The Sunday Paper #511

June 1, 2024

I have always loved grids, and this week I explored them in two ways, while using up pulp from the Papermaking Master Class last week. On the left is a watermark featuring a Japanese pattern called shippo – seven treasures – referring to the seven treasures of Buddhism (gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, agate, red pearl, and carnelian). These treasures represent the seven powers of faith, perseverance, sense of shame, avoidance of wrongdoing, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. The shippo design, with its eternal chain of interconnected circles, is a pattern of good omens, filled with wishes for happiness, harmony, and karma. This watermark is inspired by my upcoming trip to Japan.

The piece on the right is still wet in the photo – I embedded hemp string grid in between sheets of high shrinkage, translucent abaca. It will shrink as it dries, and I’m curious to see what happens.

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I had the pleasure of interviewing Roberto Benavidez on Episode #125 of Paper Talk. Benavidez is a sculptor specializing in impeccably crafted piñata forms that play with the underlying themes of race and sin that are innate in the piñata. His forms are layered with his identity as a mixed-race queer artist. Benavidez has been featured in national, international and on-line publications, including ARTnews, Artsy, Atlas Obscura, hifructose.com, Hyperallergic, Politiken, The Guardian, The New York Times and This Is Colossal.  He has exhibited his work in numerous group and solo shows, and Benavidez’s Javelina Girl (Illuminated Piñata No. 14) was featured on the cover of The New York Times, Fine Arts & Exhibits section on October 23, 2022 . Enjoy our conversation!

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I have always had a fondness for type, so I was delighted when a reader shared this paper alphabet with me. Reina Takahashi transposes the expressive, refined flourishes common in calligraphy into this exquisite series of paper type.

As seen on Colossal, All images © Reina Takahashi.

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What an interesting story about Kim Parker’s floral patterns – inspired by walks in her Carroll Gardens neighborhood in Brooklyn – and how they became the newest forever stamp. This is a bit of a stretch, but stamps are printed on paper!

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Paper Tidbits

• A sad note about the passing of Fran Lacy, who worked at Twinrocker Handmade Paper back in the day.
• I head to Japan next Sunday, June 9th. There will be an edition of The Sunday Paper that day, but then I’m taking a little break (there might be a brief note mid-trip) and I will be back in your in box on in early July. In the meantime, I’ll be posting about The Japan Paper Tour on Instagram.

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