She uses paper as a means of self-expression, where content is of more importance than technique. Her one-person show in 1995 at the Georgia Institute of Technology Center for the Arts, entitled Origins, included a series of large, rocklike sculptural forms, some of which are based on prehistoric megaliths, as well as paintings inspired by ancient civilizations. There were also altars and objects relating to rituals and ceremonies. Ms. Waterhouse celebrates the commonalities of different cultures, drawing inspiration from her travels: rock paintings in her native Sweden, petroglyphs in Hawaii, and the Megalith in Avesbury, England. She incorporates symbols based on ancient Scandinavian runes. (Ironically, a recent work, Letter Home III, which depicted the rune symbols, was withdrawn from a 1995 juried exhibition at the University of Mobile, in Alabama, after a student complained of "witchcraft symbolism.") "As I wish to connect with nature's force, I work with simple natural materials such as handmade paper from plants, encaustic, wood, sand, rock, earth, and fire. From these materials I try to create spaces, some for quiet meditation and reflection, and others for celebration of life and death and the primal spirit in all of us." One of Ms. Waterhouse's pieces, Self Portrait, is based on an earlier drawing of a veil over rocks. The sculpture explores illusion because the "rocks" are made of paper and they are lightweight. It is also about the delicate balance in life; if the rocks are not placed properly, the piece will tip over. "The veil is expressing the mystery of our existence and the part of me that is hidden," she explains. In order to give her work a textured, pitted, and skin-like surface, she applies wax and pigment in layers onto the dry, hand-formed paper. She uses an iron or heat gun to fuse the wax with the paper. Symbols are then incised into or drawn onto this encaustic surface. Ms. Waterhouse spent a year searching for the right method and tools for encaustic. She ran numerous trials after finding scant information in the literature. Ms. Waterhouse attributes much of her artistic success to the support of her husband, John Waterhouse, who is a physicist at the Institute of Paper Science and Technology, in Atlanta. "I tell her what she wants to do won't work and she goes on and does it anyway," jokes Mr. Waterhouse. His wife admits, "I tend to learn about the scientific parts of papermaking as I come up against problems or ideas that necessitate new knowledge." Mr. Waterhouse notes that his wife is making huge "hand sheets," six feet by three feet, which is larger than anything he can make in the lab. Ms. Waterhouse explains, "For my new large work I spray the pulp onto huge molds, made from thick gator board, dressed with cotton sheets, with holes in it for drainage. John didn't think it would drain properly, but it worked." Mr. Waterhouse says "Papermaking has always claimed to be a combination of art and science. Paper is a fascinating, complex, unique material. If you vary the raw materials--the types of fibers and fillers--or the treatment, then you completely alter the character." The Waterhouses have had a symbiotic relationship; their home has been open to visiting paper artists, researchers, and scientists, which has led to many fruitful discussions.
Mr. Waterhouse says "Papermaking has always claimed to be a combination of art and science. Paper is a fascinating, complex, unique material. If you vary the raw materials--the types of fibers and fillers--or the treatment, then you completely alter the character." The Waterhouses have had a symbiotic relationship; their home has been open to visiting paper artists, researchers, and scientists, which has led to many fruitful discussions. In 1975, while her husband was working at a specialty paper company in Massachusetts, Ms. Waterhouse completed her B.F.A. in studio art and an M.A.T. in art education at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. It was here that she received her first grounding in conceptual art. But she could not balance her intellect and her intuition, and felt somewhat paralyzed for the next few years in her art making.
In 1975, while her husband was working at a specialty paper company in Massachusetts, Ms. Waterhouse completed her B.F.A. in studio art and an M.A.T. in art education at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. It was here that she received her first grounding in conceptual art. But she could not balance her intellect and her intuition, and felt somewhat paralyzed for the next few years in her art making. In 1981 Mr. Waterhouse accepted a position at the prestigious Institute of Paper Chemistry (I.P.C.), in Appleton, Wisconsin. Ms. Waterhouse suddenly felt herself thrust out of the cocoon of Massachusetts art academia and into a Midwest business-oriented community. She then realized, "I had to make it crystal clear to myself what I was about as an artist, as well as a human being."
In 1981 Mr. Waterhouse accepted a position at the prestigious Institute of Paper Chemistry (I.P.C.), in Appleton, Wisconsin. Ms. Waterhouse suddenly felt herself thrust out of the cocoon of Massachusetts art academia and into a Midwest business-oriented community. She then realized, "I had to make it crystal clear to myself what I was about as an artist, as well as a human being." In 1984 Ms. Waterhouse took her first papermaking workshop at the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay. "The instructor said, 'Once you get fibers under your fingernails you'll be hooked.' Today I say the same thing to my students."
In 1984 Ms. Waterhouse took her first papermaking workshop at the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay. "The instructor said, 'Once you get fibers under your fingernails you'll be hooked.' Today I say the same thing to my students." "Paper totally freed me. It's so physical. I like to get dirty and wet and move with it." She describes papermaking as a dance. "After ten years I'm still enthralled to see the transformation from the messy pulp into a sheet of paper. Accidents happen all the time. It's very open and it has a vast range of possibilities."
"Paper totally freed me. It's so physical. I like to get dirty and wet and move with it." She describes papermaking as a dance. "After ten years I'm still enthralled to see the transformation from the messy pulp into a sheet of paper. Accidents happen all the time. It's very open and it has a vast range of possibilities." While they were in Appleton, Ms. Waterhouse became acquainted with the outstanding Dard Hunter Paper Museum. There were paper artifacts and paper samples, tools and paraphernalia from all over the world. "The first time I visited it, I was beaming. I loved the tactile quality of work displayed and the primitive feel of old papermaking tools." She visited the museum many times.
While they were in Appleton, Ms. Waterhouse became acquainted with the outstanding Dard Hunter Paper Museum. There were paper artifacts and paper samples, tools and paraphernalia from all over the world. "The first time I visited it, I was beaming. I loved the tactile quality of work displayed and the primitive feel of old papermaking tools." She visited the museum many times. In 1989 when I.P.C. relocated to Atlanta, Ms. Waterhouse set up a papermaking studio at woodland's edge in Fayette County, outside the city. The large scale of her recent work has necessitated working outdoors.
In 1989 when I.P.C. relocated to Atlanta, Ms. Waterhouse set up a papermaking studio at woodland's edge in Fayette County, outside the city. The large scale of her recent work has necessitated working outdoors. As an artist, Ms. Waterhouse responds to "what the paper feels like. I'm very tactile." She likes the translucence and sheen of abaca. She grows and cooks plants like yucca, pampas grass, and canna lily, which she mixes with abaca and cotton to get textures, color, and flecks. Sometimes she mixes in soil.
As an artist, Ms. Waterhouse responds to "what the paper feels like. I'm very tactile." She likes the translucence and sheen of abaca. She grows and cooks plants like yucca, pampas grass, and canna lily, which she mixes with abaca and cotton to get textures, color, and flecks. Sometimes she mixes in soil. As "paper art" is sometimes regarded as suspect in fine art circles, Ms. Waterhouse is especially pleased to have recently received two individual artist's grants. "I feel that it validated me, as an artist who happens to use hand papermaking as an art medium. I am in constant search for a form of expression, and hand-formed paper conveys my images and ideas better than any other media," she says.
As "paper art" is sometimes regarded as suspect in fine art circles, Ms. Waterhouse is especially pleased to have recently received two individual artist's grants. "I feel that it validated me, as an artist who happens to use hand papermaking as an art medium. I am in constant search for a form of expression, and hand-formed paper conveys my images and ideas better than any other media," she says. As a National Endowment for the Arts artist-in-residence, working primarily in impoverished, rural areas of Georgia, Ms. Waterhouse teaches about papermaking and recycling. The students make large paper quilts out of recycled paper with such themes as Art for Earth and Art for Peace. The quilts are then permanently installed in the schools or in other public places in the community. Her teaching as well as her artmaking celebrates our common beginnings, our link to the past, and our ability to survive. </div>
As a National Endowment for the Arts artist-in-residence, working primarily in impoverished, rural areas of Georgia, Ms. Waterhouse teaches about papermaking and recycling. The students make large paper quilts out of recycled paper with such themes as Art for Earth and Art for Peace. The quilts are then permanently installed in the schools or in other public places in the community. Her teaching as well as her artmaking celebrates our common beginnings, our link to the past, and our ability to survive.

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