China and paper go way back. We’re talking almost 2000 years back to the invention of paper, which was the brainchild of a eunuch of the Imperial Court named Cai Lun, during the Eastern Han Dynasty around 104 A.D. He received high praise from the emperor for introducing an alternative to the cumbersome, heavy and expensive materials used for writing at the time which included bones, bamboo slips, wooden boards, tortoise shells and silk.
Over time, his formula and techniques evolved into the factory-made, mass-produced product we load into our printers today, among countless other uses we have for paper. However, and thankfully for art lovers, the ancient tradition of making paper by hand for the sole purpose of creating beautiful works of art did not evolve, but was instead passed down through generations of families as an honored craft. Consequently, handmade paper is still very much appreciated for its distinctive qualities and the unique skills involved in its production.
Making paper by hand is a bit of a paradox. It’s simultaneously a tradition that is thousands of years old, yet artists around the world today are just at the beginning of expanding creative papermaking techniques, combining the medium with other art processes such as photography, sculpture and laser-cutting.
The ancient tradition of handmade paper has become synonymous with certain provinces in China, and some secrets regarding individual methods are kept very close to the vest. Local fibers and other natural resources pertaining to a particular region are often hallmarks of the areas from which the paper originates.
IMAX Worldwide Home for example, works with artisans from a particular province that has made paper for generations. Without divulging any trade secrets, let’s just say they know their craft. Our latest introductions include several exquisite examples of how beautifully tradition and technique become art.
The process in words and pictures:
The process for making handmade art paper begins by selecting the highest quality skins from Mulberry, White Mulberry and Yarn trees. The skins are placed in special spring water for 24 hours before being blended with plant ash and cooked for another 24 hours.
Then, they are placed into a brook for 24 hours and inspected to remove any remnants of sticks or blackened areas. Finally, the skins are bleached, rinsed, and drained of all excess moisture before being stored in an air-tight bag.
The skins are then molded, knit or otherwise integrated into designs drawn onto large sheets of paper. The sheets are then connected together and hung out to dry in the sun. Heat, smoke, color and other techniques are then applied to the design to achieve the desired artistic outcome.
If a recipe for success could be distilled down to its core essence however, at least in this case, it seems to come down to building great relationships. In addition to an appreciation for design and having an innate passion for the industry, she’s a bona fide people-person. Interacting with customers and coworkers on the daily is something she authentically enjoys. Because, in addition to the fact that time spent talking or meeting with a customer will primarily be dedicated to assessing needs, recommending product selections and in general helping them to achieve their vision, the conversation will also most likely turn to kids, or vacations, or inquiries as to the general status of things outside of work.
As she puts it, “I love coming into work every day knowing that I can see all of my favorite coworkers and that we can tackle each day together. Having the support of a team brings not only great moral to our department, but a fun and uplifting atmosphere, as well.” That team extends beyond the sales department, she adds, citing the well-oiled machine that is comprised of Customer Service, Shipping, and Logistics among others, as crucial to the process. “We work as a team here at IMAX and every moving part is just as valuable as the next. I might just get the reward of being the one to hear from the customer personally, as to how thankful they were for the support, but my team made it ultimately happen. It’s not by me alone that the day was saved.”
Because pastry is not my specialty, I used a frozen puff pastry. Believe me, everyone eating it was much happier that way. For the filling, however, I used fresh cherries. You just can’t beat the flavor of plump, ripe cherries. I read a trick to remove the pits using a cake decorating tip, and although messy, it worked like a charm. You remove the stems, then press the stem end of the cherry onto the decorating tip and just push the pit through the other side.
Along one long side of the pastry make parallel cuts with a knife or rolling pastry wheel, each about 1/2 inch apart, coming in towards the center of the dough, stopping 1 inch from the center lines. Repeat on the opposite side, making sure to line up the cuts with those you’ve already made.
Ingredients: Filling
Cathy Cason, Central Florida Territory Manager for Appelman Schauben, a rep group partner of IMAX, is a stellar example of this rare breed of individual. We sat down with her recently to find out a little more about her experiences during a short Q & A session.
