Artistic Papermaking with Blended Pulps 1F26
Explore the creative possibilities of traditional papermaking using natural pulps, recycled paper, and mixed media additions. Students will learn how to process and prepare pulp baths, then use mould and deckle sets to pull handmade sheets of paper in a variety of sizes and thicknesses.
Through demonstrations and hands-on experimentation, students will create unique handmade papers incorporating color, texture, tissue paper, faux gold leaf, and other decorative elements. The class will also introduce different sizing techniques used to prepare handmade paper for drawing, painting, collage, greeting cards, and other creative applications.
By the end of the course, students will leave with a collection of expressive handmade papers that can function as finished artworks or be used in a variety of creative projects, along with a foundational understanding of traditional papermaking processes and materials.
Students are encouraged to bring papermaking-friendly additives to experiment with embedding into pulp baths. See materials for more details.
Make Up Class: 11/7/26
Rebecca Davidson
Rebecca Davidson has spent the past 30 years teaching and creating art with people of all ages throughout the Boston area. Her works on paper are included in the Drawing Files at Caroll and Sons Gallery in Boston, and her work has been featured in numerous group exhibitions over the years, including at the Maynard Arts Center, Brickbottom Artists Building in Somerville, the Piano Factory in Boston, and Feet of Clay in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Students are encouraged to bring papermaking-friendly additives to experiment with embedding into pulp baths. Small, dry, flat materials tend to work best. Possible additions include:
- old paperwork, journals, or handwritten notes
- scraps of craft paper, tissue paper, or junk mail
- dried and pressed leaves, flowers, or garden plants
- threads or fibers collected from old fabrics
- small natural fibers such as hair or plant material
Optional materials should be clean, dry, and easy to incorporate into handmade paper.