This week I bought a piece of handmade Japanese Kozo, cut it up into 10 pieces and then made my own momigami, or “strong paper.” This is done by coating the sheets with konnyaku starch, which comes from the Devil’s Tongue root. It’s a powder you mix with water, brush on both sides of the paper and then crumple the paper into a loose ball.
kozo coated with konnyaku and scrunched
While the paper is still damp you crumple it more and work the surfaces together. The more you work with it, the more like cloth it becomes. Then spread each sheet out to dry flat on a table.
kozo wet with konnyaku starch
This treatment makes it receptive to dyes, and easy to stitch. I get my kozo and konnyaku from Wet Paint Art in St. Paul, and they get it from the Japanese Paper Place in Toronto. (Check my Resources Links.)
dry momigami
I wanted it flat (not perfectly) so I could mount my silk pieces to it, so I ironed it. I really like the wrinkled surface and the color of the kozo. And it’s a dream to hand stitch.
katazome dove on silk broadcloth, natural pigments, hand-stitched to momigami
This Saturday and Sunday I’ll be at Loring Park Art Festival.
I had a good day at the art fair — Art at St. Kate’s. Before the gates opened, I captured a few views of my booth. One of my customers commissioned a rabbit runner for her meditation room! It will hang on her wall, with all the rabbits ears up (as runners, they change direction in the middle). I will have it ready for the next show (Loring Park Art Festival in Minneapolis). The most interesting comments came from people who are frustrated with the rabbits in their gardens!
Booth view 1, katzome pillows, runners, and descriptive display
Booth view 2, katazome runners
It’s July in Minnesota. The day started out hot and humid, and ended with two thunderstorms. A great adventure!
Storm clouds
Downpour
(if you are looking for the Happy New Year Giveaway just click here. You may enter ’til January 15th!)
I’m participating in a show opening this Sunday from 2-4 pm at the River Falls Public Library in Wisconsin (approx. 45 minutes east of St. Paul). Nine of us came together three years ago to support each other in making art. The group includes Mary Perkins, Alis Olsen, Gloria Larsen, Karen Klein, Erin Jordahl, Karen Gustafson, Amy Egenberger, Judy Bracci and me. The work will include photography, sculpture, mixed media assemblage, painting and textiles.
The exhibit opens Sunday, January 10 and runs through February 7, with an opening reception from 2-4 p.m. on January 10th. There is no admission charge for the gallery, which is located in the library’s lower level at 140 Union St. (at the intersection of Main and Union streets) in River Falls. Call the library at 715-425-0905 for more information, or see www.riverfallspubliclibrary.org
here we are
