Using up the pulp

After finishing the project it was time to use up all the pulps in the vats..... I haven't made any square sheets for years so this was a good time to use them!!

October/November

I had to work really hard to get back into the paper making mode because I have been asked to create a large piece similar to a commission piece that I made back in 2017!!

This work enables me to revisit and create a project that requires all of my skills and knowledge regarding the pigmentation and manipulation of the papermaking fibres.

I spent two days preparing and colouring the fibres and then another two days making the individual sheets to make an A1 size piece. After making many of the individual pieces I decided that I didn't like the results and so it was time to go back to the beginning.

The brief was to create a piece that was influence by my photographs of stained glass windows that have aged and sagged over the decades using the colours of the required request - 'cyanotype blues'

'As always I complicate and then have to fine tune and simplify'

To create the grid 'lead lattice' (cames and quarries) window effect I used too many colours - oranges, blacks, yellow and blues which created a bit of a messy too busy look!

Here is the final piece - with simplified colour use!

Summer Heat

I went to visit my fellow book artists Jane Cradock-Watson do experiment with traditional papermaking fibres, plant materials and recycled materials.

'Make and make do' pressing system

It was lovely to be in the shady garden, swirling the fibres around in the cool water filled vats.

A delightful day - and quite successful paper results!

 

And at the end of the day we had Jane's homemade red and white currant sorbet 

made from the harvest from her allotment.

 

BABE 2022

The first Artists Book Fair since late 2019. Everything stopped for the pandemic!!

BABE Bristol Artists Book Fair will be taking place this week end. 

New edition of 'Seen cannot be unseen' 

 

Papermaking experiments with red seaweed from Eastbourne!

 So.....this is a new direction - I hope this works!

After taking some photos of the seaweed found down on the pebbly beach under the cliffs west of the town of Eastbourne (back in June) i have decided to try and embedded some into paper making fibres.

Here are the two types of red seaweed that I am going to experiment with - thanks to the forager of the seaweed who brought me these specimens from Eastbourne to London for me!!!

Phyllophora crispa 

Palmaria palmata

Washed and dried - ready for cooking with soda ash!

Teaching again at last!

 Back in June I was so pleased with the amazing BA Consevation students, studying at City and Guilds London Art School, that attended my 5 day Hand Papermaking workshop. 

We covered everything from Western to Japanese styles of papermaking as well as recycling, watermarking, pigmentation and tons of experimenting.

Using the fibres

When I start a project, that will include plant material, I always photograph the plants and use 

those colours as a starting point.

When embedding plant material into handmade papers it's so important to 

remove as much of the organic stuff as possible - using the cellulose matter only. 

This is because that stuff will ruin the papers when it naturally breaks down and 

deteriorates the papers from the inside. 

So.... I pigment the abaca, gampi or kobo with pigments, referring back to the photos, 

to add colour!

Then - after the project is done - it's playtime!