Fiber College of Maine Touchstone Workshop: September 4-8

Papermaking

Hand papermaking is a process that can support many other mediums or be a work of art on its own. The process is an enjoyable and restorative way to connect with nature. Papermaking can be as simple or complex as you would like to make it. Truly a medium with endless possibilities! Students can expect to learn the fundamentals of papermaking in a home setting. You will gain an understanding of the tools required and the materials necessary to make a variety of papers. Readily available materials such as locally sourced plant fibers as well as more specialized fibers will be explored. The methods you will learn are accessible and adaptable.

Printing on Fine Art Paper

Printing on specialty fine art paper yields a particularly delicate and beautiful image. It has a quality that mimics the experience we have when connecting with nature. This is especially so with translucent Japanese and Korean papers. Experimenting with these unique materials gives an ethereal look to images and makes the artwork sing. We will discuss and view a wide variety of fine art Japanese and Korean papers and how they are made. An understanding of gsm, weight, translucency, and texture will be utilized. Students will learn how to prepare digital files and the steps necessary to print digitally on uncoated fine art paper. A photo transfer process using our handmade paper will be demonstrated. Resources for purchasing materials will be provided. Students may provide several images they would like to print at the workshop and incorporate into their sculptures. Several images to use will also be provided.

Paper Sculpture

When we work sculpturally, we gain a profound understanding of how perspective can transform and shift in response to the interplay of light and the angle from which we observe our creations. This powerful fact serves as a metaphor for the intricacies and ever-changing nature of life itself. By skillfully manipulating various elements and incorporating them into a multidimensional layered sculpture, we effectively convey the intricate and multifaceted layers that constitute our unique life experiences. Students will learn a variety of methods to strengthen and sculpt paper. Ancient oriental practices will be discussed and demonstrated as well as innovative techniques with natural materials. A variety of alternatives for armature will be shown. You will use your own handmade papers made at the workshop as well as other mixed papers and fibers available for your use to create your own artwork. Please feel free to bring your own prints, elements, or artworks you would like to incorporate in your sculpture.