I have always been fascinated with fabrics and paper. Handmade papers today are readily available on the internet, art supply stores as well as from sources all over the world. As a former Montessori preschool teacher, I was able to create many of the materials that were used in my classroom. It was a wonderful outlet for my creative needs. When I retired that need was unfulfilled until I discovered the wealth of papers readily available and was immediately drawn to their beauty. Now I am the student in this artistic world and I am thoroughly captivated in the learning process as I explore using paper as my medium. I "paint" with layers of paper, many of which are handmade and come from Japanese or Thai sources. I use watercolors, ink and dye to enhance the existing color of the paper, changing the visual texture that a paper has,” she says.
“This creates a more personal ‘palette’ for me to create my images.” These handmade papers provide myriad colors and textures for creating images. Some of the mulberry papers I dye with watercolors or inks to get a variety of shades that I use. With the popularity of scrapbooking and the fact that these papers are archival quality, I have begun using those papers in some collages with childhood themes. Textures and depth are a major part of my work as achieving the colors and shading necessary often entails layering 15 or more layers of mulberry paper. Every day continues to be an experiment in what can be done with these papers. Exploring various art mediums has been such a freeing experience. I am thoroughly captivated in the learning process as I improvise, experiment and take risks. The result is a feeling of incredible satisfaction and fulfillment. I feel just as my preschoolers did when they “connected” with the concept I was teaching. It is like having an inner light turned on.
