SEPTEMBER 10th CRAFTY HOUR

Rock Paper with Wendy

Free event for all members!

The theme for this month’s Crafty Hour is “Rock Paper” a discussion of this unique mineral-based paper. Host Wendy Bale will demonstrate the embossing abilities of rock paper and show some examples of working with Rock Paper using scissors, knives and tearing with her bare hands! There will be plenty of time left to bring your own projects along to work on and share as the conversation inevitably wanders into all topics paper cutting!

Crafty Hours happen every 2nd Sunday, and are free to all members. Come hang out, bring a beverage, some paper, and whatever you use to cut: Scissors, knife, sheep shears, scalpel, chainsaw, sickle…. We won’t judge! You do you. If you are a GAP Member, look out in your email for the monthly link.

Sunday, September 10, 2023

11am PDT; 12noon MT; 1pm CDT; 2pm EDT; 7pm UK

POSTPONED! UPCOMING LATE THIS FALL… WATCH OUT FOR

Paper Conjuring: Storytelling with Eddie

Create and tell your own stories using techniques of paper magic

Confetti Eddie is a member of the Society of American Magicians from Dallas, Texas who believes that paper magic can make the world a better place, and he’s here to show you how to do it. Eddie uses paper to create magic and tell stories. In this workshop, he will be teaching how to make transformative, slowly expanding and metamorphosing paper folding and cutting patterns that you can use to tell your own (or an already favorite) story, for an audience large or small, of adults or children. Attendees will learn various paper folding techniques, and how to make and tell a paper magic story–Eddie will explain elements such as story structuring, timing, what to prepare in advance, and how to engage your audience. His unique form or paper art is both inspirational and magical.

Materials: Paper. Newsprint paper, newspaper, printer paper, construction paper or any other type of paper you have available. Paper Napkins.

Tools: Pair of scissors, ruler. X-acto blade. Pencil, pen, marker, something to write or draw with.

Additional materials that are useful but not necessary. Rubber cement, Scotch tape.

Date: TBA – Watch out for the new date / time!
Non-Members: $35 / Members: $30
Members: use GAP15 code when checking out for discount

**Artist Bio: Edward Ruiz (aka Confetti Eddie)**

Confetti Eddie specializes in paper magic. He is a professional magician and master of ceremonies who often performs his own solo shows, and also hosts a magic variety show. He has developed special storytelling techniques by using papercutting to support the characters, images and ideas he is presenting. Eddie says: “I love magic because it makes me and others feel good. I believe magic can inspire the world.” We’re excited to have Eddie show us how to tell dramatic stories by using papercutting!

Aaron Silver - Black Lives Matter - on Tallit

Happy Year of the Rabbit 2023

Middle Mississippi by Ellen Sandbach

Robin on bough with berries by Amanda Humpage

Goldfish by Cynthia Stinson-Chennell

Aaron Silver – Black Lives Matter (on tallit – Jewish prayer shawl)

Utrecht – Centraal – by Maja Houtman

Volha

Crane Reflecting

Woven Hearts by Laurel Moorhead

Looking back at our Shadow Puppet Making Workshop with Rahul and Rajeev

We had fun learning about Kerala puppets and puppetry from Rahul and Rajeev, and making our own baby-level crow puppets! Tholpava Koothu, the unique shadow puppet theatre form of Kerala, South India, is preserved as a family tradition by the family of the Pulavars. Not only the brothers but also their father, Padmashri Ramachandra Pulavar, is an innovator in the artform: he has created many new contemporary shadow puppet stories, e.g. Mahathma Gandhikoothu, Jesuskoothu, and shadow puppet shows around Election Awareness, Social Awareness stories, Anti-Ragging campaigns, Food Safety Awareness and the social consequences of Deforestation, as well as promoted COVID awareness with a series of Lockdown Stories.

Rajeev Pulavar & Rahul Koonathara: Rajeev is a full time puppeteer who performs traditional and contemporary performances in India. Rahul is a first generation Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies graduate student at University of Connecticut. Read about one of Rahul’s recent projects here.

2022 Winter Wings Artwork by Members

This year’s theme for our annual small art exchange, organized by Lucrezia Bieler, was “Winter Wings.” Here are some of the amazing artworks created and sent by members to other members.

ROOTS and BLOSSOMS: An Exhibit of Eastern European Papercut Art

Graphic for Roots and Blossoms exhibition of Eastern European Papercut Art at the GAP National Museum

At the Guild of American Papercutters National Museum
Somerset, PA
November 5 through July 15, 2023
Mon – Thurs 11 – 6, Saturday 10 – 2

Come see this special exhibit at the Guild of American Papercutters National Museum, Somerset, Pennsylvania, featuring artists working in traditional and new Eastern European papercutting traditions of many kinds. Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Russia, and more are represented. This exhibit consists of art that is in the style of or influenced by paper cutting traditions from the European countries of Poland and further east. From the colorful, stylized Wycinanki to cuts born from the Jewish Diaspora, Roots and Blossoms displays traditional, modern, and even fusion works of art from members of the Guild of American Papercutters. Come find out about the images and techniques of eastern European paper artists.

Free and Open to the Public

Ex Libris: GAP’s Traveling Exhibit of Papercut Bookplates

Last year, Guild members contributed their papercut artwork to an exhibit of bookplates at GAP’s National Museum in Somerset, PA, curated by Rebecca Raupach. And now, all of these beautiful member-created designs have been traveling through the country, hosted by GAP members and their communities. If you think your area could host a showing at a specific place you have in mind, please let us know: Write us at exhibitions@papercutters.org or president@papercutters.org

Online Resource: 2021 Ctrl+V(irtual) GAP Conference

Our virtual conference was a hit! Thanks to everyone who participated, in all ways! You can still access some of the fun at our Conference2021 website. Enjoy!

The Guild of American Papercutters is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The operation of the Guild is accomplished by volunteers and a very part time archivist and administrator at the Laurel Arts Center. For more information, email: gap@papercutters.org

Summer Cuts