FROM MY HANDS TO YOURS
Papermaking is a slow, attentive process, carried entirely by hand. From soaking and preparing fibers, to lifting, couching, pressing, and drying each sheet, every step is guided by hands, water, and care.
Each movement leaves its mark, shaping the character of the paper and the story it will hold.
I mainly work with kozo and abaca, each requiring its own preparation.
Kozo, the inner bark of the mulberry tree (Broussonetia papyrifera), soaks overnight before being cooked, rinsed, cleaned, and hand-beaten with a wooden mallet until it is ready to form sheets. Abaca comes in ready-made sheets, soaked and processed with a blender and drill attachment to create a soft pulp.
Sometimes, pigments or other additives are gently mixed into the pulp before it is poured into the vat, preparing it for sheet formation. Using a mould and deckle, I lift the pulp with a gentle, shaking motion, over and over again. The ratio of pulp to water determines the thickness of each sheet.
The wet sheet is then couched -transferred carefully onto a surface - and pressed, slowly squeezing out water and compressing the fibers together. Finally, the sheets are placed in the drying box to rest until fully dry.
The moment of unveiling is always special: gently lifting the paper from the drying box, feeling its texture, noticing the subtle irregularities, the delicate traces of water and movement. Each sheet is unique, carrying the memory of its making; its fibers, its rhythm, and the care invested in every step.
These freshly formed sheets are both an ending and a beginning. They may continue into letterpress printing, folding, or other forms of creation.
Every piece of paper is made with care, attention, and love.
