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The Winter issue of our magazine examines the role and significance of ritual in hand papermaking and by extension the cultural uses of handmade paper. Newsletter #97 contains your letters, insightful columists, and current event listings.

Can You Donate in December?

We appreciate your annual donations, large or small, to help us balance our budget by year's end. If you are able to donate $100 or more, we have a special gift for you. Master papermaker Anne Q. McKeown collaborated to produce this limited-edition broadside. The image is 11 inches by 8.5 inches; the base sheet is 11 inches by 14 inches made from abaca and cotton. There are three layers of overbeaten pulp applied through silk screens by spray bottle and carding to make the image of the papermaker. The final layer is silkscreen paint with mica powder. The poem "paper: a pulp romance in three wanton acts" was commissioned for the project and written by Michael Joseph. The limited-edition piece was letterpress printed by Lisa Switalski. Get yours by making a $100 tax-deductible donation in December, on our site at www.handpapermaking.org  or by mail: Box 1070, Beltsville, MD 20704. Thank you!

Final Two Parties in Minnesota and NYC

JOIN US on December 2 at MCBA in Minneapolis, or on December 5 at Dieu Donné in New York, for the final celebrations honoring Hand Papermaking’s 25th anniversary year. The events will be full of surprises and we hope to see you. Visit http://events.handpapermaking.org for all the details.

INVITE YOUR FRIENDS at www.facebook.com/HandPapermaking

Thanks for your support!

Board Retreat

Last weekend the leadership of Hand Papermaking gathered on Sarvisberry Farm in Virginia to plan for the future. Every five years we meet to discuss and develop a strategic plan for our non-profit organization. Three intense sessions identified our strengths the challenges ahead. In the coming months we will summarize the sessions and establish goals. Our Strategic Planning Committee appreciates your input. We recognize our subscriber base as our most important asset. Your support is the foundation for our future.

Front Row (L to R): Zina Castañuela, Georgia Deal, Mary Tasillo, Jim Escalante, Gibby Waitzkin. Middle Row: Frank Brannon, Anne McKeown, Shireen Holman, Julie McLaughlin, Sue Gosin, Dorothy Field, Mina Takahashi, Tom Bannister, Michael Durgin, Susan Mackin Dolan. Back Row: Amy Richard, David Marshall, Andrea Peterson, Peter Sowiski, Beck Whitehead, Helen Frederick.

In Memoriam: James Yarnell

All of us at Hand Papermaking were saddened to hear that Jim Yarnell passed away on July 19. He was 94 years old. There was a service on August 18 at the Wichita Art Museum. Jim served on our Board of Advisors for many years. He was talented, generous, and witty. See our current newsletter for an article on Jim by Peter Thomas, with additional remembrances by Lee McDonald, Lucy Wallingford, and Howard Clark. Tributes may be sent to the family via www.dlwichita.com

Parties in Michigan and Texas

JOIN US on September 10 in Ann Arbor (3-5pm) or Austin (5-8pm) to celebrate Hand Papermaking’s 25th anniversary. The events will be full of surprises and we hope to see you. Visit http://events.handpapermaking.org/  for all the details.

INVITE YOUR FRIENDS at www.facebook.com/HandPapermaking

Thanks for your support!

August 15 Deadline for Portfolio Entries

The tenth portfolio in Hand Papermaking's ongoing limited-edition series is entitled "Handmade Paper: Fiber Exposed!" August 15 is the deadline for proposals. See the call for entries at http://portfolios.handpapermaking.org/no10

This collection will spotlight a broad range of fibers in paper art, and the unique qualities inherent in a sheet when fiber is expertly manipulated by the papermaker. Our jury seeks work that features unusual and creative interactions between fibers; and demonstrates how fiber can be the primary medium used to create imagery, concept, and content. Members of the jury are Mary Hark, Helen Hiebert, John Risseeuw, and Beck Whitehead.

Hand Papermaking's portfolios document and preserve contemporary examples of distinctive handmade papers. They are purchased by major museums and rare book collections, both private and public. Compensation for participation in this project will be one copy of the portfolio ($500 approximate value). Questions? Email tom@handpapermaking.org or call (301) 220-2393.