Hanji Happenings

Last week one of my students came along to class with a lamp where the shade had been broken and wondered what we could do to make a new one for it. She wanted it to look Art Deco, black and white, not too big and something that threw out plenty of light, all of this  using Hanji techniques.  There's nothing like a new challenge !! ART DECO -  'It is an eclectic style that combines traditional craft motifs with Machine Age imagery and materials. The style is often characterized by rich colours, bold geometric shapes and lavish ornamentation ...... 'During its heyday, Art Deco represented luxury, glamour, exuberance and faith in social and technological progress.. - Wikipedia                                           This was never going to be a t...

Entrance to the Festival On the first weekend in May  for the last 19 years (except for last year due to the Korean ferry disaster period of mourning) they've held the Hanji Culture Festival in Jeonju, the Capital of Jeollabuk-do Province. This city 240 kms south of Seoul is not only renown as the centre of paper making in Korea but it's also the ancestral home of the descendants of Yi Seonggye, founder of the Joseon dynasty and it's famous for the Korean rice and vegetable dish called Bibimbap. My journey south from Seoul on the fast train , along with my 2 sisters Pam & Heather and my sister in law Pauline, took only 1hr and 20mins.    Hanji Industry Support Center During my Hanji Exhibition in April of this year I met a lovely Korean lady named Sue who happened to come from Jeonju so when I told her I was to visit the Hanji Festival this year she said she'd see what she could do.  Before I knew it she'd been in contact with the Festival organis...

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 ...

My time has suddenly got busier as I prepare for my Hanji Exhibition, 'HANJI - ..from paper to purpose', in April.  It seems ages away but I know all too well that time will fly and with other commitments along the way I'd hate to run out of time and not complete the tasks I've set for myself.  I'm one of those annoying people who have to get things just right and I probably spend too much time on achieving the highest level I possibly can but I guess that's what makes me the person I am and makes my work unique.  I have lists written up all around the room for things I'd like to achieve each day and sometimes I do all of them plus some, and others, there's no way it's going to happen. I guess they'll all out-way each other in the long run and the main thing is that everything gets done in the end. Renovations on our house are almost complete and we're really pleased with what we've achieved to make our living more comfo...

 2015 is shaping up to be one of my most exciting Hanji years yet. I'll be holding a Hanji exhibition here in Adelaide entitled 'Hanji - from paper to purpose', from April 3rd to 26th at Mrs Harris' Shop Gallery in Torrensville, just 10 mins from the city of Adelaide. This means a lot of work between now and then as I look forward to making some new pieces of Hanji, including a new photographic collection as well as a Traditional Korean and a modern collection. I will not only display and have for sale pieces of my Hanji but also, I'll be explaining what Hanji is all about with posters and pictures of paper making, along with hands on demonstrations and an audio visual display. As far as I'm aware this is a first for Adelaide  and I look forward to including the Korean community in this event. After the exhibition I'll be heading to South Korea to attend the Jeonju Hanji Culture festival which is expected to take place on the first week...

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...

Sadly I'll be leaving the UAE in a few weeks time to settle back in Australia. It's going to be a huge move for my husband and I after an absence of nearly 15 years from our homeland but one that I'm looking forward to as I'm reunited with my family and I start a new chapter of teaching and learning Hanji back in Adelaide, Australia. Sue Fine, Anna Bailey, Diana Johnson, Monica Sturgess, Tricia O'Shea, myself, Christina & Arlette Van Veerdegem Over the last few months here in RAK, and with the last of the Hanji classes  winding down, the students  had been thinking of what to do to as a final farewell before I leave.  Diana piped up with, 'Why don't we have a Hanji Exhibition?'. I thought about it  and very quickly decided that there couldn't be any better  way to celebrate the classes than by getting everyone together and showcasing the students' amazing achievements.    I ran it past a few people and they were excited at the id...