Shameless Self Promotion

That's right, I'm breaking my three month radio silence to shamelessly self-promote. I currently have work on display in two different locations. The first is the Graduate Biennial show at Kent State in the School of Art Gallery. The show will be up until February 13th. 

The other exhibition is on the first floor of the Mandel School of Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University. I have a dozen pieces on display and they'll be up until February 20th. If you find yourself on the Case campus anytime soon, go take a peek. 

There are a couple of upcoming shows I'm cautiously hoping to get into. I'm applying to the third annual juried show at the Morgan, as well as the Student Annual at Kent. For the Student Annual I plan to submit work that I did last semester for my Surface Design class. It's really different than any of the work I've done in the past but I'm excited about it..

Work is going well. I'm in the process of scheduling all the summer workshops. After that, it's sending out contracts, writing class descriptions, and getting the catalog together. It's the most responsibility I've ever had at any job and I admit it's a little stressful at times. That being said, it's also the most rewarding work I've ever done. I can't wait for it to be summer, when all the Morgan Magic happens. 

As far as school goes, I'm taking nothing but independent study hours this semester, giving me more freedom in terms of being able to work on what I choose instead of being forced to fulfill arbitrary assignments. I think it will prepare me more for when I'm in thesis. Admittedly, it's a long way off, but I'm chipping away at it. That's how I get most things done. 

Dream Job

It's official. After seven years at Lakewood Public Library, I've put in my resignation. It'll be hard to leave all of the amazing co-workers and friends I've made in that time, but I'm moving on to what I can only describe as my dream job. The Morgan's current Program Manager has accepted another position and I am happy to report that I will be officially joining the Morgan team as her replacement. I've got big shoes to fill, for sure, but I feel up to the challenge. To be able to work for an organization that you love and feel passionate about is something that a lot of people never get to do and I feel so fortunate and excited to be given the opportunity. I start the new job later this month and I'm sure my arrival there will feel a lot like coming home.

Rust, Bleach, Burn, and Stain

 Over Labor Day weekend I took my last Morgan workshop of the season. It was a two day class taught by artist Clare Murray Adams, who instructed the class on using rusting, bleaching, burning, and staining as a means to mark-making. The nice thing about the workshop was how accessible and common all of the materials we used were, and how easily the techniques Clare taught us were applied. I madly experimented during the two days the workshop took place, and went home with a ton of samples and so many new ideas.

This was actually the perfect workshop to take right now because I just started a surface design class this semester with Rebecca Cross. We're mainly learning fabric dyeing techniques, but the things I learned in Clare's workshop can be applied to the work I'm doing in school, and I look forward to exploring the similarities and differences between paper and fabric as I further explore surface design.

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. 

Ecoprinting

A rainy Sunday evening is the perfect backdrop for reflection. I just spent another wonderful weekend workshopping at the Morgan. This time around I took Ecoprinting with Velma Bolyard. I didn't really know what to expect going into it, but I am astounded by all of the things I was able to create in just two days, and I wasn't even the most prolific artist in the group.

The process itself is easy, loose, and instantly satisfyingly. We began by roaming the alley behind the Morgan, clipping bits of bushes and flowers, picking up any random piece of metal that might be lying on the ground. We then folded these bits of leaves and petals, found objects and ephemera into bundles of paper. We secured the packages with bits of string and wire, metal clips and scraps of fabric. The bundles were then covered with water and cooked in a large metal pot. A lliquor of botanical juices was produced for the bundles to marinate in and the smell enveloped us as we worked, earthy and aromatic.

The prints that resulted are both gritty and breathtakingly beautiful. I think what's so magical about the process is that it's more than the sum of its parts. You combine these simple, organic materials and wind up with something that is malleable, growing, alive. I thought my ecoprints were impressive when I first undid the ties of my freshly cooked bundles, but just a few short hours later, when I unpacked the weekend's stash of prints at home, I was amazed by how much they had changed. The printed shapes were more defined and the colors had continued to develop, like a photograph. I'm sure they will only get better with time. 

Naginata Beater

Last week, the Morgan got a much anticipated addition the beater room: the naginata beater, custom built for the Morgan's Eastern Paper Studio by David Reina in Brooklyn. It's only the second beater of its kind in the United States and the only one made of stainless steel. the other naginata beater lives at the University of Iowa's Center for the Book.

Beaters of this design are used in both Japan and Korea, and they are ideal for use with Eastern fibers because, rather than cut the fibers, the curved blades tease them apart, leaving the fibers as long as possible, which makes for stronger paper.  The impressive stainless blades on our machine were cut with a water jet and it can beat up to five pounds at a time. As far as beaters go, this thing is sexy. Although Aimee got to test the machine out a couple of weeks ago in David's studio, the rest of us were dying with anticipation of its arrival.

The naginata came in a huge, wooden crate, lowered in the alley off the back of a truck. The crate was held together with about a million screws and the only way to get the beater out of the box was to unscrew all of them. Kirsten and I were so excited to get the thing out of there that we both took to the power drills with enthusiasm.

After all the build up, I couldn't miss our naginata's maiden voyage at the Morgan. I don't normally go to the Morgan on Fridays but this was one event not to miss, so I came in just to see her off.

I'vey and I drained the gampi we cooked yesterday and watched as Aimee filled the beater's steel drum with the fiber and water. In just fifteen minutes, the gampi was sufficiently beaten and I can't wait to make paper out of it. Without a doubt, the naginata is a game changer.

Marbling Madness

The best workshops are the ones that leave you feeling completely exhausted, both physically and mentally. I had the pleasure of taking just such a workshop this past weekend at the Morgan. I had long been interested in learning how to marble paper, so I was excited to take a two-day workshop with master marbler Steve Pittelkow. We had a big group-13 people, so we had to share vats, but it was nice to work with a partner. Working so closely with other people means getting to see all the fantastic results others are getting, which is one of the best parts of the workshop experience.

I really enjoyed learning how to marble. It's a very accessible medium, something you can do in your own kitchen without a lot of specialized equipment, and easy enough to do, although I suspect lots of practice is required to do it well. I left with a huge stack of beautiful marbled papers and, as a reward for assisting with the workshop and scrubbing out the vats at the end, Steve was nice enough to let me select two sheets of paper that he marbled himself. He also let me take some of the leftover marbling supplies and paper so I can continue marbling at home. Once I get some more practice in, I'm hoping to try marbling on fabric, as well. In the meantime, I have all these lovely marbled papers to play with.

One Year Down

My Spring semester is over, which is hard to believe (where did the time go?) but even more unbelievable is that fact that I have completed my first year of graduate school. It seems like only yesterday that I was wondering what I had gotten myself into and having anxiety attacks about whether or not I could hack it as an art student. I'm happy to report that this first year has gone better than expected and, even though it will likely take several more years to complete the degree, that's alright with me because I actually like what I'm doing. For once in my life, I'm not rushing through to get to the next thing, I'm enjoying the journey. Without a doubt, I know I'm right where I'm supposed to be. 

Now that I'm off school for the Summer I actually get to have one day off a week and I must admit, I don't really know what to do with myself. Yes, I have plenty of things I could work on, but not having that nagging feeling that I have some kind of looming deadline is a little odd, but I also feel lighter and more well-rested. I'm definitely going to throw myself into some new projects this Summer, though. Not having to produce work for class gives me a little more freedom to experiment and I'm excited to see what comes out of that. 

Anyway, I'm still keeping busy between work and my apprenticeship at the Morgan. I'm already halfway done with the apprenticeship, which is actually something that makes me incredibly sad. I love being there so much that I don't want to leave. I love every bit of my work there. Today Aimee and I went to Home Depot to get 12 bags of potting soil for the garden. Not only was it the hottest day we've had yet this season, but we loaded those heavy bags into two shopping carts and then into the car on our own. I was covered in dirt and sweat and it was tiring but I found it wholly satisfying. Working with my hands is engaging and I like that I get tangible results from the work I do- I put the time and effort in and I end up with beautiful, simple paper. I wish I could spend all my days at the Morgan making paper. It feels right, it feels like home. I am a papermaker. 

Working With My Hands

I'm officially on Spring break, and not a moment too soon. I don't know if it's this never ending Winter or the fact that I'm over-committed and overwhelmed, but I can never seem to get enough sleep. I'm planning on catching up over break, as well as attempting to finish some projects for class. Hopefully, productivity won't get overlooked in favor of nap time.

Even though it's officially Spring according to the calendar, the snow still falls and I feel like I'll be wearing my giant down parka forever. We've had a few nice days, though. On Tuesday Ivey and I took our lunch out on the stoop at the Morgan and ate with the wonderfully warm sun shining on our faces. It's important to enjoy each nice day as it comes.

After lunch, we started planting Tororo-Aoi seeds. Tororo can be used as a formation aid in Eastern papermaking. A formation aid is necessary in order to keep the fibers suspended evenly in the vat so that uniform sheets can be pulled without having to constantly stir. We've been using PMP, a synthetic formation aid, thus far, but the Tororo seeds should eventually turn into something we can use as a natural formation aid.

Ivey and I also worked on gluing, plugging, sanding, and varnishing the papermaking frames that Tom made. All the sawdust and elbow grease made me feel very industrious. It also reminded me of my grandpa, who was an amazing, self-taught woodworker and enthusiastic gardener. I feel like I'm following in his footsteps, and I'm learning how much I really love working with my hands. There's something wholly satisfying about putting your hands in the dirt or making something that serves a purpose. It makes one feel self-sufficient and able, something I think I lost along the way while working at a desk all the time, staring at a computer. I love every bit of working at the Morgan because I'm always learning something new and I'm using both my brains and body. I can feel myself growing stronger from lifting buckets full of water and loading the hydraulic presses with heavy wooden boards. My body feels functional in a way that it hasn't since I had back surgery two years ago. Sitting all day at a desk like I do for my regular job makes my lower back ache. Physical labor makes me feel competent, empowered, and healthy. I even have a smile on my face while I'm scrubbing out vats and cleaning the pots we cook fiber in. Honestly, I could do this kind of work all day, every day and never tire of it.

Letterpress

I can't believe I've been at my Eastern Papermaking apprenticeship for a full month now. The time is flying by and each day brings something new. Aimee has been an incredibly helpful and patient mentor and my papermaking skills are getting better all the time. Even from one day to the next, I can see myself improving. And by this point, I've scraped so much fiber that I'm pretty much an expert.

This Thursday morning, Ivey (my apprenticeship counterpart) and I got to come in before our shifts started so that Mason (studio assistant extraordinaire) could give us an orientation on the letterpress studio. While there was obviously a lot to cover, and printmaking has a whole vocabulary of its own, Mason was a good teacher and offered to help us with our projects when we're ready to actually print something. I just hope I can come up with an idea that's worthy of all the time and effort it takes to make a good print. Certainly, I'd like to start making books again soon, and the letterpress would be a great tool to actually make a printed book instead of just the blank books I've made in the past. Last summer I took a woodcut class at the Morgan with artist Andrij Maday, so I'll have to put my woodcut skills to use in order to make something to use on the press. That's probably more of a summer project, though, as I'm already over-committed with my current classes and projects.

Anyway, I think the most fun part of the letterpress orientation was getting to go through all the drawers of old wooden letters, etched illustrations, and stamps. This could definitely be the start of a whole new obsession for me.

The Apprentice

A little more than a week ago I started my internship at the Morgan. Actually, it's more of an apprenticeship, as the work I'm doing is more focused than what a regular intern usually does. I'll be working exclusively with eastern papermaking and I'll be doing research and reading about  the history of the techniques related to my hands-on learning. I'm so excited to have Aimee Lee as my mentor and everyone at the Morgan is so nice and helpful.

On my first day, Aimee showed me around and then I got right to work scraping the bark of the kozo trees

Dried kozo bundles from Novermber's harvest

that were harvested at the Morgan in November. A local blacksmith dropped by that very morning to deliver a set of scraping knives he made for the Morgan, based on a prototype of a Korean knife Aimee had given him. I was the first person to try out one of the new knives and I am happy to report they worked quite well.
I also got to spend a good amount of time beating fiber, which is exactly what it sounds like. Literally, you stand there with some wooden mallets and beat on a wet clump of fiber that has already been scraped and cooked. The idea is to get the individual fibers to loosen and separate, but you don't want to cut them because the longer the fibers, the stronger the resulting paper will be.

Bundle of kozo fiber with mallet

Scraping kozo with the Morgan's new knife

 After spending my first day beating and scraping, I got to actually practice making some paper on my second and third days. It's a skill that's easy to pick up but I can tell it's going to take a while to master. But even though I'm new at it, it's nice to see a finished sheet after all the work I've put in so far.

Some people might find the repetitive work tedious but I find it kind of meditative. There's something calming about working with your hands and creating things that just feels right.

Between work and school and the apprenticeship, I don't have any days off, but I've been able to cut my hours at work in half to make more time doing the things that I love. My bank account may not be happy about it but it's good for the soul. It's funny how, when you're working really hard doing something you love, it becomes energizing rather than making you tired and drained. I'm working harder than I ever have and I honestly don't think I've ever been this happy in my entire life. On the days I go to the Morgan I wake up cheerful and excited to start my day and at the end of the day, when I drive myself home, exhausted from working on my feet  with my hands in cold water for hours on end, all I can think about is how completely lucky I am to be doing this. I feel fulfilled. There were times in my life where I never thought I would move forward, where I was either lost or stuck, or both, and I didn't have any hope for the future. But then I see that I've managed to get myself to a place where I can be content and take pleasure in the work that I'm doing. It just makes my heart sing. I feel so fortunate and grateful to be given the opportunity to work at the Morgan and to be Aimee's apprentice.

Eastern Papermaking Internship

I'm pleased to say that I have been chosen for an Eastern papermaking internship at the Morgan Conservatory. I've been involved with the Morgan for years, taking workshops, going to shows, and donating work for their annual open house, but to actually get to intern there is a dream come true for me. I was so excited that I almost started jumping up and down when I got the news. Not only do I get to learn from the best, I also get to give back by working as hard as I can for them.

Starting in February and running through July, I'll be working with Aimee Lee, Fulbright scholar and hanji (Korean handmade paper) expert, in the Morgan's Eastern papermaking studio. Basically, I will be learning how to make paper from scratch, starting with scraping bark, which sounds pretty exciting to me. I don't have much papermaking experience to date but I can't wait to dive in and really immerse myself in every aspect of it.  

There are some challenges involved, though. For one, I have to cut my hours at work in half, which also means cutting my paycheck in half, and the internship is unpaid. I'm currently in the process of writing a grant proposal to secure some funding through school, but it's going to be a struggle no matter what. Even if I don't get the grant, though, I'll make it work (even if I have to eat Ramen noodles for the next six months) and I guess this is a great chance to finally learn how to do the grant writing thing. I know all the hard work will be worth it. This is an amazing opportunity and it's so completely in line with all of the art I've been making. This is exactly where I need to be right now. I couldn't think of a better way to start out the new year and I know there are so many good things ahead.

Mid-Term Project and Exhibit

To say that I have been busy over the past few months is an understatement. Between work and school and projects I had little free time and that free time was mostly spent sleeping. Now that I'm on break, it's time to play catch up. First, a review of my Feltmaking mid-term and some words about the exhibition I was in. I'll cover my final projects in another post since I have too much ground to cover. Next semester I'll have to be better about keeping up with the blog.

Laying out the wool roving for the base

The semester was amazing. Given that I was completely terrified about what was ahead the first couple of weeks of class, I was doubtful that things would turn out okay. But once I settled in I actually started to enjoy myself. By midterms I was really getting into classes and I made this really cool felt sculpture that looks kind of like a tentacled monster. Here it is, step-by-step.

Pre-Felt stage and adding felted spikes

I first felted the base of the project, laying it out flat. I knew I wanted the final piece to be sculptural but I decided to work flat and insert wire later on for shape. Once I laid the roving out, I pre-felted it and added felted spikes once the base dried. The spikes were insert from the inside out since the inside wouldn't be visible when the piece was complete.

Inserting rubber tubing as a resist

When I finished inserting all the spikes I began to sew in some rubber tubing as a resist. With the tubing in place, I could later come back and insert wire to form the piece into something three dimensional. This was by far the most time-consuming step of the project. Not only did I have to carefully hand-sew each of the lengths of tubing in so they wouldn't move around once I felted another layer over them, but I then had to remove all the stitches once they were secured so it wasn't visible from the outside.

The legs in their pre-felted stage.

Then it was on to the legs. The legs you see here are actually the second set I made. The first set didn't come together as nicely as I would have liked and I spent so much time and effort on the base of the project that I didn't want to ruin it all by attaching legs to it that didn't fit my high standard of quality. If something is worth doing, it's worth doing right, right? Anyway, I constructed the legs by winding the wool roving around some flexible armature wire. I did two layers of contrasting colors so that I could cut multicolored stripes into them after the pre-felt stage.                        



Once the legs were finished and dry, I was able to start assembling the finished piece. I cut holes in the

Assembling the finished piece

middle of the base and threaded the legs through. After that, I flipped the piece over and sewed the petal structures together so it would form a sort of pod shape. It didn't turn out exactly like I thought it would, which was a little disappointing, but I did learn a lot while creating this piece. Sometimes messing up is the best lesson there is. I intended for the petals to all come up into a point, but the structure was too wide for them to all come together, so it wound up being open on top. Next time I'll make a better pattern so things match up the way I envision them.  I also would have liked the legs to support the pod but they weren't strong enough in the end. Next time I'll use a thicker gauge wire.

Finished piece, top view

 In any case, I really like the finished piece, flaws and all. It's something I worked really hard on and it's completely different than anything I've ever made before. It was nice to get out of my comfort zone and attempt something totally new. Although this piece was quite a departure from my normal style of art, I do like it and I see myself making similar items in the future.

Finished piece, side view

Around the time I was working on this felt piece, I also had the chance to be part of the Morgan Conservatory's annual open house exhibition and silent auction. I donated a piece made entirely of origami folded paper, sewn onto a 2ft by 2ft canvas. I made the piece over the summer and was so proud to finally see it displayed for all to see. The open house was great fun, with live music and amazing food and my piece even got auctioned for a respectable amount. I already can't wait for next year's event.

Me, smiling next to my lovely piece

Small Beginnings...

I've been spending my free time working on a bunch of different projects, a little at a time. I've found I get the most done when I break things up into small tasks, otherwise I get too overwhelmed and intimidated by the big picture. Right now I have little beginnings of projects all over the place, including the coffee table, mantel, studio, and dining room table. My husband is a good man-he doesn't even complain about eating dinner surrounded by scraps of paper and random projects in varying states of completion. 

I'm working on my submission for the Morgan's annual open house and silent auction, as well as a submission for Loganberry Books' altered book Octavofest show and competition. I'll post pictures here when they're complete.

I'm also mentally preparing myself for school. I can't believe classes start in one week. I've been planning to go to school for the longest time and now it's finally here. It always seemed like one of those things that was going to happen far away in the future. It's surreal that the future I've been dreaming of is now my current reality.

I had orientation this morning, which was informative but, honestly, kind of overwhelming. It finally dawned on me what a huge undertaking this is and how this will dominate my life for the next three or four years. It's kind of terrifying. But, I'll do what I always do when faced with something big and seemingly insurmountable-I'll take a deep breath and do things one little bit at a time.

Gallery Submissions

The folded circles

I've spent the better part of the past two weeks working on a couple of submissions for The Morgan's inaugural juried exhibition. Pieces had to either be done on paper or consist of at least 50% paper. Each of my pieces were made of paper attached to canvas, and while they were made of the same material, the two couldn't be more different.

The first piece is called Blank Botanical #1. I folded many hundreds of these small paper circles and strung them onto linen bookbinding thread, and then I sewed the strands onto a plain white, 2ft by 2ft canvas. The result is overwhelmingly sculptural. The more strands I sewed onto the canvas, the more textured and layered it became. And although the pieces that I attached were all white, I used different shades of white to get a variety of tones in the piece.

A detail of the finished Blank Botanical #1 piece

The strips all prepped and ready to be attached to the canvas

The second piece consisted of hundreds of little strips of paper. I drew repetitive lines all over these pieces and then glued them onto a long, narrow white canvas in rows. The shape of the canvas itself is similar to the shape of the pieces of paper, and also to the shape of the lines I drew on the paper. I call it Line Study #3 and it's a design I've been working with for quite a while now and plan on continuing with. As you can see, a lot of my work deals with repetition and my techniques tend to be pretty labor intensive. The Blank Botanical piece took somewhere around 40 hours of work and I estimate my Line Study piece took about 15 hours. I often joke that I don't like to work on anything that's not obsessive. Most people who see me work on these things just think I'm nuts because, to them, that kind of tedious task would drive them crazy. But it's just the opposite for me. I find the work to be meditative, and for this reason I find the method to be as important as the final result.

Anyway, after all that I hope at least one of the pieces gets into the show. I love The Morgan and it's because of them that I work so much with paper lately. It would be a real honor to have a piece of mine included in their first juried show and, let's be honest, the exposure would be great. I'll keep my fingers crossed.