The Sunday Paper #412

May 8, 2022

Happy Mama’s Day everyone.

One of my most rewarding installations was the Mother Tree Project, conceived shortly after my son’s birth in 1999 and executed in 2010. The seven-foot tall handmade paper dress/tree features single strands of thread which extend from the bodice of the dress, representing mother’s milk, and cascade to the floor, transforming via crochet into roots which pile up, filling the surrounding space as a tree’s roots would fill the ground beneath it. The transformation from dress to tree and root to soil symbolizes the mother as a provider and nurturer throughout human development.

Hundreds of people sent crocheted roots for the piece, which made its debut at The Portland Building; and another hundred crocheters, feminists, fathers, mothers, grandmothers, engineers, children, and artists joined me in the space to crochet roots on site. Since then, Mother Tree has traveled to venues around the United States. Mother Tree is currently on view at the Museum of Motherhood in St. Petersburg, Florida.

I invite you to contribute to the Museum of Motherhood’s fundraiser to add Mother Tree to their permanent collection.

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Peter Linde Busk, Solaris, 2022. Installation view, Wanås Konst, Knislinge, Sweden, 2022. Photo: Mattias Givell.

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Interocean Studios in Denver is kicking off the summer with papermaking and printmaking workshops in Ray Tomasso’s former studio. Join the fun!

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This book looks intriguing: Paper In The Book examines how different contents behave when printed on different design papers. And there’s proof in the pages!

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I’m featuring one-sheet wonders here on the blog, since the projects in my new book, The Art of Papercraft, fall into that category. I’d love to feature your one-sheet wonders!

Sarah Knight took up paper weaving last year after many years of doing photography and different textiles like quilting and weaving. She loves working with paper and it is a great creative outlet now that she is retired and has time to immerse herself in it.

This one-sheet wonder is called The Sheet’s the Stage. The project was designed by Paula Beardell Krieg and appears in The Art of Papercraft (although it looks like Sarah gave the project her own twist). Sarah sent it as a card to a young friend, telling her to use it as a stage for her finger puppets.

© Sarah Knight, 5-1/2″ x 6″, Astrobright paper, Marimekko postcard, corrugated craft cardboard and paste paper by Madeleine Durham. 2022. Photo by Sarah Knight.

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Paper Tidbits:

• I’m honored to be co-jurying a show with Alicia Bailey for the Sebastopol Center for the Arts: Pulp: Book & Paper Arts seeks innovative or traditional explorations of Book Arts (of any material or medium), or of Paper Arts, and Paper Sculptures, including paper objects, book art related objects, altered books, and sculptural and wall-mounted pieces, as well as more traditional artists’ books, letterpress printing and bookbinding.

• I’m so excited that several paper enthusiasts I’ve met online and in person are coming to Italy with me this fall. At this retreat, you will explore the potential of paper as a basic material and a medium for creative pursuits with four internationally-known instructors, Helen Hiebert (owner of Helen Hiebert Studio), Amanda Degener (co-founder of Cave Paper), Carol Barton (paper engineer and owner of Popular Kinetics Press), and Denise Carbone (University of the Arts, Philadelphia). More info here.

• I know many printmakers and book artists who have done a residency at In Cahoots. The next deadline is June 1st.

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In the Studio:

I printed out the text that will appear on my upcoming lantern installation to see how it would look and then wrapped it around these buckets (it wouldn’t stand up otherwise) to get a visual of the diameter the lantern. I’m gearing up to start construction this coming Friday in Denver. Read the press release about my residency at Anythink Wright Farms.