The Sunday Paper #393

December 19, 2021

Happy Solstice! Are you celebrating the change of the seasons, however dramatic or subtle they are? I swam outside in a snow squall this past week (not intentionally, and the pool was warm) and our snow base is starting to build up after a long snow drought.

Last Wednesday, I hosted a Winter Solstice Lantern making event on Zoom. You can watch the recording on Youtube and make your own solstice light! It was a delight to see everyone’s rendition of this woven paper design. Here you see my version, and you can take a look at my instagram to see a few more.

We had a bit of a discussion about the science behind the solstice too. Here’s a great article about the nuances of this annual event.

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Check out this interactive pop up book by Matthew Reinhart and Toby Leigh. You can read the book and then fold it up into a bull dozer. What clever paper engineering, and a clever title too: What’s Up, Construction Truck? My son would have loved this when he was little (he’s 22 now).

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This is a cool concept – Fosnot Gallery in New London, CT is highlighting the work of emerging artists, and several of them are working on paper. Here’s my favorite, but click through to see more.

Sono Kuwayama, “Untitled” (burnt circle blue) – Japanese paper, milk paint made with earth pigments, cotton wicks, wood 6x6x6 or 12×12

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I had the pleasure of talking with Radha Pandey on Paper Talk. Pandey is a papermaker and letterpress printer. She earned her MFA in Book Arts from the University of Iowa Center for the Book where she studied Letterpress printing, Bookbinding, and Papermaking with a focus on Western, Eastern and Indo-Islamic Papermaking techniques. She splits her time between India, where she grew up and Norway, where she and her partner Johan Solberg run Halden Bookworks. Enjoy our conversation!

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This is pretty exciting! A seaweed-based paperboard looks like it is moving into the real world. Hand papermakers, let’s see if this starts a movement.

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Paper Tidbits:

• 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! It’s too late to get the reservation card in the mail, but I can send you a PDF to print out to gift your loved one, and the actual book will be mailed in mid-February. You’ll save 15% if you order two or more copies.
• If you have pre-ordered The Art of Papercraft elsewhere, you can now get the free downloadable pop-up alphabet with proof of purchase through my publisher, Storey Books!
• Weave Through Winter is coming!

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In the Studio:

My membership program, The Paper Year, is now open for registration! This is the only time of the year when you can sign up for the annual plan and get 2 months free (you can also join and pay by-the-month). The Paper Year is like a year-long online class. We explore a new technique for working with paper each month, and it is an inspiration to see how each participant approaches the projects in our online community.

I’m adding some new features this year: a paper twist, monthly motivations, surface design workshops online and open studio sessions on Zoom. Hop on over to the registration page to watch the video and learn more about The Paper Year. I hope you’ll join us, and by the way, you can also gift this to someone on your list. Please contact me if you’re interested in this.

I am currently working on the instructions for the Star Box you see in the image below, designed by guest artist Isabel Uria, and it… is… so… cool! You should see the interlocking feature on the back of the box – maybe I’ll share it here after we make it!

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Featured this week in my Studio shop: The Art of Papercraft, Playing With Paper, The Papermaker’s Companion, and The Papermaker’s Studio Guide, a film download.

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