Peter Thomas

Address260 Fifteenth Ave.
CitySanta Cruz
State/ProvinceCA
Postal Code95062
CountryUSA
Phone Number831 475 1455
E-mail Addresspeteranddonna@cruzio.com
Websitehttp://www2.cruzio.com/~peteranddonna/

First interest in hand papermaking process: 1974

First piece of handmade paper: 1974

First handmade paper artwork: 0

Beginning of active practice: 1974

Images

Click on an image for the full view.

Peter's Work in Hand Papermaking:

  1. Artist who uses handmade paper for book arts

Peter's Introduction to Hand Papermaking:

  1. Books

Influences on Peter's Work in Hand Papermaking:

Publications initially important to Peter:

  1. Papermaking through 18 c : Hunter

Publications eventually important to Peter:

  1. FDH newsletters : null
  2. hand papermaking magazine : null
  3. Action of the beater : null
  4. papermaking : hamady

Countries where Peter's studied:

  1. England : Cyril Finn, Norman Peters
    1. visit to mill or artist studio
    2. other : Observation of working papermakers at historic mill
  2. Sweden : Unknown workers in Lessebo paper mill
    1. visit to mill or artist studio
    2. other : Observation of working papermakers at historic mill
  3. IAPMA meetings : IAPMA
    1. hands-on workshop
    2. demonstration
    3. visit to mill or artist studio
    4. other : Attending their conferences
  4. null : null

Raw materials used by Peter in Hand Papermaking:

Chemicals used by Peter for cooking fibers in Hand Papermaking:

Used Routinely
Used Rarely

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

Used Sometimes
Used Rarely

Style of sheet forming used by Peter in Hand Papermaking:

Years teaching hand papermaking: 1974-2013

Teaching formats used by Peter:

Used Routinely
  1. demonstrations
Used Rarely
  1. internships

Peter's Income Contribution from Hand Papermaking:

  1. no comment

Narrative:

1974 I made my first paper after reading Hunters Papermaking through 15 centuries (Dover). 1974-1990 Demonstrate/teach papermaking as Peter Papermaker at the Renaissance Pleasure Fairs 1975 saw Twinrocker demo at Otis Arts Institute and upgraded from egg beater and blender to paint stirrer. 1975 met John Babcock at the Experimental Printmaking Studios who advised using a curved couching table, then a necessity because my mould had no backing wire. Previously I had rubbed the back of the mould to transfer paper to felt. 1976 attend 2nd international paper conference in Santa Barbara. Listen to Richard Hoffman and Don Farnsworth arguing about relative value of hydration and fibrillation and I don't have a clue what they are talking about. Meet Jim Yarnell who encourages me to build my own beater. 1979 Build beater based on Yarnells “Der Hollander” design. 1980 Travel to England. Meet Peter Bower who clearly answers my questions about production hand papermaking. Visit Wookey Hole and see Cyril Finn making paper and realize my problem is my press is not strong enough. Return home and make my first good paper. 1984 Meet Michael Dorsa at founding of Miniature Book Society and through our conversations figure out my home made mould laid wire direction problem, begin to understand mechanics of papermaking. He took me to meet Millie Fisher. 1987 Attend first FDH meeting. Room with Ray Tomasso. Learn much I didn't yet know by talking to others there. Published Beater Time Tests 1988 Attend IPH meeting in England. Meet Gillian Spires who takes me to visit now retired Cyril Finn, who explains the papermakers shake and sets me on a search to document western sheet forming technique. 1990 Attend IAPMA meeting in Germany. Video papermakers at work at Wookey Hole, Hayle Mill and Lessebo. Interview and work with Norman Peters from Hayle mill and learn to make paper to waltz time. 1993 Published A Collection of paper samples from hand papermills in the United States of America 1999 Published Paper from Plants 2000 Produced my Ergonomic of Hand Papermaking video 2005 Published The History of Papermaking in the Philippines

Questions:

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