued from a dumpster. Keeping old covers and spines mainly for all sorts of collages and projects. Pages were folded back and glue and wax hold the pieces together on a base of another book cover.

The "story" appears to be squeezed out from the pages using all sorts of bits and found pieces....and some buttons too!!!!

The birds are made of my favorite paper... flax dyed with indigo made by "Cave Papers"

Sometimes its the Little Things

A collection of deer rib bones found at the beach, wisteria seeds, oak galls for making ink or not ! and a little friend peeking over a leaf....... sometimes its just the little things that pique  your imagination...the shapes, colors, textures, the feel of it, that entices you stop and pick it up... the need to collect many of the same object...to gather for no apparent reason... the hunt... just because........

bones worn smooth by river current

Wisteria seeds popped out of their pods by warming weather and sprinkled all over the driveway- collected for giving away to neighbors or displayed in a lovely Asian bowl

a little caterpillar puffing himself up to frighten me away...on his way to being a black swallowtail butterfly

Oh the allusive oak galls... dropped from oak trees along with acorns...not easy to spot.... like tiny apples until they shrivel up and look like rust. Couldn't believe my good fortune to find an oak tree here in South Carolina that produced so many... it was easy in New York. Boil the galls with a nail or screw... add a little gum Arabic and you have a rich iron gall ink to play with (much like the 6th century scribes) OR place in another little Asian bowl as offerings... for those that just like little things.

Angels as Interns

Sometimes Angels just show up and lend a hand...and sometimes they are disguised as interns. Artist Nancy Mitchell of Hilton Head (above) is one of those rare beings.  I was having a great deal of difficulty beginning work on a rather large project and after several phone calls of encouragement she appeared with sleeves rolled up and demanded that I direct her. And so a friendship developed and a great respect for all those who just chip in where needed....angels need more recognition.

Nancy is not a papermaker but heard that I needed to make some very large sheets of paper for a proposed collaboration with a deadline looming and that at the very least it was a 2 person job.  As an artist she felt "my pain".... the project, a large accordion book (12 feet long) will be documented  in the next few blogs... mistakes, pitfalls...and down right stupidity will be shared (how not to make very large papers) and hopefully a final success. I had to enlist the help of some very experienced papermakers and artists along the way as it did not go as smoothly as was hoped.

a mold and deckle had to be built to specifications for this project (notice in the background that Spring has not yet arrived)

from the screen (mold and deckle) the extremely wet newly formed sheets of cotton and spartina(sea grass)pulp are carried to boards set up on horses to drain and dry a little in the sun.

Pressing the wet newly formed sheets, 30"x 48", between boards...clamped and weighted. Each sheet of newly made paper is extremely heavy and awkward to carry...all sorts of clamps and maneuvers from screen to boards set up on horses in the sun to a final pressing in the studio required at least 2 sets of hands.

further drying of thick sheets of paper on the dining room table with a fan before a final pressing.

Hopefully these will dry flat enough to form pages of a book... working title:"Inner Voices" I call the whole project BIG PAPER.

A Gala Evening, Art, Bubbly & Cake

A fantastic fun evening, huge crowd - electric atmosphere.....most of the art sold ! All for charity.
After all enjoyed some bubbly...champagne and wine, and got to meet the artists and chefs who were paired together to inspire each other..... a signal was given to ask to have a slice of any or all cakes. I only wish I could have eaten every one. - 10 in all... no one went home hungry or empty handed... a great party.
Picture This Gallery on Hilton Head Island S.C. The event idea and success belongs to Mira Scott owner and artist. Electric !...the place to be and be seen on Nov 19th.....

my collage cake "Behind the Scene" and chef Sherri's ( Sherrie's Edible Designs) incredible wedding cake....behind the scene and (below) front of the cake...just beautiful.

such a shame to cut into this cake ...but very delicious....

Art , Bubbly & Cake - red carpet too

ART, BUBBLY & CAKE - November 19th, 6-8pm
PICTURE THIS GALLERY
Hilton Head Island, SC
10 celebrity artists and 10 celebrity chefs will pair up for the evening to benefit the Island School of the Arts and the Gullah Museum. The chefs will create a unique cake based on the painting or creation of a cake by the artists and all will be auctioned at a fabulous red carpet (for real) event.
Tickets are $25.00 each.

I am one of the artists....my entry "Behind the Scene" a deconstructed cake is a collage of wrappers and a collection of old recipes with handmade paper of course. It was more difficult then I thought and a very interesting fun original idea by gallery owner Mira Scott.

the beginnings of my celebration cake

rough placement of wrappers --- still pushing all sorts of scraps and pieces around.

Poster for the event.
pictures of the evening will follow...it was a privilege to be chosen to work with some wonderful artists and chefs.

I wanna swim in a vat of pulp

You Tube Video by Patricia Sahertian

Bookopolis, Asheville Bookworks

Asheville Bookworks in western North Carolina is holding it 7th annual juried book show in the
Bookwork Gallery
September 23 through November 28th, 2011
428 1/2 Haywood Rd
West Asheville, NC 28806

" Bookopolis" kicks off its show with a weekend celebration and display of all artists books entered into the show. Most books can be handled with care and many tools and processes are demonstrated: sewing books, cranking the Vandercook press - and guests leave with a printed memento. Books selected by jurist Eileen Wallace are on display for the remainder of the exhibit and are represented in a full color catalog.


This is my entry: "Daily Wants: Dominoes" it was displayed during "Bookopolis" weekend and selected for the remaining juried show and included in a beautiful catalog.

I was lucky enough to get up to Asheville NC and see this show. There are some very beautiful works in this collection. Go here to view a sample of the catalog.

The print shop and papermaking facilities are very impressive. There is an open workshop area where you can watch artists at work. I was able to watch a multicolored woodblock print being made. The variety of printing presses assures that all types of printing process can be practiced.

Friends of Dard Hunter Annual Paper Conference

Friends of Dard Hunter 2011 Regional Paper Conference

Appelton WI - Oct 13-16

Pittsfield MA - Oct 18-22

Santa Barbara - Oct 21-23

Hemel Hempstead UK - Oct 14-16

Arrowmont School of Art and Craft, Gatlinburg Tenn. 2010

site of last years fabulous paper conference

The Friends of Dard Hunter Annual Conference is a very special gathering of the best of the best in hand papermaking in the US. Nothing like it anywhere else. This year there will be 4 regional meetings. New England, Wisconsin, California and England. Unfortunately I cannot attend this year...a very big regret...such golden opportunities to meet papermakers and book makers who share their expertise. Anyone even slightly interested PLEASE check out the schedules, lectures and demonstrations..... and sign up. YOU WILL HAVE AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE. www.friendsofdardhunter.org

Uncommon Threads / Bookopolis 2011

Uncommon Threads : The Handicrafts in Book Arts

an artists' book show at:

"23 Sandy Gallery" Portland, Oregon

September 23 - October 29th 2011

Unfortunately my entry and newest hand made artists' book - " Made Elsewhere", 3"x4"- did not fit the criteria for the show but I enjoyed making it and found some new ideas and techniques along the way. Looking forward to seeing the books in this show...should be quite wonderful...mark your calendar...and take a look.

"Made Elsewhere" photos printed on used coffee filters.

The cover is made of banana skin paper with a fabric collage.
(3"x4")

All pages are used coffee filters (abaca) with clothing label collages or ink jet printed photos of needle work...banana skin fiber outside and banana leaf (abaca) fiber inside.

This book records a survey of my closet .. noting all the countries that are represented on the clothing label tags, and which companies have outsourced production of these items. Most are third world countries... no surprise but I'm amazed at how many items I own that are made elsewhere.

Bookopolis 2011
Book show open to all book artists at the Asheville Bookworks, Asheville, NC, September 23 to November 28, 2011

In conjunction with the 25 year birthday celebration of Hand Paper Making Magazine, the Asheville Bookworks is hosting a party and one day open studio for papermaking.... luckily I can attend this event on October 1st and view the book show in person. I am also entering my book about the history of dominoes - "Daily Wants: Dominoes" pictured in a previous blog.

.......photos on my return.