second week in Japan

I haven't updated here for over a week and what a week it has been. I will just give links to my papermaking photos but if you want to see the rest feel free to befriend me on Facebook. We went from Himeji Castle to Kameoka where we stayed with Deborah and her husband Kantero. Deborah is a papermaker and her husband does traditional silk dyeing, originally for kimono but now he makes framed works. He has an exhibition in Kyoto next month so is very busy preparing work. The next day Deborah drove us to Sonobe and on to a school where the papermakers from Kirotani are teaching the next generation of hand papermakers. We had a workshop doing nagashisuki and tamesuki then we went up to the village of Kurotani then back to the school to pick up the tamesuki we had made in the morning, it was pressed between blotters. We then went to Sonobe for a tea event and Mike and I had a homestay with a lovely family the only picture we took there was one of me playing (sort of) the Koto.  We then spent three days in Kyoto visiting temples and shrines and barely scratching the surface. We spent a day in Nara and caught a late train to Tokyo in preparation for a trip to Ogose to visit with Richard Flavin who has a studio in the mountains and makes beautiful paper works. Paul Denhoed escorted us through the many train changes as we made our way to Ogose. Richard drove us back to Tokyo the next day and we visited his wife's gallery Sind, she is a textile artist and is collaborating with Richard on some paper handbags using kozo paper treated with kakashibu (fermented persimmon juice) and lots of machine stitching, they look great. A couple of days in Tokyo looking around firstly a great printing museum, then today a visit to a papermaking museum and Mori Art Gallery (53rd floor of the building). There is a great piece which was made at Awagami, it is all made from paper, you walk in and have to duck then put your head up through holes then you see a paper forest, a bit further on you can watch some video documentation projected onto washi of the whole process. Our last port of call for the afternoon was Suntory museum for a display of ceramics from the 17th Century to today. I was able to take a few pictures with my phone camera of the installation and of a couple of light pieces made from Washi in the building of the Suntory museum.

Shikoku to Himeji

We travelled from Osaka to Tokushima then to Awa Yamakawa where we visited Awagami papermill and stayed in an onsen. The naxt day we went back to Awagami to see them make some very large paper about 2.5 x 4 metres. We were staying that night in Kameoka but stopped on the way to visit Himeji Castle. We are now in Kyoto but will put up the last couple of days photos maybe tomorrow.

Osaka

Well we arrived in Osaka Monday night and had a quick look around but since we'd got up at 3.30am didn't really hit the town. Yesterday we visited Osaka Castle and walked and walked. Then in the evening Tim took us out for a very special meal. The link above is to my photos from the Castle and here are some photos from last night. Today we head to Shikoku to Tokushima and Awagami Paper Factory.

Trial for travelling blog

It is really easy for me to put photos on Facebook and much more of a fiddle from here and as I am travelling to Japan and Korea very soon and will no doubt take lots of photos and rather than spending lots of time blogging I'll write a little here and put in a link to my Facebook pictures.
Today's album has a couple of books that will be in the Papermakers of Victoria exhibition in November. The red book is also a sample for the class I am teaching on Saturday using a makeshift sewing frame to make a case binding or a variation of such.

More preparations of Geelong and other books

I have been quite busy lately organising a trip to Japan and Korea, ooh I'm going in just over a week. Teaching my Saturday bookbinding class, preparing a presentation on Artists Books and Handmade Paper, which I delivered to Papermakers of Vic AGM last Saturday and will be giving again in Wonju at the IAPMA Congress and preparing for my class at Geelong which is on a week after I get back from Korea. 

As part of working on the presentation I've been rephotographing some of my older books, here are some pics of Greetings from India a flag book with cyanotypes and scans of letters I wrote home from India in the early 70's printed onto handmade paper.

 

The hands wave backwards and forwards as the book opens and closes.

I forgot to mention I've also made some books for the Melbourne Show. This is my submission for the Eastern style binding section, I collected the feathers when I stayed at my brother's place north of Sydney, had no idea what I'd use them for but they were perfect for this book.

 

I have also been making more samples for the Geelong class and have made a book which will be my contribution to the 15 x 15 x 15 fundraiser at the Forum. The cover is very textured and painted with acrylics and the pages are Hannemuhle.

 

I am also trying to finish off some work for the VQ Biennial Paper Arts Exhibition which I am co curating. I am making a book in a box and I pulled out my encyclopaedia sewing frame to sew it together, it is also a practice for the last class at Ringwood, we'll be making a sewing frame and sewing a book onto cords. 

 

Tomorrow we are doing piano hinge so now I'm off to make a practice one and to finish my red book. And I just noticed I've hit the 10,000 visitors since I started counting, Yeh!

I have been contacted through the Alcove art shop by a watercolour artist to make some paper and looking at her website/blog I saw one of her paintings in one of my books. Her name is Linda MacAulay and she has an extensive site here, My book is in the July blog.