Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Can't burn both ends

I steamed/burned my next batch of milkweed and stripping was a nightmare since it wasn't done properly. My hands reek of burnt milkweed and are in a lot of pain but at least that part is over. I cooked the first batch tonight and will see how it blends up tomorrow before I cook the next batch. I'm a little horrified by how little time I am spending in my studio (since I'm babysitting pots in the kitchen and so on) but I have to remind myself that it's normal to only get a certain amount of work done when doing other things.

On the other side of the world, IAPMA had their annual congress, and it was in Wonju. I had wanted to be there, which is why I almost turned down this residency, but I decided this would be better for me. But I got word today that Asao Shimura, a master papermaker who lives in the Philippines, finally got to visit my hanji teacher's mill in Korea! I was so delighted to hear the news, since Asao and I have been in close contact ever since I got to Korea and have been sharing our research and work and samples and whatnot. I had wanted to visit him in the Phil when I was in Korea but never got around to it. I still want to someday. But I adore this pic of him and my teacher's father in their hanji inventory space.

5 comments:

Velma Bolyard said...

such faces!

time for me to strip out milkweed to try it green, rether than field retted gray. you are inspiration!

mjc said...

Um...I believe that harvesting, defoliating, steaming and stripping fiber IS work! If it isn't, we're all in big trouble.

aimee said...

so funny--i had wanted to do the opposite! i LOVE the field-retted grey!

and thanks for reminding me about the WORK that is work. i was talking to daniel today at lunch about how i could never be a master papermaker b/c i don't care for my paper to be perfect and he rolled his eyes and said, 'denial is not only a river in egypt.' haha!

Anonymous said...

we'll bundle you up and send you out back on skis to gather in february!

Velma Bolyard said...

that was me--blogger wouldn't let me have an identity.
velma