"Weaving with Paper Ephemera" Workshop with Jonpaul Smith

Dates: Sat Apr 25 - Sun Apr 26, 10am-3pm both days. Ticket Price: WGGC Member $150. Non-member $175. Materials fee: $10 for paper from the instructor's collection. Skills Needed: No art-making experience is required. Participants will need to have dexterity to be able to weave together strips of paper. Cutting with sharp tools like X-acto knives, razor blades, and scissors will be necessary. Class Limit: 12 Minimum Age: 16 years and older.

Ticketing details:

• This is a 2 day workshop.
• WGGC Members have priority registration until Feb 28. On Mar 1 at 8am the workshop opens to the public.
• Sales close on Apr 5 at 5pm.

Participants will create their own collage-based woven paper mandalas. Paper weaving can go beyond the over-and-under of construction paper we learned in school. What beautiful images are you attracted to? How can we stretch paper weaving into the realm of “Art?”

Day 1: We will create two small (9.5-inch), circular, paper-based collages. Weaving paper strips into artistic creations is a wonderful way of recycling old magazines, books, or any kind of paper while also expressing your creativity. Participants are encouraged to bring photos or documents of personal significance to incorporate into the weaving as well as other paper ephemera (See supplies list). Since these materials will be cut into strips, please bring copies of any valuable items. You will choose images/paper that you want to include in your project. When making your selections, think of the images as a means of storytelling.

Day 2: We will work with our collages to create a personal woven mandala. The first step is to cut our materials and prepare for weaving. This session will show you the basics of managing the process of paper weaving and will include how to cut the warp and weft for optimal weaving success, tips and tricks for the weaving process, and best practices for gluing. This class will also inspire you to bring out your art muse in order to create works of art with your paper weaving.

Materials and Supplies that Students should bring to the workshop:

1. Paper of all kinds: Thickness somewhere between card stock and regular printer paper is best. Thin papers, such as most magazine pages, are harder to work with but are fine. Designer magazines sometimes have a heavier weight paper that is perfect. When gathering your papers, choose a combination of photo imagery and overall design.
2. X-acto type craft knife with fresh blades: Bring the kind with the pointy ended blades (#11). A utility knife or rotary cutter is also acceptable.
3. Self-healing cutting mat, at least the size of your paper
4. Metal ruler (with or without cork) or metal-edged ruler, at least 12 inches; if using a rotary cutter, a plastic ruler for this purpose (no ragged edge)
5. Scissors suitable for paper cutting
6. Small bottle of PVA glue (Sobo) or a glue stick (Uhu) or a basic white glue
7. A small paint brush for using with the glue: Stiffer bristles work the best.
8. A small container to hold water for rinsing glue brush
9. Blue masking tape (nice for holding paper down while cutting)
10. Pencil
11. Bring your lunch and beverages. A microwave and refrigerator are provided.
12. Materials Fee: The instructor will have paper from his collection available for a small fee of $10. Please bring cash, check, or credit card (Venmo) for payment during the workshop.

Problems registering? Email [email protected]. Questions about the workshop? Email the Workshop Chair, Barbara Moss at [email protected].

Artist Statement:

I consider my process to be one of gathering and disseminating information, rooted in the paper scraps and ephemera of our consumer culture. Using traditional and alternative-method printmaking in combination with other mixed media and found/discarded paper, I try to explore open-narrative, visual experiences. I do not want my work to make definitive statements; instead, it should highlight these juxtapositions of surface, color, and broken imagery to allow the viewer to create their own visual narrative within a finished piece. My most recent work involves reclaiming and repurposing paper from our consumer-based culture. These materials are transformed into a complex, tapestry-like construct, made up of hundreds of interwoven strips of discarded product packaging, traditional and nontraditional prints, and other paper ephemera. These elements make use of—and, in a sense, refine—pop-culture imagery.

[email protected]

@jonpaulsmithart

jonpaulcsmith.com

Artist Bio:

Born in Logansport, Indiana, Jonpaul Smith received his M.F.A. and Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies from the University of Cincinnati, D.A.A.P. His B.A. is from Hanover College in Indiana, and he also studied fine arts at the University of Wollongong in Australia. Smith frequently conducts visiting-artist seminars; was honored with a residency plus exhibition in Budapest, Hungary, and another in Paducah, Kentucky; and was the working artist-in-residence at Tiger Lily Press in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he served on the board of directors. Smith has exhibited widely in the United States and abroad. His artworks are included in many prominent private and public collections, both domestic and international.

If you are not feeling well, please contact the workshop chair instead of coming to the class. On a case-by-case basis, we may be able to reschedule you into a future class or provide a make-up lesson. Ticket fees are not normally refunded. Depending on the CDC guidelines for Hamilton County at the time the workshop is held, a mask may be required. If so, you will be notified before the first workshop.

Fees are normally not refundable except for these contingencies:

(1) If the workshop is canceled, your ticket cost will be refunded in full.

(2) If the workshop is changed to a different date, you have the option to apply your ticket cost to retain your place; otherwise, a full refund can be given.

(3) If you are unable to attend the workshop and if you contact the workshop chair at least thirty days before the workshop date, your ticket cost can be refunded minus the Eventbrite ticketing fees.

(4) If you cancel less than thirty days before the workshop, your ticket cost will not be refunded, but it may be possible to make alternative arrangements so that your fee and place in the workshop are not forfeited; contact the workshop chair for options.

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