Tackling the backlog

More snow days! Today was supposed to start with admin but I couldn't start it that way. Instead, I talked to Velma, got inspired, and finally did the thing I've been thinking about for weeks but didn't have a chance to do until now: coat a bunch of hanji from this last trip to Korea with konnyaku in an attempt to take down the hairiness of the paper, and also see if it's any easier to cord if pre-coated.

Now that my brick wall is in a show, I can use the entire living room floor!

The insane radiator also helped speed drying.

I forgot how crispy they would get. I love them. It's like when your hair is blown out and then you take a shower and it relaxes back into its wild state. The messy personality of the paper is so much more interesting to me than tamed flat. 24 sheets should yield me over 500 cords (when I actually get around to cutting down and cording these all is a whole other story).

I also made paper duster prototypes. One tied, one not (partly because it's so fat).

One unexpected artists' book in progress. This one has been fascinating: it started out as a wall piece last year. I kind of hated it but left it intact until a couple weeks ago, when I cut it up. Now it's sewn into these new pages of hanji (mounted to itself, from my last lesson at the mounting shop). Tonight I spent a bunch of time binding it, and even that surprised me. Every last bit except for wire for the ornamentation is paper. I just have to get the narrative straight and then the story goes in.

Box from my Japanese family friend (I ate the candy that was inside long ago), paper thread, and cloth from Pam underneath.

This print by Jeff Peachey made me laugh aloud when I saw it online so I had to buy it when I met him in person way back when. I should share it with my students when I teach but I like so much to keep it at home. Next to it, Honma-san's mitsumata paper duster. Next to that, long lost but then found joomchi-ed hanji I made years ago and finally was able to bring back. That will turn into clothing just as soon as I find a pattern and get to a sewing machine (in a couple weeks)!

I'm still hopelessly behind but the crunchy stack of paper on the floor was worth it. I hope.