Pacific University Residency

This week I did a residency at Pacific University. I visited the papermaking class, introduced them to overbeaten abaca, and had each student do a shrinkage experiment. I also lectured, screened my film and did critiques with a handful of seniors. I was impressed with their work and felt it was much more professional than way back when I received my BA at the University of the South. My exhibition, "Line Dried", which is pictured here, was on display in the library. 

Here is my statement about this body of work:

I work in collaboration with my medium -- handmade paper. This installation was made by draping wet sheets of paper over a clothes line. As the sheets dried, they contracted and twisted into these forms. I then stitched the washers onto one side of each form, creating thread patterns on the other side. The images resemble constellations, plant forms, fireworks, the big bang, etc. – metaphors for conception, growth, birth, life. I see all of these things as magical and mysterious, and this ties into my fascination with paper and the magical and invisible occurrences which take place throughout the papermaking process.