Sunday, September 14; 10am–4pm CT
Learn to make paper thread two ways, rooted in Korean and Japanese traditions in this in-person workshop with visiting artist Aimee Lee.
We will begin by folding and cutting a sheet of paper, then manipulating it to transform into a single, one-ply thread through basic joomchi, hand tearing, and hand spinning. Then we will learn an advanced method of making two-ply “rope” using jiseung techniques. You will tear paired strips with a paper knife, practice twisting and plying two strips of paper at once, and for the adventurous, create continuous rope. The main goal is to make one- and two-ply paper thread.
Materials and tools will be provided; however, there are a few items you can choose to bring, if you’d like. For spinning paper, a drop spindle will be used. The instructor will bring several for participants to share during the workshop and you are welcome to purchase your own before or after the workshop (available here and here). For cording paper for jiseung, bring a 2-inch spring clamp. This comes in handy if you are not comfortable anchoring strips of paper by sitting on them, or if you want to work while standing. The plastic version from big box stores will suffice. Make sure it is easy to open them; some require great hand strength to open and may not be for you. If you know how to knit or crochet, bring any size knitting needles or crochet hooks you may have.
Aimee Lee (she/her) is an artist who makes paper, writes, and advocates for Korean papermaking practices (BA, Oberlin College; MFA, Columbia College Chicago). Her initial Fulbright research helped her build the first hanji studio in North America and write her award-winning book, Hanji Unfurled. Aimee exhibits and is collected internationally; her work has shown at the Cleveland Museum of Art, Fuller Craft Museum, Islip Art Museum, Museum of Nebraska Art, Allen Memorial Art Museum, and the Korean Cultural Centers of the Korean Embassy in D.C. and Abu Dhabi (UAE) and Korean Consulate in NYC. Library collections that hold her work include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, Harvard, Stanford UCLA, and Yale.
This workshop is offered in coordination with the North American Hand Papermakers conference in Minneapolis, September 11–13.
MCBA's Visiting Artist Program is generously supported by Cathy Ryan & Doris Engibous
Level: Beginner. All skill levels are welcome. Helpful skills: patience, being able to have your hands do different things simultaneously, and open to failure before getting the hang of it. Using a drop spindle or bobbin winder can be challenging and making two-ply cords can be confusing at first. This workshop is designed to have plenty of practice time. We will cut with scissors, x-acto knife, tear with a paper knife, basic paper folding, spinning between fingers, rolling between hand and thigh, and twisting/plying between palms.
Certificate: 6 hours, Category C or D
Pricing
$180/participant (10% discount for MCBA members) + $35 materials fee
$90 for BIPOC/Financial scholarship participants (10% discount for MCBA members) + $35 materials fee
MCBA offers two scholarship types for workshops—Financial Hardship Scholarships and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) Scholarships—to honor equity and increase access and artistic opportunities for those who have historically been underrepresented in the book arts. For individuals to whom these scholarships do not apply, register at the Adult rate and, if you are able, consider making a donation when registering to support MCBA’s efforts to make scholarships available.
