Sally Johnson

Address1784 Shades Crest Road
CityBirmingham
State/ProvinceAL
Postal Code35216
CountryUSA
Phone Number205 823-3008
E-mail Addresssjohnsonart@charter.net
Websitenull

First interest in hand papermaking process: 1974

First piece of handmade paper: 1974

First handmade paper artwork: 1980

Beginning of active practice: 1980

Images

Click on an image for the full view.

Sally's Work in Hand Papermaking:

  1. Artist who uses handmade paper for book arts
  2. Artist who uses papermaking for three-dimensional work
  3. Artist who uses papermaking for two-dimensional work
  4. Other : Use my handmade papers or objects I make of processed paper fibers experimentally, as in a screen I built onto which I project images I have made

Sally's Introduction to Hand Papermaking:

  1. In-house research (personal experimentation)

Influences on Sally's Work in Hand Papermaking:

Publications initially important to Sally:

  1. Papermaking : Dard Hunter
  2. Japanese Papermaking : Tim Barrett
  3. Washi : Suki Hughes
  4. Hand Papermaking : Degener/Durgin
  5. Traditional Papermaking : Sandstrom

Publications eventually important to Sally:

  1. Paper Today : Heller
  2. Paper-Art & Technology : World Print Council
  3. New American Paperworks : Jane Farmer
  4. Art of Papermaking : Bernard Toale
  5. Making Paper : American Craft Council

Countries where Sally's studied:

  1. Japan : International Paper Conference Yamaguchi in Echizen
    1. residency
  2. England : Wookey Hole--also paper facilities close to London
    1. visit to mill or artist studio
  3. Mexico : Homestay with Anita Ronderos in Cuernavaca
    1. other : Observation of tapa making, study, studio encounters, collecting, books
  4. null : null

Raw materials used by Sally in Hand Papermaking:

Used Routinely
  1. cotton linters - purchased fiber
  2. cotton rag half-stuff - purchased fiber
  3. other fiber : linen and flax prepared by Twinrocker
Used Sometimes
Used Rarely

Chemicals used by Sally for cooking fibers in Hand Papermaking:

Used Sometimes
  1. other : Ginger lilies
Used Rarely

Tools and methods used by Sally for beating in Hand Papermaking:

Used Routinely
  1. blender
Used Sometimes
  1. hand beating
Used Rarely

Style of sheet forming used by Sally in Hand Papermaking:

Years teaching hand papermaking: 1984-1996

Teaching formats used by Sally:

Used Routinely
Used Rarely

Sally's Income Contribution from Hand Papermaking:

  1. a little

Narrative:

I was a biology major when working for my undergraduate degree. I took Economic Botany once and it has become apparent to me that my interest in using materials from the vegetable world to make art may stem from that ancient history. In my pursuit of making art with handmade paper the encounter with Japanese papers and handmade European papers has been invaluable for my expression, growth and development as an artist. There is no other material that has allowed me the freedom to explore shape and idea--a substance that allows me to bring subject and object into the same mental realm. Many of my paper forms have been extremely satisfying to me, and expressive. The most recent work is a structure on which I project light digital images. Currently I am revisiting some previously cast linen sheets in order to design a new work. When staying in the home of Yamaguchi in Echizen, Japan I was told that when you touch the Japanese papers you can feel the spirit of the warm hearted Japanese women who participated in making the papers. It is my hope that my work will convey the same intimacy.

Questions:

This seems like a good idea to me. The paper people I have known have always been considerate of those of us scattered about who are bound together by a paper thread.