A date with paper making

Autumn notes

Welcome to my wee corner of Substack. I am a seasonal artist living on the Isle of Arran, off the west coast of Scotland. I am the custodian of approximately two acres of land that includes a woodland, a meadow and my wee garden. I offer a seasonal book arts project for paid subscribers if you are interested and you can read more about that HERE. Grab a cuppa and lets delve into our relationship with the shifting seasons…..

I can remember well the first day I made my own paper. I expected it to go wrong and it didn’t and that is how the journey has continued. I am either very good at it or it is an easy activity - you can choose!

Making paper from recycled bits and pieces is simply joyful and very good for the creative soul. You quickly feel that you are achieving something and creating something unique to you and that is very satisfying. Autumn is my favourite season to make paper. I have a summer supply of pressed flowers so why not? The process keeps me connected to the warmer months for just a wee while longer. I create my pulp using recycled papers and end of dye baths from plants from my garden. I leave the pulp over night to take up the last of the summer colours before making the paper the next day. I like the slowness of this process.

I have never made a piece of paper with a neat edge and nor would I want to. I love the way that the edge finds its own way as you release the frame from the pulp. You then have to wait again and all this waiting is very good for me. Sometimes, I wait days for it to fully dry and I am happy with that. A good paper making process can’t be rushed.

Before introducing the frame I add in my petals and pressed flowers to the pulp and try and spread them as evenly as possible.

It never really works out as I intend and I am happy with that. Paper making should be an organic process and we should resist the urge to over-control the situation. Sometimes, I will feel the moment is right to add in a special pressed specimen. One of the hardest flowers to press well is the very beautiful iris. But when you get it right it sits beautifully in handmade paper.

I make notes about each and every piece of paper I make and if I sell the paper the notes go with each piece. Paper making is a story that captures the everyday and turns it into something beautiful and that, I think, should be celebrated.

I have never questioned why I make paper when it would be easier to simply buy handmade paper. The process reminds us that the immediate is not always necessary in life. If I have to wait for the pulp to take up the dye and for the paper to dry then it is a good way to spend a couple of days. The results are always a bit of a ‘Christmas morning feeling’ for grown ups. The results are always rewarding.

In my Seasonal Book Arts project for paid subscribers we are going to have a wee go at making our own paper, slowly. We will then be able to use it in our own project and how joyful is that? If you love paper as much as I do but don’t have the time to make your own can I recommend the company Heaven Hemp who sell handmade paper made from hemp which is very sustainable and the paper is absolutely beautiful. I hope that one day we shall all create some time to make our own paper and reconnect with slow crafting allowing for time to stretch as it needs to. We shall be waiting, watching it dry and smiling at what we have achieved. Excellent. x