Handmade Paper

Years ago, I spent a summer making paper with a hollander beater in the steamy basement of a SUNY School of Environmental Studies and Forestry (ESF) building. Our small group of art students (all women) took turns using the old machine, sloshing about in wellies and  shorts, surrounded by enormous industrial paper-making equipment. The ESF students  (all male) cranked out huge rolls of test papers and found our intensive efforts and scant output to be amusing. From that summer I stashed away a treasure trove of gorgeous sheets, flecked with threads from old silk scarves, worn linens and cotton clothing. This series was created from the papers I made that wonderful summer.  

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