Hanji Happenings

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