Collaboration - Emily and I have decided to make our own paper for our collaborative project on women, plants, and domestic virtue.
Emily's research in to women and flowers , fed in to our initial meeting and she texted me a link- https://greekerthanthegreeks.com/2020/02/20-sweet-smelling-ancient-greek-myths-about-20-sweet-smelling-flowers.html
My listening to Pandora's Jar by Natalie Haynes as part of my research in to the domestic realm, and teaching tied in to this nicely. Also my thoughts about every day domestic duty
We considered involving -
Text- maybe in the form of Haiku, to highten the idea of formal process and etiquette.
we found a link. Although this may be a distraction so we shall hold it in reserve In our store.
Zines as a way to display -
we contacted the Ual collections but at the time there were a lot of restrictions, soon we hope to book some zines out for viewing.
Printing - as a way to produce images on our paper - Screen printing, Monoprint, transfer, ink jet and laser printing.
We spoke to and engaged with, Lars,the digital printing Technician, Craig, our studio technician and Brian the print making technician.
In this Video Paul Coldwell explains the print making processes
Printmaking, The conclution and processes and I researched are covered in my Printmaking Research Blog and may be reached via this link -
Project Conclusion - We concluded that for our purpose the simple paper making process resulted in a paper that was appropriate to our project and strong enough to be screen printed upon, which received our images well. We did not use the seed idea or zines as we felt a domestic banner would be more in keeping with our domestic display ideas and that we could hang it like drying laundry or a curtain. we disguarded the zine idea as a zine would be hidden on a shelf in reality, only read to inform or be read from, but it is an idea I may return to as much is learned by listening at our mothers knee.
Documented below is our process, further research and images of our outcomes -
Process - After Zooming with Craig and Working out that we would like a flower /plant based paper we ordered some deckles and procceded to learn about paper making collaboratively.
The Japanese paper making film its like mindfullness- some links below.
This link accompanied an exhibition I saw a couple of years ago and examines the spirituality that underpins the process.
There was a wonderful flower paper making workshop
This dedication to process and deeply connected emotional attachment to objects of use and the everyday enriches my understanding of the everyday and what could be possibly archived in adopting these processes in my practise.
The Make - Emily and I decided to apply what we had discovered so far and see what we could produce, we were pleased with our results, it was a very enjoyable process and the outcome was rewarding.
We chose a basic method more suitable to our situation by using a stoage box, with lid, sewing felt, kitchen towel for pulp and tea to add visual and contextual intrest from my studio box (home on wheels).
By adding the tea to the kitchen roll pulp we some how made the mixture more personal, I even chose my favourite blend.
We discussed this twist to our original plan and considered adding seeds and other matter that might reflect growth, fertility, or the feminine, Emily’s vote was for petels mine was for tea, the fact it was very readily available and came dried was defiantly an advantage. And anyone connected to tea would have more interest in our outcome and was way more practical than our original ‘plant the paper and watch it grow’ idea.
Live art comes with all those warnings attached of working with animals and children.
We found some very nice basic instructions and made a start.
We planned out some paper folding ideas for a zine and looked up some reference materials before we had another meeting with craig to see what would possible with our current resources, the paper we made and get some advice.
Further research - Craig showed us some ways to improve our processes including the introduction of a screen and hoover to speed up the drying. We talked about the different properties of natural fibres and confirmed the methods of extraction of fibre from various plant sources along with the commercially produced products available to buy.
I checked out the Chealse Phyisic Garden Website to see if they featured their useful plant section. A small collection of plants which are grown to experiment with and show the amazing range of products, paper included, which can be produced with the correct methods.
Sadly not currently avilible but there was a flower section.
So I bought a book on papermaking and listened to Natalie Haynes (link bellow) and screen printed Lilith, Adams First wife on to my home made paper And remembered Rauchenbergs collaboration with his wife and the cyanotype prints he made.
I found this guide as it is still some thing that I would like to explore and i have been chatting to a few of my cohort from last year for advice.
I wanted to go more object based with this process so may be not this collaboration but I have an idea to find a collection to collaborate with and respond to.
Pandora's Jar by Natalie Haynes | Hay Festival Book of the Month OCTOBER
Paper links from Craig.
Videos
• Japanese Mino Washi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCLcFnTc3z4#action=share
• Pride of Japan Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi4wVfAUTDzP8_T-ZUwVHDg
• Giant handmade paper - China https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7P-LPpFcIg&feature=emb_title
• Khadi Papers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8WiU8jyfiw&feature=emb_logo
• French Richard de Bas mill https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfko5y9DLYc&t=71s
• Gangolf Ulbricht, expert and experimental papermaker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k122JM-Nwjs
• Foudrinier machine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiWwzwFAeSM
Preservation
https://icon.org.uk/icon-resources/caring-for-your-collection http://www.conservation-wiki.com/wiki/Ten_Agents_of_Deterioration
Suppliers
Shepherds
Atlantis
Jackson’s
Green and Stone Intaglio Printmaker Lawrence
RK Burt
On-line Paper Company Fenner Paper
John Purcell Paper Conservation by Design
Pride of Japan Inkston
Khadi Papers
https://store.bookbinding.co.uk/store/ https://www.atlantisart.co.uk https://www.jacksonsart.com https://greenandstone.com https://intaglioprintmaker.com https://www.lawrence.co.uk
https://www.rkburt.com https://www.on-linepaper.co.uk https://www.fennerpaper.co.uk https://www.johnpurcell.net https://www.cxdinternational.com
https://poj.co.jp/paper/ https://www.inkston.com https://www.khadi.com
UK Paper links from https://awagami.com/
Stockist nameWebsiteFine Art PapersConservation PapersDecorative & Crafting PapersA.I.J.P Digital PapersJackson'shttps://www.jacksonsart.com/search/?q=awagamiâ—‹Handprinted UKhttps://www.handprinted.co.uk/printmaking/relief-printmaking/tools/awagami-editioning-papersâ—‹Intaglio Printmakerhttps://intaglioprintmaker.com/search/node/awagamiâ—‹â—‹Lawrence Art Supplieshttps://www.lawrence.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=awagamiâ—‹â—‹Abacus Resourceshttps://www.abacusresources.co.uk/Products/Awagami_Editioning_Papersâ—‹Great Art UKhttps://www.greatart.co.uk/index.php?lang=0&cl=search&searchparam=awagamiâ—‹R.K. Burt (A.I.J.P Inkjet Paper Distributor)https://www.rkburt.com/inkjet-products/awagami-factory/â—‹Purelypaperhttps://purelypaper.co.uk/â—‹Silverprinthttps://www.silverprint.co.uk/â—‹Online Paperhttp://www.on-linepaper.co.uk/â—‹RK Photographichttp://www.thedarkroom.co.uk/â—‹John Purcell Paperhttp://www.johnpurcell.net/