Women’s Studio Workshop: Innovators in Papermaking, Book Arts & More

Oct 16

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Papermaking as fine art is a new, growing seedling compared to the long history that painting, sculpture, or even photography has. So. Who are the innovators driving contemporary hand papermaking practices?Say hello to Women’s Studio Workshop.

Okay—if you’re in the printmaking, book arts, or paper world, Women’s Studio Workshop is a familiar name. But, if you’re new to handmade paper, hold on tight, because you’ll love WSW.Tucked away between farmlands and curvy roads in the Hudson River Valley lives a collection of houses, with a main building-turned-studio that, once-upon-a-time, was the Rosendale Cement Company Store and Post Office. Now, it’s a place to, well...create work.

Founded in 1974, Women’s Studio Workshop provides professional opportunities for women artists in papermaking, book arts, printmaking, printmaking, ceramics, and 3D work. A non-profit and composed of around 15 dedicated staff, WSW has many ways for you to participate. Attend a workshop, be an intern, volunteer, or apply for one of their plentiful artist residency grants.Though incorporating many practices, the ArtFarm program is central to WSW. These wonderful ladies have planted and tested over 100 different plants for their viability for making a sheet of paper. Kenaf, flax, and yucca included!

Artfarm has been a vehicle for experimentation—not only in new papermaking fibers, but also for artists to explore paper pulp. ArtFarm also incorporates educational programs where children have hands-on learning experiences, from plant to processing.

The papermaking studio itself is a dream (caution: this is where we nerd-out over equipment). Roomy and light-filled, with floor drains and easy layout, the studio even has a covered outdoor space for cooking fibers and natural dye vats.The beater room houses a David Reina Hollander Beater and a hand-build beater. Plus, you’ll find a lovely collection of moulds and deckles. The kind of studio you fall head over heels for.

Also important at Women’s Studio Workshop are artists’ books—and the studio’s influence on the practice. Also an uncanonized field of art, an artists’ book is a publication that is a work of art in its own right. Over 200 artists’ books have been made at WSW, making the studio one of the largest publishers of artists’ book in North America. Susan Mills’ twentysix plants is just one of many artists’ books in the archive. From rhubarb to yucca, the book contains papers made from 26 different plants collection from the garden and area.Looking for more artists’ books? Conveniently, the WSW website has a fantastic PDF archive of their artists’ books (worth the click, promise).

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