Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

My family used to drive from Texas to New Mexico where we’d live for months at a time, while my father did research in Los Alamos. I remember my parents getting us up in the wee hours (2 or 3am) to begin the long trip so that we kids would sleep through a good part of it. I loved watching the lights on the side of the road as we started our journey, as I fell back to sleep to the lull of the car’s engine. Sometimes I’d wake as we drove through a big city, which was exciting, since our small town didn’t have many lights.

We spent a few Christmas seasons in New Mexico, and I fell in love with the luminaria (brown paper bags illuminated with tea lights) which were used to adorn rooftops and driveways throughout the region.

Ìý

Many years later, I designed my first paper product, which I also called a luminaria. I incorporated watermarking, a hand papermaking technique which makes the paper thin in certain areas.

Obama luminaria, by Helen Hiebert

Another interest in paper and light was sparked during a trip to Japan in the late 1980′s, shortly after I’d moved to NYC. I stayed in a traditional Japanese Inn with lots of shoji screens, and I admired the way those paper screens filtered the light.

Japanese Tea Room, Oakland Space

I returned home to NYC inspired and (long story short) found my way to Ìý, where I ended up working for six years. During that time, I made a set of shoji screens (following the instructions in Jay Van Arsdale’s book, ). The woodworking took so much longer than the papermaking, and I decided to hire experts to do the things I wasn’t an proficient at in the future. Below is a picture of another shoji prototype I made (I’ve always wondered why nobody broke the tradition of rectangular panels in shoji screens â€� can anyone prove me wrong?).

Helen’s insanely labor intensive shoji panel backed with abaca + onion skin paper

While working at Dieu Donné, I was approached by a publisher about writing a book about paper lamps. I’d been teaching myself how to make various lamp and lantern structures, because I realized that I needed a specialty in the paper world. I ended up writing Ìýfor a few years later (another long story made very short), and I currently teach how to make lamp and lantern workshops around the country.

One of my favorite places in the world is theÌý in Long Island City. I used to lead bicycle trips over there when I lived in NYC, and the museum is practically across the street from , another gem. Isamu Noguchi is better known for his stone sculptures, but he was a multi-talented designer and created . Designed by Noguchi beginning in 1951 and handmade for a half century by the original manufacturer in Gifu, Japan, the paper lanterns are a harmonious blend of Japanese handcraft and modernist form. They also collapse flat for easy transportation and storage.

Akari Lights, by Isamu Noguchi

There are many artists whose work features illuminated paper, and of Japan is one of my favorite. She recently produced a performance piece, , whichÌýbrings to life in performance the human stories contained in a sheet of “washiâ€� (Japanese handmade paper) as it is recycled through time.

Recycling: Washi Tales, by Kyoko Ibe

Susan Hersey of Petaluma, CA makes beautiful illuminated sculptures utilizing paper.

Illuminated Paper Structures to be, by Susan Hersey

And one of my favorite lamp designers has a shop in Portland, Oregon called .

HiiH Lights

Ìý

I have a pinterest board featuring paper lights. Please share your lights and the work of lighting designers with me by sending me an e-mail or leaving a comment below.

Well friends, I have thoroughly enjoyed curating this 25 Days of Paper for you, and I have much more to share. I’ll keep blogging weekly (instead of daily), so stay tuned! Tomorrow’s post will be short and sweet: a holiday giveaway will be announced!

May your holidays be filled with �. light!

______________________________________________________________________

About theÌý25 Days of Paper: In celebration fo the publication of my new book,ÌýÌý(in stores January 1, 2013) I’m going to be a crazy blogger in December, featuring cool paper products,Ìýprojects, blogs, books, or papers each day. Join in the fun by readingÌýalong! I’ll also post links on myÌý. Enjoy the season!

Ìý

Ìý

Book Arts is a growing field, and there are many innovative uses of paper in contemporary artists� books. The following is just the tip of the iceberg and documents my own experience with various instructors over the years.

I met in theÌýearly 1990′s when I took a workshop with him at Long Island University. In one day, we created approximately 25 different book structures, all from copier-size sheets of paper. Ed used the now-defunct gocco printer and photocopier machine to ‘printâ€� many of his editions on single sheets of paper, and then he cut the sheets and folded them in a multitude of ways to make various book structures. ÌýI own a copy of the , pictured below. The book and box are all constructed from one large single sheet of paper which was printed and then cut in a way that it folds up into a box that holds the book.

I’ve never met or , but I admire their instructional books, as well as their artists� books. Keith made this lovely string book, which has been inspirational in my work.

And check out Scott’s amazing alphabet book:

Alphabook 3, by Scott McCarney

I had the good fortune of assisting in a workshop she taught at in 1996. Susan’s books are often interactive: I remember gasping when I saw two books which were revealed beneath her feet when she took a few steps; she had two accordion books strapped to her feet! The workshop was incredible. She taught collaboratively with Nancy (I’m sorry I’ve forgotten her last name) and we made books that we ‘performed� with. Susan also introduced me to using all kinds of fasteners which can be used in artists� book construction, like magnets and zippers.

Zip-off fence, by Susan Joy Share

I took traditional bookbinding and box making classes with at the Ìýin New York City. Some of her books are featured in .

artists� book, by Barbara Mauriello

, who is also featured in , has also taught many people how to make books, and she has developed unique book structures, including the flag book.

Flag Book, by Hedi Kyle

There are many book arts programs at colleges and universities, and there is a professional group called , which holds an annual conference. There is also a national with several local chapters around the country. And there are dealers who specialize in Book Arts: it is worth taking a peek at these websites, because they carry the work of important book artists working in the field today:Ìý, and . And there is even a summer camp for book and paper artists! Check out the , which is held in May of each year.

What other book art resources do you know of?ÌýPlease share them by e-mailing or leaving me a comment below.

______________________________________________________________________

About theÌý25 Days of Paper: In celebration fo the publication of my new book,ÌýÌý(in stores January 1, 2013) I’m going to be a crazy blogger in December, featuring cool paper products,Ìýprojects, blogs, books, or papers each day. Join in the fun by readingÌýalong! I’ll also post links on myÌý. Enjoy the season!

There are numerous artists creating wonders with handmade paper. I wrote another post about Ìýrecently, and here are some examples of three-dimensional paper techniques. These are featured in as well.

Let’s start with the least dimensional, which would be embossed sheets. Here’s an example by . By simply laying wet sheets of handmade paper on top of an embossed surface (like a plaster mold) you can pick up fine details like this:

detail of Vitt, by Margareta Mannervik

Priscilla Robinson also does embossed works. One nice thing about embossing or casting paper: it doesn’t weigh much!

Detail of Hosta Fresca, by Priscilla Robinson

Casting is more dimensional than embossing, but is done in a similar fashion � wet sheets of paper or paper pulp are packed into or over a surface, either flat or dimensional. In this case, casts (or stretches) sheets of paper over frames with objects inside of them. He uses a high shrinkage pulp which shrinks as it dries and rubs graphite onto the dry castings to create the slick surface.

Graphite Series 2010, # 1 � 8 of 52 by Roberto Mannino

Mannino leaves the objects inside of his paper castings, while casts paper over forms and then removes the paper from them once it is dry.

Susan Warner Keene practices another form of casting, in which she joins wet sheets made from high shrinkage fibers together and allows them to air dry. The overlapping of the paper and embedded elements, such as string, create tension and interesting textures during the drying process.

Red Journey, by Susan Warner Keene

Ìý

Sounding #1, by Susan Warner Keene

Draping or forming sheets over armatures is another three dimensional technique. is a jeweler who does this on a minute scale, casting pigmented abaca onto her silver armatures, creating necklaces, bracelets, earrings and more.

Tilt series necklace, by Tia Kramer

For many years I produced lamps with paper shades. This is a commissioned watermarked lampshade from years ago.

Watermarked Lamp, by Helen Hiebert

One last type of three-dimensional work that I’d like to mention is the work of . After admiring and even writing about his work for many years, I had the pleasure of meeting Peter when we were both in Korea in the fall of 2011. He creates these amazing sculptures in a huge vacuum table, filling the table with pulp and water, embedding flat reed armatures in the solution and then draining the water, leaving the armature and pulp in the table. He then carefully lifts everything up out of the table for drying. As the paper dries and reacts to the embedded reed armature, the sculpture emerges as the paper torques, creating amazing forms.

Eternal Flame, by Peter Gentenaar

Wearable sculpture by Peter Gentenaar

That is my survey of three-dimensional paper art. I’m sure there are many other techniques, and I’d love to hear about them.

I write a column forÌýÌýcalled Unique Techniques, in which I profile paper artists who are practicing unusual and innovative techniques with the medium. Do you have a unique technique? If so, please share it with me by emailing or leaving me a comment below.

_________________________________________________________________________

About theÌý25 Days of Paper:ÌýI’m going to be a crazy blogger in December, featuring cool paper products,Ìýprojects, blogs, books, or papers each day. Join in the fun by readingÌýalong! I’ll also post links on myÌý. Enjoy the season!

Hello?

Ìý

Is anybody here?

Ìý

I don’t know if I’m the only one left�

Ìý

I’m thinking about what I’d need at the end of the world. Oh� is it too late?

Ìý

I think I need a getaway vehicle � a way to get off of the earth! And since I’m light as a feather now, I’ll try this first:

Folding Triplet Paper Airplane

I like this paper airplane, because I haven’t seen it before. And it is pretty .

Or maybe a kite would be better? I can catch the wind and float around. Check out this amazing film trailer that I just discovered, called …Ì�. The film, by Nitin Sawhney, is an uplifting story of Palestinian youth in Gaza on a quest to shater the Guinness World Record for the most kites ever flown.ÌýThese children are definitely flying high, in more ways than one!

Hey, guess what? There is a kite project in . is an amazing kite maker (and former air force pilot instructor) who shares how to make this traditional Sode Kite. Scott is also the president of . Believe it or not, there isÌýa foundation dedicated to all things kite!

Sode Kite, by Scott Skinner

That gorgeous itajame paper is hand dyed by .

Here’s one more kite project that Scott Skinner worked on, in collaboration with Hand Papermaking Magazine and artist :

Divide Light, by Lesley Dill

Read more about that project .

And since I’m nothing but dust now, I think I’ll make a wish.

Have you seen ? It is a Portland, Oregon original. You write a wish on a piece of paper (it looks like a square of colored tissue paper, but maybe there is some other secret ingredient� ).

Then you light it with a match and watch it fly. We just tried it here at home:

Where there is an end, there is also a beginning! Make a wish �

What is your wish? Any wish?ÌýIn all seriousness, I’m working on a new installation calledÌýThe Wish, and I’m collecting wishes.ÌýPlease share it by e-mailing or leaving me a comment below.Ìý______________________________________________________________________

About theÌý25 Days of Paper: In celebration fo the publication of my new book,ÌýÌý(in stores January 1, 2013) I’m going to be a crazy blogger in December, featuring cool paper products,Ìýprojects, blogs, books, or papers each day. Join in the fun by readingÌýalong! I’ll also post links on myÌý. Enjoy the season!

Ìý

Ìý

Need a star for the top of your tree? I had fun putting together this collection. Many of them include DIY tutorials (click on the maker names below the images).

Ìý

I have a project in on making Waldorf-style window stars, like those featured in the top right corner of the cover of the book:

Playing With Paper, by Helen Hiebert

Oh, and look, someone else beat me to this idea (The Paper Place in Toronto carries a huge selection of Japanese papers). Here’s their roundup of . ÌýWe’ve got a couple of duplicates, but there are some unique things there, too!

Do you have a favorite paper star?ÌýPlease share by e-mailing or leaving me a comment below.

______________________________________________________________________

About theÌý25 Days of Paper: In celebration fo the publication of my new book, (in stores January 1, 2013) I’m going to be a crazy blogger in December, featuring cool paper products,Ìýprojects, blogs, books, or papers each day. Join in the fun by readingÌýalong! I’ll also post links on myÌý. Enjoy the season!

Remember the origami balloons, or water bombs, we learned to make in elementary school? I taught my after school paper club kids to make them today, and the high energy group had fun tossing and kicking them around the room like hacky sacks. But here’s another idea � use them as holiday light covers.

origami paper balloon light covers, by

When I was in Japan in the late 80′s, I picked up a few of these . They come packaged flat, and with just a breath of air they inflate.

I made a large version (5� in diameter) of this ball out of tracing paper in 2006. The Text Ball has part of a poem by Ezra Pound printed on it using rubber stamps: “The Book Should be a Ball of Light in One’s Hand�.

Text Ball, by Helen Hiebert

Instructions for how to make an inflatable ball that is one foot in diameter are included in my new book, . Here’s a picture from the book, featuring van dyke brown prints by on handmade abaca paper that I made.

inflatable paper ball by Alyssa Salamon & Helen Hiebert

Another project featured in the book is how to make a hot air balloon that you can launch with heat from a heat gun, hair dryer or propane stove into the sky. I read an article by Brian Queen in in the summer of 2006, just prior to teaching a class at . I decided to have my class make a collaborative hot air balloon. We constructed one from tissue paper which was about seven feet tall. Here’s my class trying to launch the balloon in front of the breakfast crowd near The Pines. That attempt failed (it was too warm outside), but it still looked pretty good.

We tried the launch again a few mornings later. I don’t think any of us expected it to work, but we hooted and hollered as that balloon soared up into the sky and over the photo studio and landed, sigh, high up in a tree.

This is a great which enables you to plot out how to construct various hot air balloon shapes. Be forewarned, the website is in Spanish, but if you know how tall you want your balloon to be, how many gores (sections) it should have, and how much overlap you want between the gores, it will make the computations so that you can create a gore pattern.

Check out this inflatable sofa made from recycled paper, by in Poland.

blow sofa, by Malafor

What other sorts of inflatables have you seen?ÌýPlease share by e-mailing or leaving me a comment below.

______________________________________________________________________

About theÌý25 Days of Paper:ÌýI’m going to be a crazy blogger in December, featuring cool paper products,Ìýprojects, blogs, books, or papers each day. Join in the fun by readingÌýalong! I’ll also post links on myÌý. Enjoy the season!

We’ve all seen fancy ways to pleat and tuck fabric in the fashion world. Guess what? There are a variety of ways in which artists have adapted these techniques in paper. In , I feature a couple of artists who fold paper in unique ways.

Artist Chris Palmer is author of the book . This book focuses on folding fabric, but Chris has done many of these folds in paper. Samples of his work appear in two of my books, and . Watch this deployable table flower unfold.

ÌýfromÌýÌýonÌý.

Folded kite paper, by Chris K. Palmer

lives in Israel and has been writing about and working with paper for over 20 years. He has written 25 on origami, paper folding, pop-ups and more. One of my favorites is this book, . The book comes with a CD with patterns you can print out. The print-outs are color coded, so that you can see which folds are mountains and which are valleys. It makes folding these complex structures somewhat manageable (for people like me who are fold-challenged).

Folding Techniques for Designers, by Paul Jackson

Paul is the teacher or inspirer of many well-known paper folders today, and the following pieces of his are folded from single uncut sheets of paper.

Folded paper sculptures. by Paul Jackson

Synchronicity abounds. When I was just about to start writing , I was in Minneapolis teaching a workshop and staying with my friend and colleague . (An aside, Amanda and her business partner Bridget O’Malley run Cave Paper in Minneapolis and sell their sturdy handmade papers through retail shops around the country). Amanda told me about (who had been her housemate a few years back) and showed me his book. . Well, you can guess the rest of the story (yes, his work is featured in the book).

Here are a few examples of Eric’s work:

Waterbomb 2, by Eric Gjerde

Square Weave, by Eric Gjerde

Dragon Helix, by Eric Gjerde

Eric has a fabulous and often shares his patterns for tesselations he has created.

What other sorts of paper pleating have you seen? Please share by e-mailing or leaving me a comment below.

______________________________________________________________________

About theÌý25 Days of Paper:ÌýI’m going to be a crazy blogger in December, featuring cool paper products,Ìýprojects, blogs, books, or papers each day. Join in the fun by readingÌýalong! I’ll also post links on myÌý. Enjoy the season!

Paper is flat, right? I often think about the similarities of when people thought that the world was flat; but with paper it is obvious, because you can hold it and fold it. I find the ways that artists have figured out how to make curves in paper astounding. And not when you just twist it into a loop, like a mobius strip, but when it is scored on a curve, you can actually coax paper to fold in ways it otherwise wouldn’t.

Scored concentric circles, from

and are at MIT and wrote an (with pictures) about theÌýsurprisingly old history of what they call curved-crease sculpture, going back to the 1920s at the Bauhaus.

They create paper sculptures and describe how the “paper folds itself into a natural equilibrium form depending on its creases. These equilibria are poorly understood, especially for curved creases. We are exploring what shapes are possible in this genre of self-folding origami, with applications to deployable structures, manufacturing, and self-assembly. This transformation of flat paper into swirling surfaces creates sculpture that feels alive�.

Fuller Craft Series, 2012

Pushing Curves to the Limit series

is another big name in this type of work. His practice combines the disciplines of design, photography, craft and sculpture, resulting in a varied output of work including graphic design and public sculpture commissions. Combining hand-craft with computer aided design and CNC manufacturing techniques, Richard seeks to maintain an experimental, hand-on approach, utilising the unique properties of often mundane materials to discover unique sculptural forms.

Icosahedron II 2006, by Richard Sweeney

Birthday gift- Commission for Queen Rania of Jordan, by Richard Sweeney

A confession: when I start writing a post, I have a plan in mind. But then I start researching various aspects of the subject and inevitably come up with even more interesting artists to feature! Like , whom I’d never heard of. This picture is just the tip of the ice berg, too. Click into her website and you’ll find many more amazing curved paper folds!

Curved folds, by Polly Verity

Calliper Curve Variation, by Polly Verity

Have you seen other paper works in which paper defies intuition? If so,Ìýplease e-mail or leave me a comment below.

______________________________________________________________________

About theÌý25 Days of Paper:ÌýI’m going to be a crazy blogger in December, featuring cool paper products,Ìýprojects, blogs, books, or papers each day. Join in the fun by readingÌýalong! I’ll also post links on myÌý. Enjoy the season!

Congratulations to for winning the first giveaway in this blog series! Anne will receive a copy of , three window stars, and a set of kite paper so that she can make a few of her own window stars (one of the projects featured in the book).

And now, it is time for another giveaway! Check out the paper goodness you can win if you participate:

- A copy of my book,Ìý

- A copy of my DVD,

- A paper ring (one of the projects in the book, and special thanks to for donating the ring base).

There are four easy ways to participate in this giveaway:

1. Leave your answer in the comments below to the question: what is your favorite type of paper and why?

2. Share your favorite type of paper on myÌýÌý(remember in order for my Facebook updates to show in your newsfeed, you need to hover over the “LIKEDâ€� button on our page and select “Show in News Feedâ€�).

3. Subscribe to this Blog in the upper right-hand corner.

4.ÌýÌýto receive updates about where I’m traveling and teaching, paper-related events around the country, and more.

Enter byÌýMidnight MST Wednesday, December 19th.ÌýOpen to U.S. and Canadian residents only.

I will randomly pick a winner on Thursday, December 20th, so check your email!

Now, a few paper jewelry tidbits.

When I was working on , I discovered these cool paper rings by Ìý(one for each month!).

Ìýhave a long tradition.ÌýHere is a DIY tutorial.

And an example:

I’ve started a on paper beads.

At the end of , I feature 22 artistsâ€� work representing the various styles of working with handmade paper. One of them isÌý,Ìýa contemporary jewelry designer in Seattle who makes delicate wire armatures and wraps tiny colored sheets of handmade paper onto them.

Palpitation II, by Tia Kramer

On the workbench in Tia Kramer’s studio

And finally, this paper ring by Sophie Kemp is featured on Ìýtoday.

Have you seen or created paper jewelry?ÌýIf so, please share it with me by emailing or leaving me a comment below.

___________________________________________________________________

About theÌý25 Days of Paper:ÌýI’m going to be a crazy blogger in December, featuring cool paper products,Ìýprojects, blogs, books, or papers each day. Join in the fun by readingÌýalong! I’ll also post links on myÌý. Enjoy the season!

Ìý

In light of the senseless shootings this week, in Oregon, Connecticut, and no doubt other places around the world, I thought I’d type about a few projects that artists working with paper are doing, which give me hope!

At a papermaking conference about six years ago, I listened to the moving story of Drew Cameron, who spoke eloquently about his experience in the US military from 2000-2006. Drew is a co-founder of the , whichÌýutilizes art making workshops to assist veterans in reconciling and sharing their personal experiences as well as broadening the traditional narrative surrounding service and the military culture.

From uniform to pulp, Battlefield to workshop, Warrior to artist

Through papermaking workshops veterans use their uniforms worn in combat to create cathartic works of art. The uniforms are cut up, beaten into a pulp and formed into sheets of paper. Veterans use the transformative process of papermaking to reclaim their uniform as art and begin to embrace their experiences in the military.

Broken Toy Soldiers

Combat Paper was about a year ago.

The , run by Drew Matott and Margaret MahanÌýworks to empower healing arts communities by introducing collaborative art processes that foster positive forward thinking, enhanced communication, and peaceful reconciliation. Through hand papermaking, writing, book and printmaking activities, they work together to transform significant articles of clothing into works of art that broadcast personal stories, mutual understanding and healing.

Damaged Skyline by Drew Matott, 18×12, monoprint on handmade paper, 2011, Printed in response to London Riots of Summer 2011.

I had the pleasure of meeting Margaret Mahan in October. She’s a feisty young woman standing barely five feet tall and is incredibly committed to her work. She leads women inÌýÌýworkshops, where thoughts run deep.

Margaret Mahan pulping panties

:

“When I first cut my underwear into bits, it was my way of gaining control, of creating, and of using my hands to share my voice. All I could think about for weeks was my friends who were violated, of their faces and the faces of victims I may never know. I felt pushed by this collective energy to create paper, and the shocking choice of panties as my fiber felt the most fitting. I made strong, elegant sheets of paper to represent the strong, elegant women I am blessed to know. Peace Paper continues this ritual as a way of broadcasting the powerful voices of all women�.

When I worked at in the late 1990′s in Portland, I met Geraldine Foote, who came in to have her printed on a variety of papers.ÌýDrawing upon what nature teaches,Ìýthe she prints are meant to inspire, remind us of our shared humanity, and to help us to live lovingly in a changing world.

Three Slow Symphonies, by Geraldine Foote

I was deeply saddened to hear that one of the victims in the Clackamas mall shooting in Oregon this week was a participant in myÌýÌý(I’m not going to go into detail about the project here, but please feel free to click on the link or watch this shortÌýÌýabout the project).

Mother Tree at The Portland Building

Although I did not meet Cindy or know her (she crocheted a root for Mother Tree with aÌý), herÌýroot now transcends our world here on earth and she remains connected. When I think about all of the crocheted strands that form the roots of Mother Tree, and all of the stories buried in them, I feel that we (the living, the dead, the young, the old, the mothers, the fathers, the daughters, the sons)ÌýareÌýall bonded together.

Ears, Nose, Toes, by Geraldine Foote

I know there are many other moving paper projects out there. Do you have one to share?ÌýIf so, please leave me a comment below.

______________________________________________________________________

About theÌý25 Days of Paper:ÌýI’m going to be a crazy blogger in December, featuring cool paper products,Ìýprojects, blogs, books, or papers each day. Join in the fun by readingÌýalong! I’ll also post links on myÌý. Enjoy the season!