This is Day 9 of 25 Days of Paper and Day 78 of my 100 x 100 Paper Weavings Project.

I received a note from a paper artist whom I see annually at the meeting of the Friends of Dard Hunter (a national hand papermaking organization). Marjorie Tomchuk creates embossed prints on handmade paper, among other things. I do hope you will check out her website. Below are a few images of her work.

The note from Marjorie asked whether I needed any more paper for the weaving project, and I accepted. The weaving above is simply a transformation of her work. She sent me several lovely embossed pieces, which I’m guessing are parts of unfinished/rejected works that she’s cut up, but that is just a guess! And there was a tiny plastic bag filled with a neat and tidy pile of marbled paper scraps. I wove two of those into the marbled pieces into an embossed piece.
This project has caused me to think about the way that I use paper. When I make paper, I’m usually making it for a particular project – I don’t just make sheets of paper for the sake of making them. My flat files are not filled with piles of handmade paper. They are filled with experiments and papers leftover from projects. Paper is a bit of an oddity because it can be the medium or the artwork.
Receiving the paper donation from Marjorie sparked my curiosity. Did she send me rejects or parts of older work that she no longer wanted to sell or store?
It has also been fascinating to receive papers and sample books from around the world and to think about how companies and artists market their papers. Some of them list the qualities of the paper (good for printing, suitable for lampshades, etc.) and others simply state the obvious (color, fiber, texture). I’m loving the opportunity to touch and see the astounding variety of papers that exist, and I find comfort in the fact that I can go to my studio at anytime and create something new.
Have you entered the Name That Paper Contest? Read all about it here.

About the 25 Days of Paper: I’m going to be a crazy blogger in December, featuring cool paper products, projects, blogs, books, or papers each day. Join in the fun by reading along! I’ll also post links on my FaceBook page. Enjoy the season!
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About 100 x 100 Paper Weavings: On September 23, 2013, I started making 100 daily paper weavings. I’ll finish on New Year’s Eve!