The Sunday Paper #392

December 12, 2021

My hubby and I went to Aspen for a short getaway to celebrate his birthday and the publication of his first issue of Aspen Sojourner Magazine, which he is now editing (in addition to Vail/Beaver Creek Magazine). We stopped at the Powers Art Center in Carbondale, a lovely museum with a permanent, extensive collection of Jasper Johns’ works on paper, along with rotating exhibits of other artists. Currently they are showing works they own by Andy Warhol. We participated in a 15 Minutes of Fame interactive activity, and we also visited the Aspen Art Museum, which is the sole U.S. venue for the major international retrospective Andy Warhol: Lifetimes. Both shows run through October 2022. Fun fact: the architect, Shigeru Ban, designed the museum with his cardboard tube and composite material structural elements.

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NYC artist Fred Tomaselli was forced to change his work when Covid-19 hit and his studio assistant fled the city. The paintings in his studio – on wood panels – were too heavy to lift, so he started working in a guest bedroom at home, where he scanned front pages of the New York Times, printed them on watercolor paper, and painted and collaged over them. Eventually, he began to move components around, mismatching headlines and photographs. A number of these works are being shown by the London-based gallery White Cube, in a digital exhibition that runs through December 26th.

March 17, 2020 (2020)Art work by Fred Tomaselli / Courtesy James Cohan Gallery and White Cube

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I was delighted to see this children’s book, by the former owner of our local bookstore, Nicole Magistro, and to discover the unique illustrations by Alice Feagan, who is known for her distinct cut-paper collage style. Here’s the synopsis: Join a very brave girl and her furry friends on an adventure to Read Island! Through the power of imagination and the pleasure of reading, this curious trio set sail for a magical island made of books. On their way they discover a joyful collection of animals converging by sea and land, just in time for an unforgettable story hour. This would make a great holiday gift, and Read Island has some fun products, like cards and gift wrap, to round out your holiday gift giving.

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Artist and entrepreneur, Janna Willoughby-Lohr, is competing on the new discovery+ television show, Meet Your Makers Showdown, hosted by Chrissy Metz with judges LeAnn Rimes and Mark Montano. The first three episodes of the show are streaming now on discovery+ and the episode she is featured on began streaming yesterday (12/11/21). The show is a crafting competition, featuring a different art form each week including paper art, soap making, candle making, polymer clay art, stained glass art and fluid art. Janna will compete against three of the best paper artists in the country for a chance to win $10,000. I interviewed Janna on Paper Talk awhile back. Good luck, Janna!

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This is a great story about keeping a lantern-making tradition alive through the generations in India.

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Paper Tidbits:

• I’m hosting a free Zoom workshop on December 15th. We’ll be making a woven paper lantern and I’ll tell you all about The Paper Year 2022, which opens for registration that day.
• I’ve created a fun holiday gift idea for the paper artists and crafters on your list this season: save them an autographed first edition of The Art of Papercraft! I’ll pop a reservation card in the mail once place your order, and the actual book will be mailed in mid-February. You’ll save 15% if you order two or more copies.

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In the Studio:

I started a new batch of paper this week, and I’m planning on making several colors in this diamond pattern. When I took this photo, I noticed the way the light was hitting the paper and turned to look at the windows in my studio. Of course I knew this, but had forgotten: the protective screens on my windows are in the exact same pattern. Too funny – I’m definitely influenced by my surroundings.

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Featured this week in my Studio shop: The Art of Papercraft, Party Lights Try It! online class, Papermaking with Plants, and The Papermaker’s Studio Guide, a film download.

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