The Sunday Paper #315
June 6, 2020

Paper of the Week: Word Broadsides

Sometimes when I post an image, the colors get electrified, and I’m not sure why. I have to say though, that these brighter colors work for my mood this week. I’m feeling the need to do something proactive about the state of our country. While I figure this out, here’s some old work that feels relevant. Each of these watermarked broadsides (created in 2017) features a word that is meant to provoke thought and perhaps action, Click through and scroll down to read a bit more about each word.

Here’s a photo from a peaceful protest in Athens, Georgia. Paper cranes!

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In the Studio: Illuminated Ceiling Sculpture

I am making a piece to hang above our dining room table. It’s only taken me seven years. I’ll post again when it is in place – I still have to figure out the best way to suspend it, so don’t hold your breath! This is 10 double-couched sheets of abaca with embedded copper wire. I stitched them together on my sewing machine.

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Papery Tidbits

• Have you listened to my interview with Elisabeth Howell King on Paper Talk? We chat about her father, Douglass Howell and his life with paper.
• Here’s an interesting papercraft kit. Build Mt. Fuji!
• Check out these sandals, made from paper! From The Field Collective.

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I’m promoting artists here on the blog to help them replace some of their income during the pandemic. Please reach out if you have a paper product to sell that you think my readers will enjoy.

I have been thinking about oral histories (in relation to my podcast, Paper Talk). When I am doing an interview, I am usually busy thinking about what to ask next and the flow of the conversation, so I often miss things that are said (I do record the interviews). And sometimes I forget things too. A friend and colleague listened to my recent conversation with Sarah Brayer and pointed out that she mentioned Emma Amos, who died a couple of weeks ago. Amos explored the politics of culture, racism and sexism in her work, which often included handmade paper, printmaking, collage and weaving.

Check out this Arts & Music Wednesdays series. Last week, Ann Dumas, a curator at the Royal Academy of Arts, gave a virtual tour of the Picasso and Paper exhibition. What a treat to be able to listen to the comments of the curator! You can also watch the complete virtual tour (without commentary).

This is a fun Q&A with Sally Blakemore, a paper artist from Santa Fe whose illustrations have appeared in countless publications, including The New Yorker, Washington Post and Esquire, and her paper-engineered books have been published by Simon & Schuster, Disney, Viking and other presses. Sally has traveled the world with paper, and here is just one of her intriguing sentiments: “In Shenzhen with all Chinese girls, I found we could speak in Chinese and English while folding paper together and we could understand the words as if we used the same language.”

Check out this cardboard desk, born during the pandemic to give people who work at home a quick and inexpensive work table.

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I’ve been teaching online for four years now, and here are a few Frequently Asked Questions (perhaps you’ve wondered about these things too).

• Q: When are the sessions held? A: A weekly lesson is delivered each Monday, but these are not live sessions. I pre-record each video for you to watch whenever you wish, and you can work at your own pace.
• Q: What if I have to miss a week? A: The sessions are independent, so you can jump in at any point and come back to lessons you’ve missed later.
• Q: What if I want to have access to the content, but the time of your class doesn’t work for me? A: No problem! When you sign up, you have access to the online classroom indefinitely.
• Q: What kind of experience is required? A: I have taught and mentored all levels, from beginners to experienced artists.
• Q: Have other questions? Send me an e-mail! helen@helenhiebertstudio.com

My online class Paper + Light is now enrolling, and we’ve got a great group forming from around the US, Canada and Europe. This is one of the fun things about an online class. You can join from anywhere in the world! And the online classroom is a special place where we share what we’re creating, ask questions and comment on each other’s work.

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The News from Here:
Yesterday, I finally got in the pool, with social distancing in place: one person to a lane; reduced locker room capacity; etc. It felt good and strange at the same time.
My first Papermaking Master Class was supposed to be taking place right now. Instead, I have refunded all participants. I do hope that we can gather next year! If you’re interested in my master classes, you can read more here. Click on Apply Now at the bottom if you’d like more information when I reschedule these classes.
That’s all I’ve got this week. Be kind, stay well, promote peace and make art my friends!

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