An Essential Addition to our Studio

Thanks to my brother Will, we now have that most essential studio item in the form of a cone shaped stainless steel strainer to drain pulp which he purchased from Carriage House Papers. 

No more rusted and clogged colanders stuffed with stiff screening! 

No more sore backs!

The best X’Mass present ever!

An Excellent Day for Journeys

According to the Tibetan Calendar for this Wood Sheep Year, December 21 was a good or excellent day for journeys. Indeed, it proved to be the case as this was the day KPC assembled the necessary braun, truck and strategy to pick up our Kelton etching press from one basement and deliver to our own studio at 18 Schoolhouse Road. Everything went well according to plan and we sincerely thank everyone.

Moving the heavy press was a challenge as you can see from the photos of Nary Mitchell, Jim Smith and Steve Espe. 

[Removing the press from the truck]

[Jim Smith’s “sled” to get it down the stairway]

[The easy part rolling it into the studio on a “dolly”]

[In it’s new home at Tsegyalgar East]

Thanks to the generosity of the owner, we were able to purchase this fine press for a minimal amount. We look forward to experimenting with the process of embossing our papers as well as creating book covers, cards, and personal projects. 

While the guys were hard at work, here is what I did--beating cooked and cleaned Kozo and making blue azure pulp in the “critter" for mantra calligraphies for friends. 

[Pulp made from sateen high cotton count sheets with empowered prayer flags and recycled sacred texts]

[Kozo for beating to add to caligraphy recipe. These fibers strengthen the paper. I love the rubber beater that I found in our basement tool room 
which works perfectly]

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NEXT OPEN STUDIO ON SATURDAY
DECEMBER 26, 2:00-5:00 PM

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Greetings on this Auspicious Winter Solstice from all of us at Khandroling Paper Cooperative

The Coming of Light*

Even this late it happens: the coming of love, the coming of light.
You wake and the candles are lit as if by themselves,
stars gather, dreams pour into your pillows,
sending up warm bouquets of air.

Even this late the bones of the body shine
and tomorrow’s dust flares into breath.*

Dear Friends (known and unknown) and Family, 

Best Wishes for the Holiday and warm wishes for your good health and well-being.  Everyday, I am grateful for the many gestures of kindness and support you all give me.  I offer each one of you my deepest aspiration for your happiness in this time of the rising light and coming New Year

Much Love Jacqueline

 

Photo Credit: Dharamsala candle by  Rosemary Rawcliff

*Poem by Mark Strand Reprinted from the Academy of American Poets website www.poets.org

Visiting the First Annual Northampton Book Arts Fair

I was inspired to stop by the first annual NORTHAMPTON BOOK ARTS FAIR at Smith College on Friday, December 4, 2015.  It’’s hard to believe that I graduated from there 37 years ago as one of the early Ada Comstock Scholars. The event was held at the swank campus center not far from from the old one where I studied for hours.

Sheryl Jaffe’s (one of our founding members and main teacher) booth blew me away, as they say, with some of her new works with her handmade papers. I especially loved the wax coated translucent boxes she made from her recent wood cuts executed at Zea Mays Printmaking Cooperative. Walter displayed a number of his beautifully bound leather books made with Sheryl’s unique fiber papers (below book he made for CHNNR). 

One aspect of the fair I really enjoyed was seeing so many poetry books made into unique artists books or small editions. This rekindled my interest in making some books of my own work and perhaps others too using our stock of interesting handmade papers here at the Khandroling Cooperative. Western Massachusetts is a hub in the world of book arts which we are looking forward to integrate into as the cooperative evolves in expertise. 

[Sheryl presenting the book to Chogyal Namkhai Norbu after a teaching, Summer 2014]