Revive and Renew

Friday night the Morgan had an opening for Revive and Renew, their show featuring thirteen contemporary artists working with Eastern papers. I helped Mason hang some of the pieces on Thursday, but seeing everything in the daylight, not quite finished, is very different than coming in on opening night, with all the gallery lights on, everyone full of wine and good cheer. It's like magic. There are so many wonderful and talented artists represented in the show. If you're in the Cleveland area, it's definitely worth seeing. The exhibit runs until September 20th, so make sure to get in and check it out. 

The show was a sort of grande finale to the Eastern Paper Apprenticeship that has been my life for the last half year. It's officially over for Ivey and I, although we've both agreed to stay on into this week, just to wrap things up. It's hard to believe that six months have passed already since I first began scraping kozo and beating fiber by hand in the bitter February cold. I've been in denial about its conclusion as it approached over the past few weeks. Lately, I've been asked a lot about how I feel about the apprenticeship being over, and to be honest, I feel a little heartbroken. I've come to feel like the Morgan is my home, where I belong, and I care about the work I do there. To say it's hard to walk away from it is a vast understatement. I've had so many positive experiences during my time there. Not only did I learn to be a proficient Eastern Papermaker and have the opportunity to immerse myself in a wide variety of workshops taught by some of the best artists working in the field, but I got to meet and work with so many amazing, kind people, too many to list here.

I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to take part in this truly gratifying, inspiring, and once in a lifetime experience. I am incredibly lucky to have learned from and worked side by side with Aimee Lee and Tom Balbo at the Morgan, one of the best places in Cleveland. My gratitude knows no bounds. I'm not good at saying goodbye, Morgan, so instead, I'll see you later.