Hanji Happenings

When researching about Hanji I've come across many sites that relate to the word 'hanji' being used in Punjabi, one of the Indian languages.  There's a band called 'Cornershop' that  made a CD in 1997 called, "When I was Born for the Seventh Time' and at the beginning of the song, which I believe was originally sung in Punjabi, they use the word Hanji.   In Punjabi both 'han' and 'ji' mean yes. When talking informally to a person they use 'han' but if speaking to an elder or a person with a superior status then they put the two words together and say 'hanji'.  You just never know when this word might be used ......

HANJI ITEMS and INSTRUCTIONAL WORKSHEETS are now FOR SALE on my   WEBSITE . Curr rently items range in price from A$25 for a small pot to A$160 for a six sided lamp. Instructional Worksheets are A$7.50 each.  I'll be adding to the items in the New Year and I'll also be expanding the variety of Instructional Worksheets to include lamps and sets of drawers. FREE POSTAGE until the end of February 2013.

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Don't forget to keep checking out my Hanjiartist website.

Here is an interesting movie that came out last year. A cast of bona fide actors  present a theme that is  quintessentially Korean and universally human: actors Kang Soo-yeon and Park Joong-hoon come together for a story about people who dedicate their lives to the art of making ``hanji,'' or traditional Korean paper. Scooping up the moonlight

I now have all the Hanji books I can track down on Hanji that are written in English.   It comes to the grand total of two. Please if anyone knows of any others please let me know!! Both books were published this year with 'Hanji' by Lee Seung-chul, in March, 2012 and 'Hanji Unfurled' by Aimee Lee, in October, 2012. As I said in an earlier post the other book I ordered, 'Modern and Contemporary Art in Korea' by Kim Youngna is an older publication from 2005 and I found no direct references to Hanji as an art-form.  HANJI was written by Lee Seung-chul and  it's been translated into English.  The cover states that this is .'..  the first  accessible yet comprehensive guide to the material experts consider superior to Gutenberg's metal-print paper'.  Professor Lee is a world renown expert on Hanji paper and natural dyeing methods and his soft covered book contains over 300 photo and illustrations with some Hanji paper samples...

One of my books has arrived !!! It's the 'Korean Culture Series #1 Modern and Contemporary Art in Korea' by Kim Youngna which deals with the issues of tradition, modernity, and identity in modern and contemporary Korean art in Korea.  ' On a deeper level, this is one of the only books of its kind in English that exposes readers to specific artists and their works, an especially useful resource for those who wish to know more than just surface level facts about Korean art. ' Amazon The book was publisher in 2005 by the Korea Foundation and as yet I haven't found any specific reference to Hanji but nonetheless it's a great reference to have on Korean Art history including it's trends during the twentieth century when Korea opened up to the West.

I'm waiting with baited breath for three new books on Hanji to arrive in my mail box. All of them are in English and are due to arrive any day. Watch this space !!

I'm delighted to share with you the Press Release on Oct. 23rd, 2012 of a new English book on Hanji , by Aimee Lee. I wrote about Aimee Lee in my blog post,  Paper making... a short film .. ., on Oct. 6th and I was thrilled to hear from her this week about her newly released book which is now available. I hope that all of you who are interested in Hanji will support Aimee by buying her book. I've ordered mine already !! It's so important that more is known around the world about this wonderful product and how and why it can be used in so many different ways. Top Scholar and Artist Writes First American Book on Korean Papermaking (October 23, 2012, Ann Arbor, Mich.)  The Legacy Press has released the debut book by artist Aimee Lee about Korean papermaking called Hanji Unfurled: One Journey into Korean Papermaking (ISBN 9780979797446, hard cover, 208 pp, 10 x 7 inches, full color, 300+ illustrations, $35.00) .   In the first English-langua...

I'm not sure where this came from and apologies if it's copyrighted but I think this says it all ......

Hanji Craft Class,  Fri 19th Oct 2012 Itaewon, Seoul DESCRIPTION:  Participants will make two multipurpose round-shaped boxes (10cmX12cm and 10cmX9cm)  using Korean traditional paper which is called hanji. Hanji is paper that is made from all natural ingredients and has been used in Korea for centuries. In the past it was used to make books and to cover windows and doors to keep out the wind. The paper is so durable that layered Hanji was even used as armor that could stop arrows. These boxes can be used to keep your accessories or small stuff on your dressing table or for keeping tea bags or candles in your kitchen. Also they make great gifts for friends or family back home as well. REGISTRATION:   in person at the Itaewon Global Village Center. DIRECTIONS:  Come out of exit #2 of Itaewon Station (Line#6, Stop 630), walk straight 200m, and look for the Hannam Building which has a 7-Eleven convenience store on the first floor. Th...

                              There are both disadvantages and advantages of not living in Korea and wanting to make Hanji articles.  You have some spare time and you feel like making something as a gift for a family member or friend or maybe you'd just like to be creative and make something for yourself. The disadvantage of not being in Korea is that you can't just walk down the street and buy a pre cut kit, go home and make it up. You could spend some time on the internet and buy one through one of the online suppliers and wait a few weeks to get it delivered but, the spontaneity of the creation has gone by then and the time to do it may just not be there. So, what will you do? The advantage of not being in Korea is that you learn to make patterns and cut out your own designs.  Over the years I've made...

Don't forget to keep checking out my new WEBSITE. I'm constantly updating and adding articles and today I've added a short film on traditional, Hanji paper making in South Korea which was taken last November during one of my trips to the Andong Paper Factory to buy more supplies. It shows the making of the paper from the combining of the bark of the Paper Mulberry Tree (Dak in Korean) and the mucilage of the Hibiscus , to the drying of the sheets and putting it on the shelves ready for market. Placing wet sheets of paper in a stack My visit was on a weekend and I was amazed at the number of Japanese who were there buying the Korean paper which I am told is stronger and more versatile than the their papers due to the method of cross matching the fibres.  The shop was packed with locals as well as the Japanese businessmen wanting to buy paper from the factory as it's relatively cheap and they have a huge array of colours. Removing impurities from the ...

The beginner's Hanji classes are now up and running and the enthusiastic students are progressing really well.  They're just about to finish their first project, the utensil holder, with each choosing different coloured papers to complement their small pot.  This week it'll be time to do the small cutout to place on the pot then I'm looking forward to seeing the finished articles.  The 'forgiving fairy' is definitely with them all !!!

Well I've almost completed my 'Photographic collection' of boxes, they're all ready to be varnished. I've combined my love of photography with my love of Hanji and come up with something that I think is pretty unique.  For this first collection I've made all the boxes the same size but  they could be made in any size and that would open up all sorts of possibilities for doing Hanji in the future. You could make memory boxes for people you love and present them as a gift, you could make gifts to give away at weddings with the couples picture on them or you could just use your favourite travel photographs placed on a box to remind you of a special trip. I've done one set in sepia, because personally I love the effect of the muted tones as it gives a timeless, classic look and the second set is done in colour with the photos complemented with matching coloured papers. All of the photographs were taken during my stay in Korea. The photos were p...

This week I started a new beginner's Hanji  class here in the UAE and to help the new students get started on their journey with the craft I've put together some Starter kits.  We more than likely have different items around the house that have been used for other crafts and activities but often some are half used, others worn out and yet others not quite suitable. I don't know about you but if I'm starting something new I like to begin things afresh with the right tools to do the job. Here in Ras Al Khaimah, a town 90 kms north of Dubai, most items needed to do hanji are available somewhere but sometimes they're in a small and dusty shop down a side street and at other times at a large and overwhelming 'Library,' as the stationary stores are called here. In other words it can take a bit of hunting to find exactly what you want. With the temperatures in the low 40Cs every day here at the moment, chasing around from to store to store isn't...

Three years ago I started meeting with a small group of friends who wanted to learn how to do 'hanji'.  We started from the basics but they very soon progressed into making more complex items.  Through all this they've taught me such a lot about design,  adaption of materials and perseverance in ordering  both locally and from overseas. It's been difficult at times but we've worked through things together and achieved such a lot.  I've made some great friends over the years as some people have stayed with the group, meeting nearly every week for the whole time and others have come and gone. That is the way of the ex-pat life. I'm now really looking forward to meeting a new group of women in our beginner's class starting next week.  We'll start from the basics of hanji making and work through some different techniques for the next six weeks.  They will complete 3 different projects and develop the skills to move on to a more advanc...

“Dandelion” by Cho Su-jung This article in the Korea Times newspaper was written by Chung Ah-young and it shows the work of Hanji Artist   Cho Su-jung ..     Her work is in two dimensional Hanji and it's so vibrant and beautifully detailed. For those of you who have been working with hanji paper I'm sure you could appreciate the time it must take for to make each piece.  It might be hard to imagine but “hanji” (traditional Korean mulberry paper) can turn into a wonderful picture without using a brush and paint. The hanji paper art shows how a deft touch can be more delicate than any other tools. The artworks are produced by tearing up a variety of colorful hanji and pasting them together. The paper is torn onto layers to express light and shadow, to imbue color and shape. Cho Su-jung, a traditional paper artist, believes ...

Last night the Hanji ladies enjoyed a pleasant evening of eating Chinese food, chatting about our summer break and discussing our Hanji  happenings in the months to come. I'll be starting a new 6 week beginner's class which I'm very excited about and Tricia, Monica, Barbara and Suzy will  meet up and continue on with their projects. Later in the year I plan on having an advanced class so students can build on the skills they've learnt in the beginner's classes. If you live in the UAE and want more information on the classes check out my website

Beautifully painted Korean fan Well it's finally happened, my new Hanji Happenings website is up and running. Thank you for being so patient with my lack of posts. It's been quite a challenge for me as I love new technology but I come unstuck with  computer terminology and  setting up domains, hosting plans,  FTPs etc. and making them all work. Luckily I found someone to work through it all with me step by step. I do love the creative side of technology though so thanks to my trusty Apple computer setting up the web pages has gone quite smoothly.  I still have things to do to get it all up and running so please bear with me and check back when you can.   The rest of my time at the moment is in preparing for a new beginners class to start in early September.  I will be working more on the creative side of Hanji really soon as I have lots of new ideas for projects that I'll reveal as time goes on ........ Please  note *** ...

I've just returned after a wonderful summer of meeting up with family and friends in different parts of the world.  The travel has been exhausting but the time refreshing as we only get the opportunity to meet up once or twice a year.  Living in different countries as an expat over the last 12 years has had it's disadvantages,  not least of all being away from my family and loved ones for a length of time.  It has been difficult but, it has also had it's advantages  as it's opened up  many new opportunities for me to make more friends and to explore different cultures and their crafts. It has given me time to explore all things Hanji as I  work on my projects, conduct classes, develop worksheets and travel to meet other Hanji artists. I've attempted to keep up with the Hanji Happenings postings over the summer but have not done as many as I would have liked.  I hope you'll all bear with me. Now I'm back in the UAE I've been working on de...

 If you happen to be anywhere near Scottsdale Art Gallery in Tasmania, Australia pop in and take a look at Trinity's lovely work .....   I was really impressed with her 6 foot high tree lamp in the foyer of the gallery. 

Last week during my travels to Australia I was fortunate enough to meet up with a fellow Hanji artist,  Kyung Young Moon  in Scotsdale, Tasmania.  I'd seen her work and was anxious to meet this lady in person. She is a Korean who has been based in Tasmania for the past 6 years.  Her worked is exhibited in galleries around Australia including the cities of Melbourne, Sydney and Hobart. Her background is in Fine Arts and Industrial design and therefore she's been able to bring those skills to this craft by designing new pieces and painting on the articles she has made. For the last 3 years Trinity, as she calls herself, has been one of the celebrity artists at the Deloraine Craft Fair in Tasmania. Here is an excerpt from an article in the Tasmania Mercury by Nick Clark in November, 2011. 'A KOREAN interpretation of the Tasmanian landscape and lifestyle is behind much of the hanji paper work of paper artist Trinity Cleary. Her persimmon tree and ot...

Here is a guest article on Hanji by Lucy Faraday written especially for Hanji Happenings.  Lucy is  29 years old and has been working full-time as a professional writer and researcher for five years; in that time she's covered pretty much everything but as an amateur artist and photographer she tends to focus on the arts . Hanji   Hanji is both a form of acid-free handmade paper originating from Korea, crafted from the inner bark of the paper mulberry tree (chomok), and an artform. For the Korean people hanji is a way of life, with hanji being used for a multitude of different everyday purposes. From its early days as use for recording government documents, hanji has been used for anything from window coverings and ropes through to books, ornaments and household goods. There are three sub-species of mulberry growing in different climatic areas of Korea, which give different qualities of paper, ideally suited to different uses, from calligraphy through to wal...