Detail of a block I carved as a portrait of a friend's dog.
This winter, I am teaching two adult workshops at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA). The first one, on Japanese Woodblock printing, is already halfway over, it goes so quickly! I have ten students from a variety of backgrounds, from an engineer to an elementary school art teacher. Most have carved one or two blocks and begun printing proofs. I’ll ask their permission next week to see if I can post any of their works in progress. Their subject matter ranges from nature to cityscapes. MCBA usually offers this class about once a year, so if you missed it, look for it next fall or winter.
There’s still a chance to take a class from me at MCBA if you register soon (before Saturday, February 13). On Saturday February 20 and 27, I’ll be teaching how to make rag paper, which is handmade paper from recycled cloth. To register, go to http://www.mnbookarts.org/workshops/adult.html and look for Rag Paper.
Finished sheets of handmade cotton paper, cut-up cotton shirt material, and sleeve of the shirt used to make paper.
Any cloth that is 100% plant fiber such as cotton or linen will work, and the more worn out, the better. Perhaps you even have a stash of sheets or clothing that is too worn out to use but too sentimental to throw out or make into cleaning rags. Make it into paper and you could use it to make cards or a scrapbook with meaning and memory embedded in the fiber!
Tags: MCBA, papermaking, Teaching, woodcut