H A N D PA P E R M A K I NG

NEWSLETTER number 150 April 2025

Newsletter Editor: Sophia Hotzler

Contributors: ALTER Sketchbook, Radha Pandey, Sid

Berger, Esther Cho

Sponsors: Arnold Grummer’s, the Papertrail Hand-

made Paper & Book Arts, Penland School of Craft,

The Robert C. Williams Papermaking Museum, Car-

riage House Papers and Dieu Donné.

Hand Papermaking Newsletter is published quarterly.

Annual subscriptions to Hand Papermaking magazine,

which includes the quarterly newsletter, cost $70 per

year in the US; $80 in Canada and Mexico; $105

elsewhere. Two-year subscriptions are $130 in the US;

$150 in Canada/Mexico; $200 elsewhere. Institutional

subscriptions are $95 per year in the US, $125

outside the US. To receive a printed copy of the

newsletter, add $30 to your yearly subscription. A

stand-alone electronic subscription to the newsletter,

which excludes issues of the magazine, is now available

for $10 per year. Payment in US dollars is required.

Visa/Mastercard/Paypal is accepted. For more

subscription information:

Hand Papermaking, Inc.

PO BOX 50336

Baltimore, MD 21211-9998 USA

E-mail: newsletter@handpapermaking.org

Web: www.handpapermaking.org

For more information, contact

info@handpapermaking.org

The deadline for the next newsletter (July 2025) is

May 15, 2025. We encourage letters from our subscribers

on any topic. We also solicit comments on articles in

Hand Papermaking magazine, questions or remarks

for newsletter columnists, and news of special events

or activities. The newsletter is supported by our spon-

sors (listed above). If you would like to support Hand

Papermaking through a sponsorship, contact us at

rosa@handpapermaking.org.

Hand Papermaking is a 501(c)(3) non-profit

organi-zation. Staff: Rosa Chang, Executive Direc-

tor; Mina Takahashi, Magazine Editor; Sophia Hotzler,

Newsletter Editor/News & Social Media Manager;

Karen Kopacz, Designer. Board of Directors: Steph

Rue, Lynn Sures, Kazuko Hioki, Emily Duong,

Gretchen Schermerhorn, Sanaz Haghani, Anne Q

McKeown, Jerushia Graham, Veronica Pham, Andrea

Sherrill Evans, Betsy Knabe Roe, Jenna Bonistalli, Jill

Bramwell.

Co-founders: Amanda Degener and Michael Durgin.

Dear Readers,

With this newest issue of Hand Papermaking newsletter, I’m reflecting on the themes of

collaboration and community. In this issue, we’re excited to share Esther Cho’s review

of the recent exhibition Beyond the Substrate: Recent Collaborations at Dieu Donné. We also

have a Q&A with Radha Pandey, our guest editor for the upcoming Summer 2025 Hand

Papermaking issue. Sid Berger profiles the celebrated paper marbler, Diane Maurer. And Alfie

Marsland, from the ALTER Sketchbook Project, shares exciting plans for their collaborative

sketchbooks!

—Sophia Hotzler

‍

esther's corner

Exhibition Review — Beyond the Substrate: Recent

Collaborations at Dieu Donné

In this new recurring feature, Esther Cho, our new Hand Papermaking intern, reviews Beyond the

Substrate: Recent Collaborations at Diue Donné, which was on view February 4 - March 12, 2025

at Dieu Donné Jordan Schnitzer Gallery. This exhibition was on view in tandem with the upcom-

ing 'Beyond the Substrate Seminar for Print Curators', made possible with support from Getty

Museum through the Paper Project Initiative.

Beyond the Substrate: Recent Collaborations at Dieu Donné explores the transforma-

tive power of handmade paper as both medium and concept. This dynamic exhibition

showcases works from Dieu Donné’s collection, highlighting collaborations between resident

artists and the studio’s expert papermakers. Presented in conjunction with Beyond the

Substrate Seminar for Print Curators—supported by the Getty Foundation's Paper Project

Initiative—the exhibition invites viewers to reconsider the role of papermaking in contempo-

rary art and its potential beyond traditional uses.

Featuring artists such as Firelei Baez, LaKela Brown, Cecile Chong, Bethany Collins,

Katharine L. DeLamater, Tatiana Ginsberg, Susan Hamburger, Amy Jacobs, Howardena Pindell,

Lina Puerta, Armita Raafat, John Shorb, and Alessandro Teoldi, the

exhibition highlights a range of distinct voices. Yet, the common thread

of collaboration with Dieu Donné’s skilled papermakers reveals paper not

just as a substrate but as an active participant in the creative process.

Among the highlights, Armita Raafat’s work captivates with its

striking use of color and reflective surfaces. Mirrors embedded within

the composition draw the viewer into the piece, creating a dynamic

relationship between the artwork and its audience. Textiles and mesh,

illuminated by deep blue, seem to pop off the surface, while the mirrors

reflect the viewer’s image, blurring the line between observer and

artwork. The piece invites immersive engagement, like a contemporary

mosaic.

Amy Jacobs’ Double Bow Knot offers a vibrant, textured experience

with bold pinks, yellows, and greens. An innovative take on overshot

weaving, the piece reimagines this traditional technique through pulp.

Textile is layered between the pulp, hidden and revealed in different

areas, creating depth and texture. As the fabric lifts the pulp off the

surface, it exposes hidden layers, inviting the viewer to look deeper.

Jacobs' piece unfolds before the eyes, encouraging exploration with each

glance.

John Shorb’s Untitled XXII showcases the power of freehand pulp

painting. Text, created by squeezing pulp from a plastic bottle, flows off

the paper in a fluid, energetic calligraphic style. Bursts of color and the

raw energy of the pulp transform the paper from a simple surface into a

vibrant space for both text and texture.

What binds these diverse practices is the collaborative ethos at the

heart of Dieu Donné’s mission. The studio's master papermakers are not

invisible hands, but co-creators, essential in translating artistic visions

into tangible forms. This exchange of ideas and techniques is evident in

works like those of Alessandro Teoldi and Katharine L. DeLamater, where

the manipulation of pulp and fiber pushes the material to its expressive

limits.

Curatorially, Beyond the Substrate creates a dialogue between works,

allowing the viewer to appreciate each artist's unique voice as well as

the shared language of paper as a medium. The layout emphasizes

materiality, inviting close inspection of textures and the shifting balance

between opacity and translucency.

Ultimately Beyond the Substrate challenges the perception of paper

as passive. It emerges as a dynamic, responsive medium—one that holds

memory, labor, and transformation within its fibers. This exhibition is

not just a showcase of works on paper; it is a testament to the possibilities

that arise when artists and papermakers engage in genuine, material-

driven collaboration.

—Esther Cho

Esther Jihye Cho is an interdisciplinary artist and designer special-

izing in paper and wood, and a recipient of the 2017 Windgate-

Lamar Fellowship. Her practice preserves traditional Korean paper

craft techniques while reinterpreting them through a contemporary

lens. She holds two MFAs from the University of Wisconsin-

Madison—one in woodworking and furniture design, and another

in design studies with a focus on papermaking and textiles. Cho is

based in Queens, New York; her work can be viewed at estherjihy-

‍

a preview for our summer 2025 issue

A Q&A with Radha Pandey

In this feature, we get a inside look at our upcoming Summer 2025 issue,

guest edited by the talented Radha Pandey. Pandey not only gives us a

sneek preview at her upcoming issue, but shares a bit about her own work,

upcoming shows & workshops! Pandey has an upcomg book and paper

tour scheduled for 2026, you can find more information on that here

https://www.radhapandey.com/tours

Hand Papermaking Newsletter (HPN): Introduce yourself!

Radha Pandey (RP): I work as a book artist, papermaker, and letterpress

printer from my studio in Norway called Halden Bookworks and in

Delhi called New Delhi Bookworks. I co-run both these spaces with my

partner Johan Solberg. In Halden, I spend time working on handmade

paper commissions. One of my recent projects was 60 sheets of Indo-

Islamicate style papers made from fermented hemp for research at Qatar

Environment and Energy Research Institute.

HPN: Can you tell us a little bit about your upcoming guest-edited

Summer 2025 issue? Our Hand Papermaking magazine Editor, Mina

Takahashi, mentioned that you are organizing your issue around the

topic of exhibiting paperworks. Can you elaborate on this topic and tell us

your interest in it?

RP: I am really excited to be working on this upcoming issue. It was

wonderful to get in touch with and work with the artists who contributed

to this issue. I have always wondered how large paperworks are hung

up or displayed, and how as a papermaker, one can plan for such

an eventuality–how does one take into account the potential future

exhibition space, the weight, and things like transportation of a paper

sculpture?

HPN: What was your inspiration behind this theme for the upcoming

magazine?

RP: The past few years have witnessed a number of exhibitions

with the theme of handmade paper or artists who work with

handmade paper in their work–be it books, sculpture, or otherwise.

Having participated in a few of these, I was interested in digging a little

deeper and finding out why there seemed to be a renewed interest in

this across the board. There were a couple of traveling exhibits that really

piqued my interest–”Paper is People” curated by Tia Blassingame and

Stephanie Sauer, as well as “Paper–A Cross Cultural Voice” curated by

Anne Vilsboell, which traveled between Denmark and India. (An article

by Anne is included in the Summer 2025 magazine.)

HPN: You recently had a show in Lillehammer, Norway. Tell us a bit

about this show. What is your process and your experience with how you

approach hanging your own work, especially pieces that have intricate

watermark designs?

RP: Yes, the show included almost all the artist books that I have made

to date. One of the pieces in the show is a watermark animation that I

made when I was a student at UIowa Center for the Book. The video of

the animation is projected on a wall, with the animation frames visible

in the adjoining room. Putting those individual frames up against the

windows was a real challenge because, well–handmade paper! I wanted

them to appear suspended and did not want any of the mechanics of it to

show. The windows ended up being double glazed, and not all of them

could open (the idea was to put tiny magnets at the back), and so the plan

was reduced to only a few windows, with a fewer number of sheets, and

huge magnets on strips of cardboard suspended on fishing line. The 12

animation frames were then attached to the strips. Each of the sheets

was a little different and tricky to work with. And though the magnets are

nowhere near invisible, the light that filtered through the paper during

the short days of the Norwegian winter with the snowy streets visible

through the windows made it totally worth it.

HPN: Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

RP: I am spending a good part of 2025 teaching. We are offering

workshops at the New Delhi Bookworks studio this spring–mostly book-

related courses. Johan and I have an upcoming workshop at Penland

this summer titled Art of the Book in the Islamicate Lands. Later this

summer, I hope to be digging into a long-awaited watermark animation

project I am working on with Brian Queen.

Radha Pandey earned her MFA in book arts from the Univer-

sity of Iowa Center for the Book. She specializes in Indo-

Islamicate papermaking and teaches book arts classes in India,

Europe, and the US. Her book Anatomia Botanica (2014) won

the MICA Book Award and received an Honorable Mention at

the 15th Carl Hertzog Award for Excellence in Book Design. In

2018, her book Deep Time won the Joshua Heller Memorial

Award. Pandey’s most recent book Flora of Mughal India won

the prestigious MCBA Book Prize (2024). Videos of her works

Flora of Mughal India, Jaali, and Deep Time can be seen on

Vimeo. Currently, Radha is working on a book about shadows,

darkness, and the colour black.

‍

decorated papers

Diane Maurer

Longtime newsletter contributor Sid Berger continues his documentation

of decorated papers. In this feature Sid highlights decorated paper artist,

Diane Maurer.

As this column has shown over the years, there are many superb

paper decorators "out there," but few with the range of skills and

the willingness to share them as we see with Diane Maurer.

In 1992, I met Diane at an event where she was selling her little

accordion-fold book Making Paste Papers. At only 4 3/8" x 3 7/8",

they were not overwhelming in size, though they were in content.

They were meticulously made, bound with her lovely paste paper over

boards, and each copy had a different paste pattern for its cover paper.

As a completist, I wanted to get a copy of every one of them since they

were all beautiful. In the same format, also in accordion bindings, she

later published Suminagashi Marbling (1995) and Making Fold & Dye

Papers (1998), each with six wonderful samples tipped in, with the

seventh being the paper on the covers. The techniques exhibited in these

publications are not difficult to do, but they are difficult to master—

that is, to produce truly lovely examples of the papers. And Diane has

nailed it, as she has done with all the work she has produced over the

years. Since 1982, she has run a business producing marbled papers

for a wide range of customers, including Godiva Chocolates, Lenox

China, Wegmans grocery stores (for their tissue boxes), bookbinders,

scrapbookers, and many others.

Her passion for decorated papers can be seen in the great number

of sheets she has produced over a 40+-year career, as well as in the

important books she has written—not merely to show the world her

lovely papers, but to share her knowledge about how to make them. She

has also taught many workshops on suminagashi, Western marbling,

paste paper decoration, and other forms of decoration; but the greatest

spread of her knowledge comes from her books.

Perhaps the best known of them is The Ultimate Marbling

Handbook. The subtitle says it best: A Guide to Basic and Advanced

Techniques for Marbling Paper and Fabrics (Diane Maurer-Mathison,

The Ultimate Marbling Handbook; New York: Watson-Guptill, 1999).

Every two-page spread of this volume, the "bible of marbling books," is a

treat, with crisp pictures of some of the papers she has made, along with

the work of other marblers, and carefully written text explaining how to

make a host of patterns. These are accompanied by small drawings of the

directions the marbler is to use to pull the rakes and combs through the

marbling bath.

This wonderful and important book was preceded by her equally

lovely and informative book Marbling: A Complete Guide to Creating

Beautiful Patterned Papers and Fabrics (Diane Vogel Mauer, with Paul

Maurer; New York: Crescent Books, 1991).

When some of the early publications about marbling began

emerging in the 19th century, the authors, no longer trying assiduously

to keep the art a secret, explained in their books what they felt

comfortable with; they generally did not give enough information to

allow their potential competitors to be successful. Diane’s texts take the

opposite stance. They give their readers as much information as possible

to allow the new practitioner to get a full grasp of the craft. They show the

“how-to” of creating decorated papers. They also reveal the possibilities

of pattern creation, the nature and construction of the tools involved, the

preparation of the marbling size and bath, and the way the bath needs

to be treated between the creation of sheets. They provide information

on how to prepare the colors, how to do various kinds of marbling

(such as oil-on-water techniques or creating non-combed decorations),

how to deal with problems that arise in the process (in sections she

calls "troubleshooting"), how to do mixed techniques, and so forth.

Additionally, she demonstrates how to marble fabrics as well as papers.

In The Ultimate Marbling Handbook, she makes it clear that even

seasoned practitioners can learn from her. It is a guide to "basic and

advanced techniques," so even practicing marblers will learn or be

inspired by her writing.

Another of her books on decorated papers is titled simply Decorative

Paper, showing that she is a master of techniques beyond marbling. She

demonstrates batik, embossing, stencil printing, folded-and-dyed papers,

and paper cutting. (Diane V. Maurer-Mathison, with Jennifer Philippoff,

Decorative Papers; New York: BDD Illustrated Books, 1993). She also

presents several kinds of applications (lampshades, boxes, playing cards,

mats and coasters, wallpaper, window treatments, and others). For each,

she shows the tools and equipment, materials, and the supplies and

devices the craftsperson will need. She also includes lists of suppliers and

a bibliography.

Several other books augment all these, including her little book on

suminagashi and a delightful children’s text Dinosaurs Dining (Diane

Philippoff Maurer, 1986, not published), in which her poetic text is

accompanied by marbled creatures, the work of Paul Maurer. Her

books on letter writing and scrapbooking, paste papers, and making

greeting cards—using her decorated papers—are equally charming and

informative, not to mention beautiful and well written. Her book The Art

of Making Paste Papers (Diane Maurer-Mathison; New York: Watson-

Guptill, 2002) may be considered the bible of that form of decoration,

and her equally lovely book Paper in Three Dimensions is immensely

informative on what its subtitle indicates: Origami, Pop-ups, Sculpture,

Baskets, Boxes, and More (Diane Maurer-Mathison; New York: Watson-

Guptill, 2006). All of her publications are excellently illustrated in color.

One of the truly wonderful genres she has mastered is collage, in her

case using her own decorated papers. (Many of them

are shown on the web at https://dianemaurer.com/

gallery/).

Diane’s art has been exhibited throughout the

world. Her work is in several museum and other

institutional collections. Her papers are represented in

the collections at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and

at the Berger-Cloonan Collection of Decorated Papers

in the Cushing Library at Texas A&M University. And

to show her interest in spreading the word, she has also

made guest appearances on several television shows

including Martha Stewart Living.

This brief sketch does not really do justice to

Diane’s brilliance as a paper artist and as one of the

most influential people in the world of decorated

papers. Her more than a dozen books, her workshops

and lectures, and her lovely papers by the thousands

deserve a whole book. A visit to her website

(dianemaurer.com) will give my readers a hint of the

extent of Diane’s amazing accomplishments.

—Sid Berger

Sidney Berger is Director Emeritus of the Phillips Library of

the Peabody Essex Museum, and a professor on the faculty of

the library schools at Simmons University and the University

of Illinois at Urbana– Champaign. He and his wife Michèle

Cloonan put together the Berger–Cloonan Collection of Deco-

rated Paper (about 22,000 pieces), now in the Cushing Library

‍

book arts

ALTER Sketchbook Project

We had the opportunity to chat with multidisciplinary designer and educa-

tor, Alfie Marsland. Alfie is the brains behind ALTER Sketchbooks - a public

contributed sketchbook project. In this Q&A, Alfie shares the history of the

and the upcoming plans for this interactive project!

Hand Papermaking Newsletter (HPN): Introduce yourself a little bit!

Alfie: I’ve been a practicing designer since 2018, and an educator since

2024, but an artist my whole life. I love investigating the intersection

of art and design, which normally results in a multidisciplinary graphic

design practice. Whether this be switching from digital to analogue (and

sometimes back to digital again!) or mixing mediums, I really like to

switch things up. I think having other influences and hobbies in your life

can enrich a digital design practice greatly, a sentiment I love to share

with my graphic design students.

HPN: Can you tell our readers about the ALTER Sketchbook project?

How did this project come to be?

Alfie: In the early 2010s I was wandering around Williamsburg, Brook-

lyn, and stumbled upon the Brooklyn Art Library, home to the Sketch-

book Project. I was fascinated to see a whole library of public contribu-

tions that explored creative ideas. That’s always how I’ve interpreted the

sketchbook, as a symbol of process over product. It’s a window into an

idea and how someone’s mind works, without even having to see a final

piece. I guess I am a strong believer that having a creative idea is just as

important as acting on it.

I wanted to bring a taste of this project to Vancouver, BC and in

2016 I finally made the leap of putting an idea into action (full circle!). I

worked with a creative partner at the time, June Lee, who was a fantastic

book artist and printmaker. We wanted to do two things; first, keep the

project free, as the Brooklyn model had a financial barrier (about $20–

$30); and second, to strategize a way to get people who didn’t identify as

creatives to participate too.

After a bit of brainstorming, we arrived at a single condition for

participation in the program: all anyone had to do was alter the condition

of the sketchbook that was handed out, from its original state. Thus

ALTER Sketchbooks was born! Sharing this condition with participants

greatly alleviated creative apprehension, because it meant the boundaries

of traditional artmaking were lifted, making options limitless!

We made all the sketchbooks by hand, with roughly 10 pages, 6 x

6 inches. We wanted to keep it small so that people felt like they could

realistically participate in the time frame we gave them (6 weeks). People

did really wild things with them, like running them over with their car,

gluing all the pages together, writing secrets, or recording recipes. Some

participants completely deconstructed their books too, creating paper

weavings of the front cover and inner pages, or transforming the book

into a bouquet of flowers. One of my favourites was by a local artist, Sun

Lee, who submerged their book in a shallow little container filled with

crystal growing solution. All of the dyes from the black covers leached out

into the crystals as they grew, resulting in a farm of deep blue and purple

crystals.

HPN: Can you elaborate more on the reading rooms you create for

these sketchbooks? The way folks can interact and learn from these

sketchbooks is very approachable — do you find a lot of artists and even

so called “non-artists” see that space and interaction as inspiring as the

books themselves?

Alfie Marsland is a queer, British-American multidisciplinary designer

and educator currently based in Baltimore, MD. Their practice often

investigates themes of rest, queer design, and post-binary typography.

They also have a love for practicing fiber arts and printmaking. Alfie has

a curiosity of the role of third spaces in the queer community, and how we

can design for queer spaces of rest.

Alfie: We wanted to get the books into the public domain as often as

possible, exhibiting in different group shows and our own independent

pop-up reading rooms in galleries across the city. We would make the

reading rooms cozy and intimate, sprinkled with furniture we would

borrow from friends and serve baked goods and tea to raise money for

the next iteration of books. In the full duration of the program, we had

participants from all different age groups and geographical locations

(from Canada to the UK), so it felt cool to bring all our efforts together

in one place, and create a source of inspiration for the next round of

participants.

I recently held a retrospective of the project in a local gallery in

Baltimore, MD, called Spare Room Gallery, that was set up like the

reading rooms we used to do and it was really well received. The public

engagement with that recent show actually inspired me to start a

Baltimore/East Coast corridor chapter here in the US.

HPN: We touched on the topic of apprehension within the art space,

whether its apprehension with starting or finishing something — or even

using “precious” materials. I have a few artist friends who all have one

thing in common; finishing a sketchbook is a daunting task, but your

ALTER Sketchbooks seem to inspire folks out of that rut. Why do you

think that is?

Alfie: I think it really boils down to process over product. This has always

felt like a really crucial idea that has greatly helped my own career

flourish too. Not being afraid to just start something, regardless of where

it goes. I recently started reading The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron,

with a group of friends. There’s a great quote that stresses ‘process over

perfection.’ In reading this I really felt a strong sense of validation in this

project. And I think when you tell someone who doesn’t identify as a

creative, that it doesn’t have to be perfect, there’s an immediate sense of

relief that breaks the confines of perfectionism that have such a strong

grip on creative endeavors.

HPN: What are your future goals, or plans, with the ALTER Sketchbook

project?

Alfie: The plan at present, is to finish refining the branding for the

program––since it was created in the early stages of my graphic design

career––and begin shining a light on past participants to generate

interest in a phase 2/ East Coast chapter. I am currently am working

on a digital archive of the books that I still have in my possession, and

gathering materials to construct a new round of books to hand out in the

summer. The goal is to exhibit them in the spring in Baltimore. If anyone

on the East Coast (or anywhere in the United States) is interested in

participating, they can reach out to me on Instagram under the account

@alfiemarsland, and I can add them to a participant mailing list. There

is also an inactive Instagram account for the project, @altersketchbooks

where people can view some past activity and projects we engaged in, but

unfortunately I do not have access to this account anymore.

Alfie Marsland is a queer, British-American multidisciplinary designer

and educator currently based in Baltimore, MD. Their practice often

investigates themes of rest, queer design, and post-binary typography.

They also have a love for practicing fiber arts and printmaking. Alfie has

a curiosity of the role of third spaces in the queer community, and how we

can design for queer spaces of rest.

‍

listings

Hand Papermaking Newsletter’s Listings now focus only on the most

current, most relevent news, events, and opportunities. For a more

complete list of organizations, studios, and institutions that make

paper, educate people about handmade paper, or present programming

or exhibitions related to handmade paper visit our website at www.

handpapermaking.org/news-resources/listings.

PUBLICATIONS

Radical Paper: Art and Invention with Colored Pulp. This is a landmark

book that profiles an artistic movement that has operated largely out-

side the mainstream art world and serves as both an overdue history

and an up-close look at the range, versatility, and brilliance of art cre-

ated with colored paper pulp. Although handmade papers have been

employed by artists for centuries, the use of handmade paper and col-

ored paper pulp as an integral element in creating art – as opposed to

serving only as the surface on which art is created – has seen remark-

able development over the last 70 years. As early practitioners like

Douglas Morse Howell, Laurence Barker, and Kenneth Tyler mapped

out new directions in using colored paper pulp, their work inspired

the careers of generations of artists who have taken this medium in

fresh and unexpected directions. This foundational book – the first of

its kind – features 73 artist innovators whose work, grounded in the

common medium of paper and pulp, takes flight through an array

of applications, modalities, and techniques, from the pictorial to the

structural, representational to abstract, two- and three-dimensional,

spanning the meditative to the mercurial.

Around the World of Paper. Although it was born in China, paper has

conquered the entire world, in various forms and for various uses.

Julie Auzillon, an art bookbinder passionate about this material,

takes you across five continents to discover the fascinating world of

paper.From Tokyo to Cape Town, via Venice, New York and Sydney,

it takes you into artists' and artisans' studios, through the doors of

unusual boutiques, and into contemporary paper creations. This

journey is punctuated by numerous cultural, historical and technical

lessons. Paper is discovered here in all its complexity, multiplicity

and originality. Cut-out paper, fans, papier-mâché masks, contempo-

rary stationery, wallpaper, ephemeral paper clothing…: the discoveries

are endless, and the world tour is exhilarating!

WORKSHOPS

A few exciting papermaking workshops at Women's Studio

Workshop are coming up this summer. Material Memory: Texture

Techniques in Papermaking with SR Lejeune, July 7 - July 11. Use

paper pulp to hold texture and surface! Beginning with technical

basics such as fiber processing in the Hollander beater and sheet

formation, participants will apply these skills to an array of non-

traditional techniques that use papermaking as a recorder, both

conceptually and materially. Approaching paper as a memory

device, this workshop will cover predominantly two dimensional

processes such as embossing, embedding, variations on stencil-

ing, pulp rubbings, rag-processing and low-relief casting. This

course will discuss ways of working applicable both to profes-

sional and more improvisational studio contexts. All levels are

welcome. Visit https://wsworkshop.org/event/material-memory-

texture-techniques-in-papermaking-with-sr-lejeune/ for more in-

formation. Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board: Casting with Paper

10 • hand papermaking newsletter

with SR Lejeune, July 14 - July 18. This experimental workshop

will emphasize the unique nature of paper as a casting medium

through a wide exploration of this material. Using experimental

casting processes rooted in fiber properties and hand papermak-

ing techniques, participants will learn to record dimension,

texture, and surface with paper pulp. Beginning with technical

basics such as fiber processing and sheet formation, participants

will apply these skills to a variety of paper casting methods.

This workshop will cover carved and collaged low relief mould

making and use, various approaches to found moulds, basic

plaster mould making and filling, two-part mould making with

oven-bake clay, and laminate casting objects with high shrinkage

fibers. This course will cover ways of working applicable both

to professional and more improvisational studio contexts. All

levels are welcome. Visit https://wsworkshop.org/event/light-as-

a-feather-stiff-as-a-board-casting-with-paper-with-sr-lejeune/ fore

more information. Expressive Pulp Painting with Candy Gonza-

lez, July 21 - July 25. Through demos, embodied inquiry-based

investigation and open studio time, participants will expand

their papermaking practice by experimenting with contemporary

pulp painting techniques. Participants will learn the mechanics

of working with various fibers in pulp painting, to make pulp

paints from start to finish and to build an expansive pulp paint

palette. Participants will learn various pulp painting techniques,

and will learn to incorporate stenciling, wet collaging and

blowout techniques in their work. During open studio time,

participants will have the opportunity to create a series of work

that serves as an exploration of pulp painting as an expressive

art form. This workshop is intended for people who have made

paper before. For more information, visit https://wsworkshop.

org/event/expressive-pulp-painting-with-candy-gonzalez/

Minnesota Center for Book Arts is hosting a workshop, Foraged

Fibers, Saturday, June 21 with Alexis Schramel. Join us for this hands-

on, in-person workshop where you'll transform Minnesota’s flora

into stunning handmade paper. With the guidance of an experienced

papermaker, explore the art of harvesting vibrant seasonal plants

unique to Minnesota's landscape, then prepare and craft these

organic materials into paper to take home. The focus of this work-

shop is on working with native and invasive plants as inclusions in

papermaking. Explore embossing and embedding our plant findings

as inclusions in prepared cotton and abaca paper fibers. Bring native

and invasive plants from your yard, garden, or alley, if you’d like! We

will also take a short walk around the neighborhood to collect materi-

als at the beginning of the workshop. Wear clothing that can get

dirty and shoes that can get wet (i.e. rubber boots, garden clogs, etc.).

For more information, visit https://mnbookarts.org/events/foraged-

fibers-june-2025

Penland School of Craft has a few exciting upcoming workshops. Pa-

per: Slice, Snip, Cut with Jerushia Graham. Making papercuts hones

the skill of defining the essential elements of an image. Impressive

cuts can be created using the most basic of tools: paper, scissors,

cutting mat, x-acto knife. Students will learn about paper cutting tra-

ditions of cultures around the world; construct a sample book of cuts;

experiment with cutting lightweight and heavyweight papers, vinyl,

and yupo (a plastic paper). Students will be encouraged to try cutting

with scissors, art knives, surgical knives, snips, chisels, and punches.

Mounting techniques will include spray adhesive, artist-tac, PVA,

rubber cement, and a glue stick. We will cover the design concepts

of black line, white line, mirrored images, asymmetrical designs,

and multi-colored layered images. Our sample books will providepractical experience and serve as reference

tools for personal projects made during the

second week. All levels. Books studio. To

explore more workshops at Penland, visit

https://penlandorg.azurewebsites.net/ They

are currently working on their workshop

explore page, allow time for the site to load.

Minnesota, from Thursday, September

11 through Saturday, September 13, 2025.

Their host is the Minnesota Center for Book

Arts (MCBA). Interested in presenting on a

topic or leading a workshop? Or do you have

an idea for a panel discussion? The call for

proposals is now OPEN. Submissions are

due no later than April 14, 2025 at 11:59 PM.

7th- April 29th. For more information, visit

https://www.morganconservatory.org/2025-

juried-exhibition

Ox-Bow School of Art is hosting a Papermak-

ing Studio workshop with Andrea Peterson,

Sun, Jun 1, through Sat, Jun 14. In this class,

we will use paper pulp, an incredibly mal-

leable material, to create works of art. We

will use a wide range of fibers from all over

the world to present perspectives unique

to location. Chosen for their flexibility in

the artmaking process, these fibers include

cotton, abaca, flax, kozo (paper mulberry)

for Eastern techniques, wheat straw, and

sisal, an agricultural by-product sourced

from a regenerative farm. Visit https://www.

ox-bow.org/2025-summer-courses for more

information.

OPPORTUNITIES

North American Hand Papermakers is

excited to announce that their 2025 annual

conference will be held in Minneapolis,

EXHIBITIONS

The Morgan hosts its 13th Annual National

Juried Exhibition, Interwoven Aspects: Innova-

tion and Tradition in Paper Art. Competing

and showcasing their artistry in the 13th

Annaul Juried Exhibition are Leah Aegerter,

e. ainsley, Jasmine Best, Magaly Cantu,

Marcy Chevali, Robert Choe-Henderson,

Paula Damm, Alyssa Davis, Chauncey Hay,

Junhee Hong, Christina Kang, Kathryn

Maxwell,Teddy Milder, Maggie Minor, Mable

Ni, Char Norman, Yangbin Park, Sophie

Pickering, Linda Pittman, Lorelle Rau,

Brielle Sarkisian, Michelle Scarlett, Charlotte

Schmid-Maybach, Lisa Schonberg, John

Shorb, Cassidy Skillman, Heather Steckler,

Rachel Stickney, Carolyn Sweeney, Kristen

Tordella-Williams, Jocelyn Tsui, Susan

Twining, Erik Waterkotte, and erin wohletz.

The exhibition will be on view from March

An exciting exhibiton at the Robert C. Wil-

liams Museum of Papermaking is on view

now until April 18. This exhibition features

approximately 31 works by members of

the Guild of Book Workers, a book artists

organization that promotes interest in and

awareness of the tradition of the book and

paper arts by maintaining high standards of

workmanship, hosting educational oppor-

tunities, and sponsoring exhibits. Members

were invited to interpret the theme of Night

Circus, invoking curiosity with its spectacle,

fascination with artistry and performance,

exploration of the mysterious and luminous,

investigation of clandestine actions and

secret knowledge, and embrace of chaos

and otherness. For more information, visit

https://paper.gatech.edu/night-circus

We want to promote your projects!

If you have any news, upcoming

events, or open opportunities let

us know at newsletter@hand-

papermaking.org

PAPER IS PEOPLE:

Decolonizing Global Paper Cultures

May 5 - August 15, 2025

Paper is People: Decolonizing Global Paper Cultures,

co-curated by Tia Blassingame and Stephanie Sauer,

offers a new definition of paper within a global and

decolonial framework.

This exhibition explores the vital role substrates play in

human communities and how meaning is made from

what we might call paper and papermaking, featuring

works by: Alisa Banks, Hannah Chalew, Page Pūko‘a

Chang, Julio Laja Chichicaxtle, Kelly Church, Hong

Hong, Chenta Laury, Aimee Lee, Radha Pandey, Veronica

Pham, Trina Michelle Robinson, Steph Rue, the Seringô

Collective, and rhiannon skye tafoya.

Reception: Thursday, May 29, 2025 • 4-7pm

Virtual Artist Talk: Thursday, June 26, 2025 • 8-9pm

In-Person Workshop: Thursday, July 24, 2025 • 7-9pm

For more information visit: paper.gatech.edu

Paper Is People: Decolonizing Global Paper Cultures originated at and has been organized

by the Minnesota Center for Book Arts. It is supported by a grant from the National

Endowment for the Arts and a Craft Research Fund grant from the Center for Craft.

Featured Artwork, clockwise from top left: Across Oceans by Veronia Pham, Ul’nigid’ by

rhiannon skye tafoya, Lineage by Alisa Banks, Papel Amate by Julio Laja Chichicaxtle.

500 Tenth St. NW, Atlanta, GA 30332 | 404-894-5700 | paper.gatech.edu

April 2025 • 11special thanks to our donors

Hand Papermaking acknowledges recent contri-

butors to our nonprofit programs. All donations

are greatly appreciated and tax deductible. Our

tax ID number is 52-1436849. Call or write for

information on annual giving levels, automatic

monthly gifts, and other ways to support us.

contributors to our 2024 auction fundrais-

ing event: Stephanie Damoff, May Babcock,

Rona Conti, Amy Richard, Amanda Degener,

Tim Barrett, Jamie DeAngelis, David Engle,

Lois James, Roberto Mannino, Charlotte

Kwon, Loreto Apilado, Claire Van Vliet, Serena

Trizzino, ArtOrg Studios, Inc., Lesa Hepburn,

Minnesota Center for Book Arts, Michelle Wil-

son, Mary Milelzcik, Timothy Moore, Donna

Koretsky, Michael Durgin, Jamie Capps, Donna

Koretsky, Zoë Goehring, James Ojascastro,

Jame M. Farmer, Tatiana Ginsberg, and Cath-

leen Baker.

AND THANKS TOO TO OUR SPONSORS

Arnold Grummer’s, the Papertrail Hand-

made Paper & Book Arts, Penland School of

Craft, The Robert C. Williams Papermaking

Museum, Carriage House Papers and Dieu

Donné.

benefactors: Mark Tomasko, Beck White-

head

patrons: Tom Balbo, Lisa Cirando, Sid Berger &

Michèle Cloonan, Sue Gosin, Darin Murphy,

Erik Saarmaa, Michelle Samour, Kenneth Tyler

underwriters: Yousef Ahmed, John Cirando,

Vijay Dhawan, Lois & Gordon James, Ingrid

Rose

sponsors: Eric Avery, Tom & Lore Burger, Kerri

Cushman, Susan Mackin Dolan, Devie Dragone,

Michael Durgin, Michael Fallon, Jane Farmer,

Kim Grummer, Helen Hiebert, Robyn Johnson &

Peter Newland, Debora Mayer, Marcia Morse,

Robert Specker, H. Paul Sullivan, Mina Takahashi,

Aviva Weiner, Kathy Wosika

donors: May Babcock, Alisa Banks,

Tom Bannister, Sarah Louise Brayer, Ann

Cicale, Amanda Degener, John Dietel, Karla

& Jim Elling, David Engle, Jerry Exline,

Helen Frederick, Lori Goodman, Richard

Haynes, Margaret Heineman, Shireen Holman,

Kyoko Ibe, Jamie Kamph, Enid Keyser, June

Linowitz, Julie McLaughlin, Sharon Morris,

Jeannine Mulan, Anela Oh, Elaine Nishizu,

Nancy Pike, Alta Price, Joy Purcell, Renee

Rogers, Annabelle Shrieve, Thomas Siciliano,

Kathleen Stevenson, Bernie Vinzani, April

Vollmer, Paul Wong

supporters: Marlene Adler, John Babcock,

Timothy Barrett, Kathryn Clark, Nancy Cohen,

Marian Dirda, Iris Dozer, Tatiana Ginsberg,

Mabel Grummer, Guild of Papermakers, Lisa

Haque, Robert Hauser, Viviane Ivanova,

Kristin Kavanagh, Susan Kanowith-Klein, David

Kimball, Steve Kostell, Lea Basile-Lazarus,

Aimee Lee, Winifred Lutz, MP Marion, Edwin

Martin, Lynne Mattot, Ann McKeown, Tim

Moore & Pati Scobey, Catherine Nash, Nancy

Pobanz, Melissa Potter, Brian Queen, Dianne

Reeves, Carolyn Riley, Michele Rothenberger,

Pamela Wood

friends: Jack Becker, Anne Beckett, Lee Cooper,

Elizabeth Curren, Dorothy Field, Lucia Harrison,

Margaret Miller, Deborah Sternberg-Service,

Don Widmer

in-kind donations: Janet De Boer, John Gerard,

Dard Hunter III, Microsoft Corporate Citizen-

ship, Steve Miller

‍

‍

‍