Introduction to Papermaking with Flax Fiber @ TapRoot Farms

We are excited to host Mary Hark here in the Annapolis Valley. Mary and I (Patricia) met in Minneapolis last year. We left her with samples of our fibre and she made some incredible paper for us. The kind of paper we could use everyday if we wanted. The kind of paper that we could make right here at home once we learned how. Just talking on the phone with Mary is exciting. We are thankful she is giving of her time to travel here to teach us and share with us her skill and her experiences. 

Friday November 3rd, 7PM join us at the Acadia University Art Gallery in the BAC for Mary's talk: Papermaking as Community Catalyst: Report from the Field

Mary Hark will share her work as a production papermaker, artist, and educator. With her Frogtown neighbors in St. Paul, she makes high quality paper from urban bio-waste for art projects; with naturalists and design students, she makes papers from local plants found on a restored prairie in rural Madison, Wisconsin; and with Ghanaian colleagues in Kumasi, Ghana, she works to establish a small paper mill for art, design, and small industry. Working in these diverse environments and using the transformative nature of handmade paper, Hark has built a creative life grounded in making and community-building. 

Saturday, November 4^th, 10 AM -  Sunday, November 5^th, 4 PM  Join us at TapRoot Farms for a two day workshop: Introduction to Papermaking with Flax Fibre 

Starting with a thorough discussion of the many qualities handmade papers can carry, students will consider how different fibers and processing decisions influence the physical properties of the final sheet. With a special focus on processing TapRoot flax and linen fibers for papermaking. Participants will experience processing the fiber in a portable Hollander beater, practice sheet forming and be introduced to several decorative techniques. In two days we will try and pack as much in as possible with the goal of sending participants away with the information necessary to create pop-up guerilla papermaking in their own classrooms, backyards, and studios!

About Mary

Mary Hark, University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor in Design Studies, is the proprietor of HARK! Handmade Paper where she produces limited editions of high quality flax and linen handmade papers in collaboration with book designers and artists, as well as unique paper artworks that have been exhibited internationally. Her work can be found in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the Smithsonian Museum of African Art, the Ginsberg Book Arts Collection in Johannesburg, South Africa, and in many university special collections. Hark leads an initiative in Kumasi, Ghana, building the first hand papermill in West Africa capable of producing high-quality papers entirely from local botanicals. An artist committed to sustainable practice, Hark recently led a team in St. Paul, Minnesota, designing and producing 2000 beautiful handmade papers, entirely from urban bio and textile waste, that were used as placemats for CREATE: the Community Meal public art event (Seitu Jones).

Details

The cost of $250 is to cover Mary's travel costs and to contribute towards her time with us in workshop. 

The workshop will begin at 10 AM and go until 4 PM Saturday and Sunday. We will provide a lunch at the farm consisting of soup, salad and bread. If you'd like to bring along your own lunch you are of course welcome to do so. 

We have some spaces for anyone wishing to stay over night. Please be in touch with me if you'd like to reserve a space. (suggested contribution of $50/night)