Hanji Happenings

I've been attempting for years to do some refresher Hanji classes  during one of my usually whirlwind visits to Seoul but,  due to overseas work commitments and a lack of classes that cater for English  speakers, it hasn't been possible. I've had a lot of queries from people wanting to know what classes I took in Seoul earlier this year so I thought that I'd share that information with all of you through my blog.  A few years ago I was introduced to Myong Sook OM, an outstanding Korean Hanji Artist who'd studied Fine Arts for 5 years in New York and she was teaching Hanji in English to expats in Korea. She'd held several exhibitions of her work  both Nationally and Internationally and was involved in SIWA (Seoul International Women's Association). Her work is quite unique and I would love to have learnt from her as she was a perfectionist but when I dared to pose the question, " How long would I need to learn ?" I was told that a minimum o...

I had a query this week from someone who doesn't live in Korea anymore but he's wanting to know how to make this lamp. So in case anyone else was wondering, it's quite a simple process which I will share with you. Get a piece of perspex, or a very sturdy plastic sheet around 2 - 3mm thick and cut into 4 equal sizes, depending on the size of the lamp you want to make. Glue the sides together with an instant glue to make a perfect square and being careful not to get the glue outside of the joins or on your fingers. Paper the perspex using one whole piece to minimize the joins in the paper. Leave to dry. Cut a base out of 3mm thick cardboard so the sides fit into it and it has a small plinth. (Don't forget to put the hole in the base for the electrical fittings). Cut small strips of cardboard for around the outside. One with a hole in it for the electric cord to come out of. Cover the strips of cardboard with different coloured papers. Glue the strips onto ...

In the last few weeks I've finally found the time to concentrate on setting up my Hanji business.  Unrealistically I want everything to happen at once. I'd like to find a place to conduct classes and to be instantly organised so that I can get started. My mind knew that it wasn't going to happen but my heart was really hoping otherwise. Despite my slight despondency I've had an interesting and very enjoyable week of networking with some of the local artists including painters, ceramicist and print-makers  as well as meeting up with a few of my neighbors.  One of them took me to look through a local warehouse that's currently being fitted out for an Aboriginal artist to hold exhibitions in and it'll also be occupied by a print-maker who wants a part of it as her studio but unfortunately, the rest of the space is already fully taken. This area of Brompton and Bowden has so many lovely old shopfronts that are not being used so I've knocked ...

Well here I am sitting at my computer in my Hanji room in Adelaide.  Joy for joy! I'm surrounded by all my lovely Hanji papers, cardboard, books, tools, worktables and, with a project underway I couldn't be happier. My computer and printer are now working so it's time to do a blog post after what seems like such a long break. It's been a while since I've had my Hanji things around me and have had a daily routine of creativity in my life. Its been 4 months and in that time Ron and I've packed up our 2 storey house in the UAE, including my studio full of all things Hanji, moved across the other side of the world back to Australia, organised and overseen the workmen to get our house in Adelaide renovated, unpacked around 280 boxes and had to find places for everything in a smaller, but very lovely townhouse.  We keep saying that we need to downsize as we get older and we've certainly achieved that with our new dwelling but it's all the th...

Hanji Doori is a shop and it also has a great online web page(in Korean) where you can order all of their supplies.  The shop displays a large range of Hanji craft supplies and on this trip to Seoul I found it tucked away on the 3rd floor of a building in Insadong. You can  buy, papers, cutouts, molds, hardware, kits with paper, kits without paper, brushes, glues and electrical fittings for lamps. As is often the case, these shops are discovered by word of mouth amongst the expat community and I became aware of its location through the networking I was able to do at the presentation 'Hanji - After Korea' in Seoul, last week.    It was great to walk into the shop and find a lovely lady, Catherine, who spoke very good English because she had spent some time in New Zealand, and she was able to answer all my questions about Hanji.  The shop has a great range of neatly set out products and a workroom where students can take 3 months cours...

UPCOMING HANJI EVENTS  Here are a couple of interesting events  that involve Hanji in one form or another that are going to be on this month. So if you live in the United States or are going to be visiting you may be interested in checking them out. MAKE YOUR WISH ON HANJI   Sunday Feb. 9th, 1 pm at Flushing Town Hall, New York 137-35 Northern Blvd, Flushing New York, 11354, USA As part of the Asian New Year Celebrations you will have an opportunity to get Korean folk paintings drawn on hanji (Korean traditional mulberry paper). Write your wishes for the new year on hanji and create a one-of-a-kind art piece to take home. Cost:  $10 (materials included)  This one looks like it'd be good for the children and adults alike. HANJI: Contemporary Korean Paper Art   Feb. 6th - April 13th The Muckenthaler Cultural Center, 1201 West Malvern Avenue, Fullerton, CA 92833, USA Artists: Young Hoon Kim...

Wow!  Where has the time gone!!  Since retiring from teaching ESL here in the UAE I thought I'd have so much more time for writing on my blog and researching for my book  but although these things are important to me it seems that my time has been spent in more creative, hands on pursuits, and it's been great.  I've been working steadily at setting up and running my Hanji classes, designing worksheets for more complex Hanji projects as well as creating ideas for and making new items of my own design. These last few weeks I've been putting together some items for a  'Christmas' Craft stall.  I say that tongue in cheek because for anyone living in the Middle East we all know that Christmas isn't celebrated over here but because the UAE population is made up of 80%  expats from all over the world  it's  an important time for us to think of family and friends back home. It's a time for sending off our Christmas cards and p...

Any aspiring carpenters out there would find doing Hanji a great alternative.  This is  true for one of my students, Sue Fine, who decided she needed a bedside table. Using some of the techniques she's learnt in her Hanji classes, she designed and made a bedside table that is practical and yet very stylish. Sue chose a red, black and white theme to match her carpet with the bold Chinese and Korean writing on the outside,  red inside the drawer and it's all edged in black. The options for designing your own pieces are limitless and working with cardboard instead of wood is so much easier.  You can choose your own colours and designs to match your decor and easily complete a project in a weekend. I look forward to seeing more of Sue's creations in the future.

My students have been working for a few weeks now on making an Umbrella Stand or 'large storage pot', and it's been an exciting process as they've constructed the pot from scratch and then they've  had a larger 'canvas' on which to explore and use the Hanji paper.  I have 3 'large pots'.  Living in a desert country I've little use for an Umbrella stand because it rarely rains here but, they're great for storing some of my special papers all rolled up, within visible sight  and ready to be used. The students followed patterns and cut out the cardboard and constructed the pots.  That was the straightforward part and everyone's looked the same up to this stage. Next the ideas for what to put on them were determined, then they were changed then changed again.  It's all a part of the creative processes. I've had students say they couldn't sleep because they've had so many ideas going around in their minds and many p...

For all my Australian Hanji friends  there'll be hanji classes  held at the Sydney Korean Cultural Office in the middle of the year.  This Korean Cultural Office was e stablished in April 2011, the Year of Friendship between Australia and Korea. It was established to bring Australia and Korea even closer  in what marked the 50th anniversary of relations between the countries.   They'll be providing both Beginner & Intermediate classes  over  twelve weeks and are heavily subsided by the Korean Cultural Office.  So, if you want to learn something new this'd be a great way to do it.  You can fill in an online form on their website . When : May 7 - July 23, 2013 (12 week program) Where: Classroom @ Korean Cultural Office Cost:   Beginner $40              Intermediate $80

The inside of the drawers I've just completed another interesting set of classes where the students have amazed me with their  creativity,  imagination in paper choices and ability to read and interpret my worksheets. Carol cutting out her base After the initial cutting out and putting together of the item the fun began.  The students decided on the colours and patterns of the Hanji paper they wanted to use for their pieces as well as the designs that were to be put on them. They always vary. Sometimes they choose darker colours that make the items look like wood, othertimes traditional patterned papers and designs and then occasionally someone chooses the bright & the bold .  I surmise that paper choices show a lot about a person's personality and moods. I know in the past I've tended to go for more subdued colours and patterns in my favourites of browns, greens and yellows but just now and again I have that urge to make somethin...

Thursday evening was the opening of my Hanji studio and I was joined by many of my students and friends for champagne and nibbles to mark the occasion.    It's taken a while to set it up but I'm delighted with the results and I now have a space in which to teach, be creative and explore the Hanji arts further. It marks a new beginning for me and my Hanji crafts and  I'm really looking forward to using the studio and the space it provides.  Thank you everyone !!

Here is a list of International Hanji Events for 2013 and their descriptions, written by the respective or ganisers    ........... if you know of any others  I'd love to hear from you so we can all share in what is going on in this every globalising world of Hanji. KOREA        Jeonju Hanji Festiva l   I've been to this event and it's absolutely amazing.  The Hanji  Artists   from around     the country come together to show their best work   for the year. I remember when I was in Korea my teacher was   showing her work and it was hailed as a must visit   event for anyone   interested in Hanji. The Korean Men and 'Ajimah's' are very  serious   about producing the  most amazing pieces of  furniture,  boxes,   screens  and lamps.  I was  blown away by what I saw.      When: - p...