A Trip Back East
The Sunday Paper #527
October 13, 2024
I was in the Berkshires this past week – in North Adams, MA – where I attended the photoshoot for my next book about paper weaving. This is my 5th book with Storey Publishing, but the first time I’ve participated in a photoshoot. I’m happy to report that – although nerve wracking at times – it went well and I think we captured all of the images we need. Here’s the studio with Mars Vilaubi, the photographer checking the set up on his computer, and Kristen Hewitt, the project editor, making sure we’re capturing what the manuscript describes. I’ll share more soon, but I’m trying to get this written (on Saturday morning) before Mass MoCA opens, so I can get over there for an hour before I head to the airport.
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Find out more about the trip by attending a free info-webinar on October 18th.
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Bark paper and barkcloth are age-old traditions deeply rooted in cultures across the globe, yet they are frequently overlooked by modern society. These ancient practices involve beating the cooked or fermented inner bark of certain trees, most commonly Mulberry and Ficus, with a hand-held beater made from stone, wood, or metal. Bark Rhythms, curated by Jill Powers and Lisa Miles, shines a light on contemporary makers who maintain a deep respect for these materials, tools, and cultural origins. This exhibition delves into bark traditions from Indonesia, Hawai‘i, the Polynesian Islands, Mexico, and Central Africa.
The exhibition debuted at the Robert C Williams American Museum of Papermaking in Atlanta, and is now on view at Niza Knoll Gallery in Denver (through October 26th). If you can’t make it to the show, you might enjoy the recorded video panel discussions with some of the artists.
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Wowza! 100,000 paper lanterns adorn Lamphun’s Wat Phra That Hariphunchai district in Thailand, in honor of Buddha’s relics. According to local beliefs, hanging a lit lantern at the temple will help improve one’s luck and prosperity, while others believe that writing one’s wish on the lantern and lighting it on temple ground will make it come true.
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Yulia Brodskaya’s quilled paper techniques and works never ceases to amaze. “In my paper art practice, a drawn two-dimensional line is represented by a three-dimensional strip of paper glued on its edge,” Brodskaya says. For her mini-series of birds, the dimensionality of each line symbolizes ethereality and energy made visible.
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Paper Tidbits
- I’m teaching a free workshop through the Guild of American Papercutters on October 26th.
- We’ll be making woven paper lanterns and books in a one-day online session through Maine Media Workshops in December – perfect for holiday gift giving. Join me!
- We worked with kraft tex last month in The Paper Year. Watch the video, featuring a variety of pieces created by Paper Year members.
- I can’t wait to see my papermaking tribe at the North American Hand Papermaker’s conference this coming week. Thankfully, it is close to home, in Denver.
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2 Comments
So many congratulations on the photo shoot, Helen. I have no idea how you are doing all you are doing, crisscrossing this planet on beautiful paper missions.
Thanks, Beth! It has been a whirlwind for sure. Happy to be at home for awhile now, but each and every trip has been so special!