Ken Gerleve

Papercuts

November 23rd, 2024

1pm to 4pm

About the Workshop
In this class, students will learn the basics of paper cutting images, and will make a few of their own. This will include designing images, transferring them to paper, cutting safety and methods for display and storage. This introductory workshop will be led by instructor Ken Gerleve, and is a prerequisite for Gerleve's upcoming 2025 Tunnel Books and Toy Theaters workshops.

About Ken Gerleve
Ken Gerleve is an interdisciplinary artist who uses narrative and image to tell stories, which are often darkly humorous. His artwork juxtaposes the traditional elements of the Gothic with contemporary culture. This can take the form of an illustrated book of original verse narrative, animation, puppet building and performance, or installation. He often uses Scherenschnitte, or paper-cutting, and dimensional book structures, like Tunnel and Carousel books, to create sculptural scenes reminiscent of the silhouette animations of Lotte Reiniger. Ken earned an MFA in Interdisciplinary Book and Paper Arts from Columbia College Chicago.

Melissa Jay Craig

About the Bark #1

An Experimental Kozo Fiber Workshop

December 7th 2024

10am to 4pm

About the Workshop
Kozo fiber, the inner bark of the paper mulberry tree (Broussonetia papyrifera), makes beautiful, ethereal yet strong traditional papers. It is also a fascinating material in and of itself. Its strands separate into luscious lace-like patterns; it can be cast over objects and layered for strength, pounded into heavy sheets, or used to make delicate bark drawings. Bark lace can be incorporated into collage and mixed media work with adhesives; it can also be sewn to fabrics, other strong papers, or to itself. Best of all, you do not need expensive equipment to work with the bark directly. Come and see for yourself in this individualized class where you will be able to freely experiment with prepared fiber.

Join instructor Melissa Jay Craig in this 6 hour workshop in which you will learn to experiment with Kozo fiber. The techniques learned in this class require minimal equipment and students will be able to replicate what they learn at home; follow up classes will also be available at a later date showing how to dye the fibers, and how to use Kozo for 3-Dimensional work. All materials will be provided, and students will leave the class with their own kozo fiber creations! Class size is limited, so sign up while you can.

About Melissa Jay Craig
Melissa Jay Craig’s handmade paper book works, sculptures and installation works are exhibited internationally, and are included in museum collections, artists’ book collections, and rare book libraries. Melissa has been awarded numerous grants and residencies, including several residencies at the Ragdale Foundation, Vermont Studio Center, Catwalk, Jentel, I-Park, and Women’s Studio Workshop. She was recently the 2014 Prairie Fellow at the Ragdale Foundation.