Conway, MA 250th Anniversary Projects by KPC

2017 Inaugurates the Year of the Lotus and our participation in the 250th Anniversary of Conway, MA on June 16, 17, 18, 2017

For over 30 years the Dzogchen Community in Conway, MA, which was founded by Tibetan scholar and master Teacher Chogyal Namkhai Norbu has continued to provide a container for his numerous activities  which include the Shang Shung School of Tibetan Medicine, Asia and the Dzogchen Community. Additional retreat facilities known as Khandroling are located in the nearby hill town of Buckland. 

Khandroling Paper Cooperative studios are found in the yellow schoolhouse formerly the Old Conway Grammar School, which has scheduled several events for the 250^th Anniversary of Conway, meeting with the Town Committee organizing the three-day event in October 2016.  These events include:

1)  Making origami lotus blossoms to hand out during the Town of Conway 250th Parade at our monthly and weekly origami club facilitated by KPC founding member Brenda Lilly featuring our Tibetan inspired Khaita dancers. 

2) A KPC  exhibit primarily on themes of the Lotus as a symbol of transformation through our Buddhist affiliation in the historic former Conway Grammar School featuring our artist members June 17-July 31, 2017

4) The final project dedicated to the Town’s anniversary is the Conway Rags to Paper initiative for which we received a grant from HATCH funded by the Greater Shelburne Falls Business Association and a Massachusetts Cultural grant. 

Anniversary Event Details

MINDFULNESS OF ORIGAMI CLUB BEGINNING NOVEMBER 10, 2016 thru June 2017,

5-6:30 PM in the Library at 18 Schoolhouse Rd. Conway, MA 01341 and in May/June each Saturday in the Marshall Fields Library, Conway, MA 

                                                                                                                                                                       

An early Lotus Origami incarnation created by Brenda Lilly with the famous six-syllables of the Om Mani Pema Hum Hrih (The jewel in the Lotus)  mantra written on the six petals with the HRIH in the center.

Making Lotuses in the library, December, 2016 

[Brenda instructing Francine in the making of a small Lotus, Summer 2016]

The Lotus is an important symbol through out all the Buddhist lineages. We will be exploring the many facets of this precious symbol of enlightened perfection and goodness which we all possess. 

We look forward to sharing this journey with you.

In dreams

they come with out-stretched hands

the color of malachite

giving, magnetizing

palms formed by leaf and wind,

torrential waters--

As they pass to me the lotus bud

grown up from mud

its stainless bloom

opening

[Rita Kaiser, Brenda Lilly and Nancy Paris, Summer Celebration on Khandroling, 2016]

Khandroling Paper Cooperative's Conway Rags to Paper Project was partially funded by a HATCH Grant from the Greater Shelburne Falls Business Association and Massachusetts Cultural Council. 

The Conway Rags to Paper Project began in the early Spring of 2017 with the collecting of Conway rags and ended in an exhibit of works on paper on June 17 & 18 , 2017 at the Conway Town Art Fair.


PHASE 1 of the Conway Rags to Paper project began many months ago as we collected Conway resident rags to transform into pulp to make paper for our PHASE 2. On April 29, Madeline Liebling led an Introduction to Papermaking which was attended by six individuals from  ages 13-70+ years old. 

Our first basket of Conway rags cut into postage size pieces for the Hollander Beater

Perfect Conway pulp, April 29, 2017

Amanda and Madeline making paper, April 29, 2017

Amanda and Marie at the Vats, April 29

Couching a sheet of paper dyed with onion skins, April 29

Preparing to wet press the couched sheets, April 29

Low tech pressing, April 29

Pressed paper drying, April 29

PICTURES OF THE FINAL PAPER WE MADE

Some of our papers made on April 29, 2017

PHASE 2 of The Conway Rags to Paper Project hosted by Khandroling Paper Cooperative took place on Saturdays from 2 PM-5:00 PM from May 6 thru June 3 in the former Conway Grammar School now called Tsegyalgar following our Origami making in the Marshall Fields Library (11:00AM-2:00 PM) or privately by papermaking participants in their own homes. We had already collected, processed, and beaten in our Hollander beater cotton rags collected from Conway residents to create pulp, which was used to make handmade paper specifically for the 250th anniversary of Conway.

An 1817 note from Ora White Hitchcocks's Ladies Circle

 who lived on Pumpkin Hollow Road in Conway

This paper became the base to contain writing and art by participants and artist members related to the history, stories and personal connection to the town of Conway, which was then mounted in a variety of formats using various methods (stamping, stencil, calligraphy, drawing ) for exhibition during the three-day anniversary. 

WHERE: The Old Grammar Schoolhouse at 18 Schoolhouse Road, Conway in the Khandroling Paper Studio in the basement of the Tsegyalgar building

WHEN/TIMES:  Saturdays, 2:00 PM-5:00 PM in the Old Conway Grammar School, 18 Schoolhouse Rd. thru June 3^rd following Lotus Making (11:00 AM-2:00 PM) in the Marshall Fields Library, Conway, MA 

The final works developed from the Rags to Paper Project  on view in the Conway Elementary School Conway Town Art Show, June 17 & 18, 2017

Final Work Exhibited June 17 & 18, 2017 in the Town of Conway Art Show

during the 250th Anniversary