From July 29 through July 3 I took a week long class at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. The class I was Islamic World Papermaking and Natural Dying and the teacher was Radha Pandey. Over the course of the week we learned the history of Islamic World Papermaking, with a focus on Indo Islamic papermaking techniques, how to make paper, and how to dye our paper using a variety of natural dyes. Our paper was either a mix of cotton/abaca or flax/abaca, abaca also being called Manilla Hemp. We dyed a batch of each type of pulp with indigo, so we had indigo dyed papers that we could then dye again should we choose. I found myself more drawn to the cotton/abaca blend. The natural dyes available for our use were logwood, brazilwood, osage, fustic, and coffee, and either an iron or alum mordant. We sized the papers externally with either egg whites to give a high shine when burnished or a wheat starch paste. Above are examples of class paper hanging on the line to dry, and my own personal finished papers. This was a wonderful class!
Not only did I value the class time, but I also enjoyed spending a lot of my days/nights in the library. I researched folk art, Islamic art, and read Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets, and Philosophers, a book I've been meaning to read for awhile.
