Ok, I’ll say it up front. The real reason I’m writing this blog post is that I’d like to invite you to come and work with me at one of the most unique papermaking studios in the country, Hook Pottery Paper. I’ll be teaching a  Watermarking Workshop there (in LaPorte, Indiana – just outside of Chicago) the weekend of August 3/4. A note of fame: Isamu Noguchi, one of my artist idols, went to boarding school in La Porte!) Please spread the word to those who might be interested! I hope to see you there.

And now for the back story…
I met Andrea Peterson, co-proprietor of Hook Potter Paper in 1995, when we worked together at Dieu Donné Papermill in NYC for a year. Not only did we spend time at the Mill together, but Andrea taught my then boyfriend (now husband) Ted and me how to brew beer, and she helped us make our wedding mead. Plus, we registered with her then boyfriend (now husband) Jon Hook for our wedding pottery. Jon makes gorgeous wood fired pots (in wood kilns which he builds himself, using wood that he forages from the land).

These two (along with their two sons Ry and Lu) live off of their land, growing their food, raising animals, constructing anything they need (a recent addition was a building to house resident artists), not to mention running their paper and pottery studios! Legend has it that they spent their first date skinning an animal (I can’t recall what kind, but I think it was road kill).

When Andrea left the Mill, I was so happy to learn that she was moving to the Chicago area. She ended up moving to La Porte, Indiana, just a stones throw (or an hour by car) from my parents-in-law. So, whenever we visit the in-laws, we also make a trip to visit Hook Pottery Paper. Here are a couple of pictures from the last workshop that I taught there.


We have such an experience every time we visit Hook Pottery Paper. Activities range from baking pizza in the outdoor wood fired ovens, to harvesting vegetables; and from tending to the animals to loading the wood kiln and picking blueberries. There is never a dull moment!
This is a papermaking destination, and I highly recommend a visit, even if you can’t make my workshop! Check out all of the offerings at Hook Pottery Paper.
And just in case you live further south, I’m teaching a dry dimensional paper workshop in Indianapolis on August 10th and 11th. Details are coming very soon.
Do you have any destination workshop locations? Please share them in the comments section below.