Paint on Paper

I've been doing some freeform painting with black gesso and watercolor. I learned this particular technique at a workshop I too with Laura Wait at Penland. We used all kinds of twigs, rocks and other found brushes to make marks on paper. It was one of the most freeing classes I have ever done.

I made some papers last night and then folded them into signature and made a little artist book. I still need to sew it together but wanted to show you my process.

Painted papers:

Home from Penland

Penland View

I'm back from two weeks at the beautiful and wonderful Penland School of Crafts. The school teaches all kinds of crafts and arts from glass, metals, printmaking, textiles to bookarts. I took a book/lettering/painting class with Laura Wait. It was fabulous. We started with large pieces of paper and then started writing words with sticks, shingles, rocks and whatever primitive materials we could find. Next we graduated to brushes and calligraphy pens, creating layers of text which bagan to take on the look of abstract forms. The next step in the process was learning to sew exposed bindings such as the herringbone. Paint was added to pages before and after the sewing process. Here are some pictures from the workshop.

Writing tools

Sample text

exposed bindings

Sewing a book on linen cords

Laura Wait demonstrating writing and painting with sumi ink

Palette and books in progress

Exposed binding book

My books on display

Some of my books