Yabbers again

We had Yabbers today and started by showing off all the cards that were sent, here you can see both sides.


We then discussed and started work on our contribution for the upcoming Papermakers of Vic Exhibition. We decided to spell out Yabbers '08 vertically with the hemp paper we had made two months ago and the paste papers we made last month. Here are pictures of the front and back of the pages which will form our banner.


We then made some vege papyrus but instead of making straight papyrus we made it on paper. These pictures are of some that I'd made last week from zucchini, celery, bouganvillea, kiwi fruit and canned beetroot. The straight papyrus was made from canned beetroot.

These pictures were taken through the paper into the light.
Celery and bouganvillea

zucchini

Beetroot on paper

Straight beetroot

I have some instructions on my website under vegetable laminates but these ones were done by cooking all the fruit and vegetables except the canned beetroot for 2 minutes on high in a microwave then placing them on freshly made hemp paper (could be any paper) then pressing them. Some I dried in my usual way of rolling onto fibro cement and the others by pressing between cotton cloths in my book press and changing the cloths daily.

Postcards and Yabbers

The postcards are starting to come in for My Land, My Paper. Three this week from the US, Spain and Canada. I have put pictures here.



At Yabbers we've decided to send each other postcards using the techniques we've done at the meetings. At our last meeting we made paste papers using a method Dineke taught at a recent workshop. You colour your paste as usual but you paste on lots of layers of paper and fabric, mine turned very red as you can see.

Front:

Back:



I've made two postcards, one I kept plain and the other I did gold embroidery on. At the last T'arts meeting Lesley Uren showed us how to couch gold onto fabric. The butterfly wing and coiled piece were some cheap gold wire and the other bits were what I brought home from Lesley's. Now to see if they go through the post!







I have been making some new journals lately including some from the leather scraps from Reverse Art and some small Chinese swords from a $2 shop.

Here are some exposed stitch bound books using an adaptation of a method I learned from George Matoulos many years ago.


Preparing to sew:

The completed books:

postcard exhibition

I am currently organising a postcard exhibition for which I hope to receive lots of entries. The details are below.

My Paper, My Land
A postcard show will be held to coincide with the IAPMA Congress in Burnie, Tasmania. Works should reflect where you come from and contain at least 80% paper. The size should be around 10 x 15 cm and works should be sent through the mail, preferably with a postage stamp and postmark to Gail Stiffe, 11 Keltie Street Glen Iris, Victoria 3146, Australia.
The works will be exhibited in Creative Paper’s Gallery for one month including the congress time and will be for sale for $A20 each unframed. The funds raised will be shared equally between Papermakers of Victoria, Creative Paper, the IAPMA support fund and the Papermaking Village in the Philippines and unsold works will remain the property of Creative Paper Tasmania. All works will be documented on a website to be announced. Works can be sent any time between now and 1 March 2009, there is no limit to the number of entries anyone can send. Please indicate on your card if you do NOT wish it to be displayed on the website. Enquires info@gailstiffe.info.

credit card papers bigger pictures and more detail

In response to Wendy's request for bigger images here are a couple, I'm sorry I've taken so long to get them up.

The first one (my favorite) has Reeves Brilliant Red and Jo Sonja's Harbour View background colour run down the page together then Jo Sonja's Island Sand background colour on top.

The second has Island Sand and Brilliant Red mixed together then run down the page then Jo Sonja's Rich Gold on top.

Discards and CAS

I have finally finished sewing the book for the Discarded Exhibition. Almost all the materials used came from Reverse Art Truck. The paper came on a large roll and I used the credit card technique which I heard about on Wendy's Blog and got the instructions from Kelsey. I did some with colours and gold and some with colours and off-white, I think I prefer the latter. My favorite pieces were done with red and blue swiped together then off-white over the top but they didn't end up in the book because I thought I might use them as end papers so cut one sheet in half then decided to go with plain endpapers. I have since made some brooches with this paper but I don't have pictures because I've already delivered them to The Alcove Artshop.


I cut the text out from the back of the sheet for each section and used leather and furnishing fabric for the cover. I used the exposed stitch binding described in an earlier post.



The exhibition is on in a week or two, I have to deliver on Thursday.
I've also done a couple of pieces for the Collectors Exhibition run by the Contemporary Art Society, The Exhibition is on from 5 - 18 May at Steps Gallery in Lygon Street Carlton.
The two pieces I've submitted for selection are Ladders to Fire 2008



and Seduction of the Minataur




Both titles from Anais Nin an author I read avidly in the 70's and both works made up of smaller parts. I have been doing quite a bit lately with pattern, I enjoy the effects you can get by juxtaposing different elements. You saw some of these pieces in their raw state a blog or two ago.

I seem to be committing myself to lots of things at the moment, I just can't help myself - I do like to be busy! I am convening a postcard show to be held in Burnie as part of the IAPMA Congress there and helping to convene an International Paper Show in Melbourne and a Cyabnotype show with another paper artist at the same time. I've also said I'll be part of another project organised by M Squared and need to produce something before May then once a month after that. the words for this month are voodoo, phobia, fool and scribe.