Helen Hiebert's Blog

The Sunday Paper #583

November 30, 2025

The older I get, the more I think about the arch of my career. One source of inspiration that has carried through is capturing the light. Whether I’m holding a sheet of paper up to a window to check the quality of formation or surrounding a candle or battery-operated tea light with a sculptural paper form, I’m always observing how the paper diffuses, enhances and holds light. This is the theme of next summer’s Taos Paper Retreat, which will be held at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House in the Land of Enchantment. Click on the photo below to watch a video about the retreat, and click here to learn more and join us. Feel free to send me an email me if you have any questions.

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I had the pleasure of speaking with Lee McDonald on Paper Talk. McDonald is a papermaker with a long history of making tools. He has been involved with paper for over 5 decades, starting in the early years of Twinrocker Handmade Paper, and then moving on to making custom moulds, followed by building beaters, presses, and papermaking dryers. His future projects include ensuring how techniques and tools will be available in the future. McDonald is currently working on personal paper projects in his No Name Yet Paper Mill, along with making the mill available to artists.

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Speaking of capturing the light and the arch of my career, Jenny Pinto came to work with me in my Portland studio way back in the year 2000. We processed banana fiber she brought from India, worked on the projects for my book Paper Illuminated, and experimented with embedding wire between wet sheets. Jenny went on to found and then sell her company, Oorjaa (which she still consults for) and just received an award from Elle Decor India in the sustainable category for her Flamefall Gulmohar light. Congratulations, Jenny!

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I saw this vibrant, American-made wrapping paper by MASU over on the All Things Paper blog. Their holiday collections have such fun names: Oh What Fun!, Hanukkah Chutzpah, FaLaLaLaLa Pinkmas, and Jingle Jolly Joy.

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Paper TidbitsBook Paper Scissors looks like a fun event at the Philadelphia Free Library (Saturday, December 6th)I’m a member of the Craft Industry Alliance, a supportive trade organization. Receive 25% off memberships Black Friday through Cyber Monday by entering CRAFTPOP when you sign up.

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Author’s Corner

Weaving With Paper starts shipping later this week!

Join me on Zoom for a Publication Day Party for Weaving With Paper on 12/16.Order an autographed copy of Weaving With Paper with or without a special paper kit + a weaving tool.You can find all of my books wherever fine books are sold.Colorado peeps, Save the Dates! I’ll be at The Bookworm of Edwards on January 13th and at Two Hands Paperie in Boulder on January 31st.I’m doing online book events and workshops for paper, book, fiber and weaving guilds. Reach out if you’d like to book one!

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Work With HelenMy 2026 Papermaking Master Classes will take place June 1-5 and September 14-18 in my Red Cliff Studio. Join us and learn all about the papermaking process in a small group of four.The 2026 Taos Paper Retreat theme is Capture the Light. Become enchanted with the light of Taos, New Mexico July 19-25, 2026 (sign up by 1/15/26). (8 spots left)

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If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper?

Tell 4000+ paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

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SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in these posts – to products that I receive a small commission on if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Capture the Light appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

The Sunday Paper #582

November 23, 2025

The wait is almost over. I am gearing up to pack and ship out 300+ copies of Weaving With Paper! Five boxes of packing materials from EcoEnclose have arrived, and the books are on their way to me from the warehouse. If you still need a copy, you’ll find info at the bottom of this post. A huge thank you to those of you who pre-ordered – you exceeded my expectations!

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Join artist Paula Hartmann and cultural guide Katrin Schrimpf for an unforgettable 8-day creative immersion in the artisanal heart of Oaxaca. Learn traditional papermaking with Eduardo Santiago Gijón using native plant fibers like agave and corn husks, explore natural dyes, and take part in a paper jewelry workshop with a local Mexican artist. Paula will guide participants in creating poetic paper mobiles that draw on movement and craft traditions. Wander Oaxaca’s colorful street art alleys, hike ancient Zapotec trails, and enjoy rich cultural offerings like alebrije painting and a traditional cooking class. Stay in cozy, art-centered accommodations in both peaceful San Agustin Etla and vibrant Oaxaca City. Sign up for a Free Info Webinar on November 25th.

“This retreat was pure magic—calm, authentic, and full of inspiring people.” – Anne“Each day was a new adventure into the art, the land, and the people.” – Rebekah

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While interviewing an upcoming guest for my podcast, Paper Talk (Tran Hong Nhung of Zo Paper), I learned of the award-winning work if Vy Voi, who creates lighting pieces using Zo paper from Vietnam. If you who purchased my Curated Paper Collections back in 2021, you received a piece of Zo paper. Doesn’t it look beautiful when illuminated?

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Set aside 8 minutes to watch this incredible video about the barrileteros, or kitemakers, of Guatamala. These kites are made primarily from tissue paper and are raised/flown on All Saints’ Day every year.

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The University of Iowa Center for the Book (UICB) is seeking applicants for an Instructional Track Faculty position in Book Arts.

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Paper TidbitsBeth Kephart is a 2025 Pattis Family Foundation Creative Arts Book Award finalist! She and I talked about her book, My Life in Paper: Adventures in Ephemera, on Paper Talk a couple of years ago.The catalog for Legacies in Paper, Nancy Cohen, Sara Garden Armstrong and Helen Hiebert, will be available soon. Please let me know if you’re interested in a copy. If there is enough interest, I’ll add it to my web shop. You can check out the online version here.

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Author’s Corner

I am so thankful to have had a long term relationship with Storey Publishing, the author of all of my books that are still in print. They are a backlist publisher, which means that they keep my older books in print, along with the new ones. In addition to footing the bill for all of the up front costs, they also help with publicity. Here are the holiday shots for my two newest books.

Join me on Zoom for a Publication Day Party for Weaving With Paper on 12/16.Order an autographed copy of Weaving With Paper with or without a special paper kit + a weaving tool.You can find all of my books wherever fine books are sold.Colorado peeps, Save the Dates! I’ll be at The Bookworm of Edwards on January 13th and at Two Hands Paperie in Boulder on January 31st.I’m doing online book events and workshops for paper, book, fiber and weaving guilds. Reach out if you’d like to book one!

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Work With HelenMy 2026 Papermaking Master Classes will take place June 1-5 and September 14-18 in my Red Cliff Studio. Join us and learn all about the papermaking process in a small group of four.The 2026 Taos Paper Retreat theme is Capture the Light. Become enchanted with the light of Taos, New Mexico July 19-25, 2026 (sign up by 1/15/26). (8 spots left)We will be weaving with paper at the 2026 Red Cliff Paper Retreat. This retreat is in my Red Cliff, Colorado studio, August 17-21, 2026. (1 spot left)

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If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper?

Tell 4000+ paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

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SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in these posts – to products that I receive a small commission on if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post The Barrileteros of Guatemala appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

The Sunday Paper #581

November 16, 2025

This is a reminder that the first phase of the presale for my new book, Weaving With Paper, ends tomorrow (11/17). Please order now if you’d like guaranteed pre-holiday delivery. Don’t worry, you can still order copies after tomorrow – please find the details in the Author’s Corner section below.

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Book Arts in Venice, led by Kalamazoo Book Arts Center Executive Director Jeff Abshear, takes place again June 15 – June 26, 2026. Travel to Northern Italy to work in traditional book arts and letterpress studios. No previous experience is required; all levels are welcome with introductory instruction in the studio. Create prints at the Scuola Internazionale di Grafica in Venice, a design school and studio which has focused on printmaking and artist’s books for over 50 years. Learn to set movable type by hand and print a letterpress book at Tipoteca Italiana Fondazione, one of the largest typography museums in Europe, located in the town of Cornuda, at the foothills of the Dolomite Mountains.

Stay in furnished apartments in Venice and a 16th century villa in Cornuda, surrounded by prosecco vineyards. Visit historic sites including St. Mark’s Square and the Accademia Gallery and tour the 61st Venice Art Biennale, one of the largest international contemporary art exhibitions. All participants finish the trip with a copy of a collaborative handmade book. Learn more and sign up here.

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Not only can you eat the persimmon fruit, but it makes a mold-resistant, insect-repelling and waterproof dye that has been used to coat everything from timber to paper and natural textiles in Japan. Artisans of katazome, a stencil dyeing method for silk kimono (and paper), would use persimmon-dyed stencil paper for its strength and durability. Kiyoshi Omae believes the centuries-old practice has enough contemporary function to keep the traditional craft alive.

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Thanks to a reader for telling me about Urnfold, a German company that manufactures paper urns for burial. Rabbit hole warning! There is so much to see and read on this site. I found this paragraph touching: “Urnfold’s paper urns can form the basis for a personal farewell. Every person leaves behind a story, and our urns are designed to help honor and retell it… Urnfold urns can be painted, written on, decorated with stickers, adorned with flowers, scented, inscribed with final messages , and personalized in countless ways. 

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Thanks to another reader for sharing this fantastic story about the Post-it Note!

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Paper TidbitsHave you had a chance to listen to my interview with Naomi J. Kendall on Paper Talk?#CarveDecember is a free daily stamp carving challenge hosted by Julie Fei-Fan Balzer. Keep creating during one of the busiest months of the year.Legacies in Paper got a review inThe Technique, Georgia Tech’s student paper. Scroll down to page 10.

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Author’s CornerTomorrow (11/17) is the last day to pre-order copies of Weaving With Paper and get guaranteed delivery by the holidays. Click here to place your order.I will tally all of the orders tomorrow, place an order with the publisher, and order packing supplies. Once the books arrive, I will pack and ship, aiming to get them to you on or around Publication Day (12/16)You can still order copies, and I will try to get them to you in a timely fashion. The pricing for the paper kit + weaving tool will change slightly after tomorrow.The book is also available where fine books are sold (support your local independent bookstore)!Join me on Zoom for a Publication Day Party on 12/16.

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Work With HelenMy 2026 Papermaking Master Classes will take place June 1-5 and September 14-18 in my Red Cliff Studio. Join us and learn all about the papermaking process in a small group of four.The 2026 Taos Paper Retreat theme is Capture the Light. Become enchanted with the light of Taos, New Mexico July 19-25, 2026 (sign up by 1/15/26). (8 spots left)We will be weaving with paper at the 2026 Red Cliff Paper Retreat. This retreat is in my Red Cliff, Colorado studio, August 17-21, 2026. (3 spots left)

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About our Sponsor: The Kalamazoo Book Arts Center (KBAC) is a nonprofit organization in Kalamazoo, MI, that practices, teaches, and promotes the collaborative arts of the book including hand papermaking, printmaking, letterpress printing, bookbinding, and creative writing.

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If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper?

Tell 4000+ paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

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SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in these posts – to products that I receive a small commission on if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Persimmon Paper appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

The Sunday Paper #580

November 9, 2025

I’m getting ready to edition my next artist’s book, A Woven A to Z. This week, I made a test sheet for the box liner. Can you find my mistake? I didn’t notice it until I’d couched the wet sheet. That’s par for the course in this type of work. I’ll get that letter D right reading next time! In the meantime, I can’t wait to see how this paper looks when it is dry.

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I had the pleasure of speaking with Naomi J. Kendall on Paper Talk, an artist based in Somerset in the UK. Kendall completed a foundation course at Cheltenham School of Art and pursued a degree in art history from Leicester University and a postgraduate degree in gallery and museum studies from Manchester University. After a career working in galleries, in community arts, and as director of an arts charity in London, she returned to making her own work in 2011. Kendall exhibits her work internationally and is featured as a master artisan in the Michelangelo Foundation’s Homo Faber Guide, an online platform dedicated to craftsmanship that allows you to discover artisans and their masterpieces, explore museums, visit galleries and shops selling one-of-a-kind objects, and enjoy artistic experiences in cities across Europe. Enjoy our conversation!

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A research team from Canada and other nations has been focusing on the Japanese paper-cutting tradition of kirigami and have successfully developed a highly functional parachute. The fact that it can be mass-produced for a low cost makes it useful in times of conflict and disaster for distributing emergency supplies. Here is one carrying a water bottle. How clever!

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There is a growing interest in papermaking and art therapy (there’s even a book about it). All veterans have a story to tell. For too long, we have lived in a day and age where veterans tend to suppress their experiences – producing a culture of the “silent veteran.” Frontline Paper (formerly known as Combat Paper NJ) is a unique art project that offers artistic tools and professional instruction for all, providing a space to use art and writing to explore experiences, and ultimately share them publicly, all through papermaking. Frontline Paper, from the Hands of Frontline Arts’ Transformative Papermaking Program is on view at the Arts Council of Princeton, Nov 15 – Dec 10.

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Women Artists from Antwerp to Amsterdam, 1600-1750 (on view at the National Museum of Women in the Arts through January 11th) showcases a broad range of work by more than forty Dutch and Flemish women artists. Three paper cuttings by Joanna Koerten (aka Scissors Minerva) are in the show.

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Paper TidbitsPaper Year participants created Papercut Profiles in October. Watch the video.My 2026 Papermaking Master Classes will take place June 1-5 and September 14-18 in my Red Cliff Studio. Join us and learn all about the papermaking process in a small group of four.The 2026 Taos Paper Retreat is now open for registration. The theme is Capture the Light, and the retreat will take place July 19-25, 2026 in Taos, NM (sign up by 1/15/26).The 2026 Red Cliff Paper Retreat is also open for registration, and the theme is Paper Weaving. This retreat is in my Red Cliff, Colorado studio, August 17-21, 2026.

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Author’s CornerWe’re just a month away from Pub Day, and Weaving With Paper is getting some lovely reviews. Here are two excerpts:Publishers Weekly: “Paper artist Hiebert (The Art of Papercraft) provides an inspiring guide to paper weaving, in which strips of paper are interlaced to create decorative designs… This is sure to get crafters’ creative juices flowing.”Booklist: “This might be the ultimate craft or both recycling and saving money. An expert in artfully crafting with paper, Hiebert goes to the next level here, exploring the interlacing of papers (and textiles and even sandpaper).”Weaving With Paper is now available for pre-order on my website (and elsewhere). Publication day is December 16th, so I will be shipping copies to arrive then. Please place your order through me by November 17th in order to get your book before the holidays.

 

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If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper?

Tell 4000+ paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

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SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in these posts – to products that I receive a small commission on if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post All Veterans Have a Story to Tell appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

The Sunday Paper #579

November 2, 2025

I created a short video about the Mending Series that is currently on view at the Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking in Atlanta. It was so good to revisit and add to this series that I began early in my career (the middle image is from 20+ years ago). I often reflect on mending the universe – after all, it started in an explosion, The Big Bang. Six of these pieces will be available in February, after the exhibition closes. Inquiries welcome. My co-exhibitor, Sara Garden Armstrong, is teaching a papermaking workshop at the museum next Saturday, November 8th. Explore the processes of pigment staining, pulp-pouring, pulp painting, and collage techniques on pre-formed sheets of paper.

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Check out these intriguing lighting designs. I love what Hadeel Subahi has to say about tradition, innovation and the design process: “I began by meticulously copying existing patterns, folding hundreds of designs to grasp the underlying mechanisms of origami,” she remembers. “As my skills developed, I found inspiration in these patterns, which encouraged me to create my own designs.” Subahi began to experiment by applying traditional techniques in new ways: not only to create art, but to solve design challenges.

Hadeel Subahi with her Hadu lamps that were created for the UAE Designer Exhibition, curated by Omar Al Gurg, Photo credit: Daron Bandeira

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I am looking forward to visiting the town of Mino, Japan next fall with a small group during the annual lantern festival, which is now in full swing this year. Every autumn, the traditional merchant houses bask in the gentle light emitting from hundreds of glowing paper lanterns as part of the Mino Washi Akari Art Exhibition.

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I’ve featured Julian Curi, a.k.a Righteous Robot, on the blog before, but this clip takes us behind the scenes and into the mind of a filmmaker who refers to himself as a paper puppet cutout animator. He wears all of the hats in his amazing process.

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And now for a completely different style of paper lanterns created by a Hong Kong family that has been making paper-covered armatures for more than 30 years.

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Paper TidbitsMy 2026 Papermaking Master Classes will take place June 1-5 and September 14-18 in my Red Cliff Studio. Join us and learn all about the papermaking process in a small group of four.The 2026 Taos Paper Retreat is now open for registration. The theme is Capture the Light, and the retreat will take place July 19-25, 2026 in Taos, NM (sign up by 1/15/26).The 2026 Red Cliff Paper Retreat is also open for registration, and the theme is Paper Weaving. This retreat is in my Red Cliff, Colorado studio, August 17-21, 2026.

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Author’s CornerWeaving With Paper is now available for pre-order on my website (and elsewhere). Thank you to everyone who has ordered a copy. Publication day is December 16th, so I will be shipping copies to arrive then. Please place your order through me by November 17th in order to get your book before the holidays.All pre-ordered copies will be autographed.Purchase a special kit that includes 30 weaving papers in assorted sizesReceive a 15% discount if you order 2 or more copies.Join me on Zoom for a Publication Day Party on 12/16.

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If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper?

Tell 4000+ paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

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SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in these posts – to products that I receive a small commission on if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Mending appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

The Sunday Paper #578

October 26, 2025

I’ve been typing about Making Zen for a couple of weeks now, and it is finally here. Tomorrow, October 27th, we’re kicking off a really fun week of workshops, creativity, and connection with the Making Zen retreat. Six presentations will be available for viewing each day this week, and they’ll each be available for 24 hours for anyone who’s registered for free to the retreat. My own presentation is A Trio of Woven Notecards and it’s happening on Wednesday, October 29th – but check out the other days for all the other fascinating topics too!If 24 hours of access seems like it’s just not enough, there’s also an option to purchase the VIP Pass, which gives you lifetime access to all 30 workshops, as well as a special gift from each of the presenting artists (my gift is how to make a Hexagonal Weaving , pictured below right). If that’s something you’re interested in, it’s a good idea to get that now – it’s currently on sale for the Early Bird price of $97, but once the retreat starts tomorrow, it goes back up to the regular price of $147 USD! If you want to join in on the fun, you can get all the details for the free ticket and for the VIP Pass here. Wishing you a week full of creativity, and please share your weavings with me!

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I’m a big fan of envelope art, and Mic Diño Boekelmann’s work is a delight. Central to her work is the manila envelope—a humble vessel reimagined through process, memory, and material transformation. Through hand-cutting, layering, and dialogue, Boekelmann infuses these envelopes with ancestral narratives and the energies of belonging.

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Iowa Art Field, a multi-site installation art project, is taking place this upcoming week and is directed by Nicholas Cladis, curated by Cladis and Sugimoto Hiroshi, and in partnership with the City of Iowa City and Johnson County. A community of thoughtful makers and creatives seek to highlight some of Iowa City’s remarkable structures and locations through aesthetic, historical and conceptual engagement by artists. Their practices range from time-based media to sculpture to print to papermaking.

Artist Tony Orrico works on his project at the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm.

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Origami tessellations are a fascinating form of folding that create repeating geometric patterns from a single sheet of paper. These patterns have both relaxing and challenging aspects to them and make great snowflake-like decorations for windows. Whether you’re brand new to origami tessellations or have been folding them for years, Advent of Tessellations is a chance to enjoy 25 small projects (with video tutorials released over 25 days) that gradually build in difficulty so you can learn tessellation folding skills and have fun while doing it! Each tessellation is folded from a hexagon and this year you can even get sheets of hexagonal paper that are perfect for this size of pattern. Sign up to join Advent of Tessellations for free, where you’ll also find a list of supplies and how to get them.

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I’m delighted to share the online catalog of the Legacies in Paper exhibition at the Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking in Atlanta (on view through January 30, 2026). A print version will be available soon. The catalog features an essay by Bridget Donlon.

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Paper TidbitsMy 2026 Papermaking Master Classes will take place June 1-5 and September 14-18 in my Red Cliff Studio. Join us and learn all about the papermaking process in a small group of four.The 2026 Taos Paper Retreat is now open for registration. The theme is Capture the Light, and the retreat will take place July 19-25, 2026 in Taos, NM (sign up by 1/15/26).The 2026 Red Cliff Paper Retreat is also open for registration, and the theme is Paper Weaving. This retreat is in my Red Cliff, Colorado studio, August 17-21, 2026.

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Author’s CornerWeaving With Paper is now available for pre-order on my website (and elsewhere). Thank you to everyone who has ordered a copy! (There was a glitch with paypal orders which has now been fixed). Publication day is December 16th, so I will be shipping copies to arrive then. Please place your order through me by November 17th in order to get your book before the holidays.All pre-ordered copies will be autographed.Purchase a special kit that includes 30 weaving papers in assorted sizesReceive a 15% discount if you order 2 or more copies.Join me on Zoom for a Publication Day Party on 12/16.

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About Our Sponsor: Madonna Yoder explores the infinite possibility of origami tessellation design and provides lessons and supplies for making these patterns through her business, Gathering Folds. She has created over 700 designs since 2018 and teaches aspiring origami tessellation folders how to fold tessellations at all difficulty levels by teaching the skills and theory behind all tessellations.

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If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper?

Tell 4000+ paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

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SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in these posts – to products that I receive a small commission on if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Iowa Art Field appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

The Sunday Paper #577

October 19, 2025

In 2023, I wrote down a goal/mission: “to make money (still growing that retirement fund) while making an impact, having fun, and spending time with cool people over the next 10 years (plan is to scale back in 2033 when I’m 68)”.

About a year ago, I invited Amanda Guest, an artist I met through Dieu Donné in NYC when we were both in our late 20’s, to spend a week in my studio. We met monthly on zoom over the year to reconnect and plan. This turned into a self-hosted residency with an artist friend. I needed time to focus on my next artist’s book (which has been dragging along for years) and Amanda hadn’t worked in a paper studio for a long time. I will be processing this experience for awhile.

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I was on the Making Zen podcast earlier this week, talking with Kate Ward about my art practice. I hope you have a minute (or 30) to listen to our conversation. This leads up to Making Zen, a five-day online retreat that will take place October 27-31, featuring 30 workshops taught by different artists (including me). It’s totally free to attend those presentations for 24 hours, but there is a VIP Pass that allows you to purchase lifetime access (VIP passes are discounted now until the retreat begins on the 27th). Get all the details here. 

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It was sad to receive this note of passing from Brien Beidler and Shanna Leino on October 15th: “Jim Croft made his final crease in this fold of space and time yesterday morning at 10:04 am, surrounded by his immediate family and music on their homestead in Pokey Creek.”

Jim was one-of-a-kind, and I had the honor of spending time with him at a Paper and Book Intensive years ago. My husband and one-year old were in tow, and Jim carved a set of wooden teething blocks for the babe. A few years later, he drove over to my studio in Portland to test beat some hemp firehose in my beater. It was a rare treat to talk with someone about the nuances of making pulp.

Tim Barrett has wrote this beautiful homage to Jim: “Jim Croft was a master at book binding. Of that there is no doubt. When he was in the zone, and hitting his stride, everything about a book he was making was thoroughly wrought, the paper, the sewing, the boards, the headbands, the brass clasps. He worked until each part was right and entirely integrated with the whole. He worked until it was completely, honestly, and utterly done. The result in his best books was so well executed it hurt to behold the damn thing. You felt lucky just to be around it, and to know the guy who made it. Which brings me to the other thing Jim was a master at: living life, living his work in his life, and enjoying every second of it. He was a life force. Like I say, you felt lucky to be around the guy, to know him as a fellow human being. So, we are left feeling someone, something has been taken away from us. But at the same time, we know down deep that Jim worked his way into each of our hearts and souls, just by being himself. And we also know that the way we celebrate him at this moment is to keep him alive in our lives and work, in the way we interact with others. That gesture will keep him among us. No question about it, we were all lucky to have had Jim Croft as a friend, colleague, or family member.”

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I adore the work of Sarah Sense, who is a visionary artist celebrated for her distinctive approach to weaving. She is a featured artist in the Montclair Art Museum’s landmark exhibition, “Interwoven Power: Native Knowledge / Native Art” recently. She has been practicing photo-weaving with traditional basket techniques from her Chitimacha and Choctaw family since 2004.

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These fantastical cardboard sculptures, by artist James Grashow, are worth taking a look at (behind a NY Times paywall, but maybe you’re a subscriber).

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Paper TidbitsHave you listened to my interview with Paulina Johnson on Paper Talk?The 2026 Taos Paper Retreat is now open for registration. The theme is Capture the Light, and the retreat will take place July 19-25, 2026 in Taos, NM (sign up by 1/15/26).The 2026 Red Cliff Paper Retreat is also open for registration, and the theme is Paper Weaving. This retreat is in my Red Cliff, Colorado studio, August 17-21, 2026.

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Author’s CornerWeaving With Paper is now available for pre-order on my website (and elsewhere). Thank you to everyone who has ordered a copy! (There was a glitch with paypal orders which has now been fixed). Publication day is December 16th, so I will be shipping copies to arrive then. Please place your order through me by November 17th.All pre-ordered copies will be autographed.Purchase a special kit that includes 30 weaving papers in assorted sizesReceive a 15% discount if you order 2 or more copies.Join me on Zoom for a Publication Day Party on 12/16.

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If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper?

Tell 4000+ paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in these posts – to products that I receive a small commission on if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post A Self Hosted Residency appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

The Sunday Paper #575

October 12, 2025

We made Book Weavings earlier this week in a workshop I held on Zoom to kick of registration for The Paper Year, my online membership community. Tamar S. sent this photo with a note from Israel:

“l watched the replay of the paper weaving today, and sat weaving and cutting for hours. It was a great way to get away from the dreadful reality…”.

Watch the replay and learn how to make your own Book Weaving.

The Paper Year is now open for new members now through tonight, October 12th. Click through to read all about it and join us. And please reach out if you have any questions.

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Making Zen is a five-day online retreat that will take place October 27-31, featuring 30 workshops taught by different artists (including me)! Six presentations become available each weekday, and it’s totally free to attend those presentations for 24 hours. That’s a lot to take in, so there is a VIP Pass that allows you to purchase lifetime access to all of the presentations (plus some extra-special gifts for you contributed by each of the presenting artists). Below you see my offering: three Woven Paper Notecards for the free sessions, and a PDF with instructions for creating a Hexagonal Weaving for VIP pass holders (these passes are discounted now until the retreat begins on the 27th). Get all the details here. 

My workshop is just one of 30! Here are a few more pics featuring a small sampling of other offerings: Cyanotype Printing on Fabric with Madge Evers; Animated Mechanical Cards with Kelli Anderson; Embroidered Jeans with Kasia Jacquot; and Mindful Embroidered Mandalas with Donna Davies.

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I had the pleasure of interviewing Paulina Johnson on Paper Talk. Originally from Mexico City, via California, and South Carolina, she has been immersed in the fields of art and graphic design for over 20 years. She received a joint BFA from the Academy of Art University and the University of San Francisco in 1999. In 2017, she earned an MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Johnson has been an ongoing educator and is currently an exhibiting partner at Pine Moon Fine Art in Steamboat Springs, CO. She lives and works in beautiful Steamboat where she enjoys the mountains with her husband, two growing boys and their pup Murray. Enjoy our conversation!

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I love this! Every Friday, the Spencer Museum of Art in Lawrence, KS opens its entire collection of prints, drawings and photographs to the public. Visitors can explore up close pieces that are usually kept in storage or behind glass.

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Join me, Nancy Cohen and Sara Garden Armstrong, for a free virtual talk about our show, Legacies in Paper, at the Robert C. Williams Papermaking Museum this Wednesday evening, October 15th. Register here. We will discuss the trajectory of our careers, our relationship with the medium of handmade paper, and our current explorations.

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Paper TidbitsIf you are in Vienna, Austria, or will be traveling there in 2026, check out the workshop schedule at the Papierwespe.The New Mexico History Museum is hosting visiting artist Julie Chen as a distinguished speaker on the contemporary letterpress and handmade books for the inaugural Palace Press Presents: Visiting Artist Lecture Series .The 2026 Taos Paper Retreat is now open for registration. The theme is Capture the Light, and the retreat will take place July 19-25, 2026 in Taos, NM (sign up by 1/15/26).The 2026 Red Cliff Paper Retreat is also open for registration, and the theme is Paper Weaving. This retreat is in my Red Cliff, Colorado studio, August 17-21, 2026.

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Author’s CornerWeaving With Paper is now available for pre-order on my website (and elsewhere). Thank you to everyone who has ordered a copy! Publication day is December 16th, so I will be shipping copies to arrive then. Please place your order through me by November 17th.All pre-ordered copies will be autographed.Purchase a special kit that includes 30 weaving papers in assorted sizesReceive a 15% discount if you order 2 or more copies.Join me on Zoom for a Publication Day Party on 12/16.

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If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper?

Tell 4000+ paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

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SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in these posts – to products that I receive a small commission on if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Making Zen appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

The Sunday Paper #575

October 5, 2025

I hope to see you tomorrow (October 6th) – I’m rolling out a double-header! I’ll be launching pre-sales for my new book, Weaving With Paper and talking about The Paper Year, my monthly membership program. Then, we’ll make a Book Weaving to round out the one-hour session. Click here to sign up for the Zoom session and get the supply list.

The Paper Year is a warm, encouraging, supportive, creative community, and registration is now open (through 10/12).

In Weaving With Paper, I share 30 unique paper weaving projects with step-by-step instruction and inspirational prompts for developing a daily practice.

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I had a blast with these lovely ladies in the studio this week. This wraps up my last Papermaking Master Class of the season. I’m so fortunate to have people flying in and driving over from places like North Carolina, California and Nevada (in addition to a short hop from Denver). We explored all facets of papermaking. Registration will open for next season’s courses soon. Apply to master the papermaking process.

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If you are in or near Iowa City, I highly recommend Paper Engineering in Art, Science, and Education, which showcases the fascinating world of movable books and paper technologies. Curated by Giselle Simón, Damien Ihrig, and Elizabeth Yale, this interactive exhibition invites visitors to explore flap books, pop-ups, tunnel books, volvelles, and books that use paper to make sounds while learning about their historical and contemporary significance. The exhibit contains historical examples of movable books and paper engineered objects as well as modern book art. My Pop-Up Hand Shadow Book is in the show. If you aren’t in Iowa City, click through to view the amazing resources that have been created for the exhibition (videos, words and an exhibit guide).

ul’nigid‘, by Rhiannon Skye Tafoya. Rosendale, New York: Women’s Studio Workshop, 2019. x-Collection [FOLIO N7433.4.T29 U4 2019], Special Collections and Archives, University of Iowa Libraries. Photo: Sara Pinkham.

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Sarah Rodriguez, an academic advisor for the School of the Arts (SOTA), recently collaborated with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital to create artwork. Her paper collages, made alongside patients and nurses, will be on display in the hospital starting in 2026. “What I really liked about the project…were thinking about how art can be healing, and that some of these people are going through the hardest part of their lives,” Rodriguez said. “The idea that my art could help in any kind of way is just really powerful and meaningful.”

Sarah Rodriguez, Breaking the Surface, paper collage

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These ice books by Basia Irland (not paper, but books) are stunning.

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Paper TidbitsThe 2026 Taos Paper Retreat is now open for registration. The theme is Capture the Light, and the retreat will take place July 19-25, 2026 in Taos, NM (sign up by 1/15/26).The 2026 Red Cliff Paper Retreat is also open for registration, and the theme is Paper Weaving. This retreat is in my Red Cliff, Colorado studio, August 17-21, 2026.

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Author’s Corner

We’re getting closer to pub date for Weaving With Paper (December 16th). Pre-sales on my website are now open. The first 50 orders placed will receive a FREE weaving tool. 

I’m doing a few fun events leading up to the book release.

10/7: I’m participating in Spinning & Weaving Week, a 7-day celebration of the fiber arts hosted by the Handweaver’s Guild of America, Inc. I’ll be teaching a one-hour online paper weaving workshop this coming Tuesday, October 7th.12/16/25 is Pub Date! Save the date for the official book launch party on Zoom. Details coming soon!

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If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper?

Tell 4000+ paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

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SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in these posts – to products that I receive a small commission on if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Paper Engineering in Art, Science, and Education appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.

The Sunday Paper #574

September 28, 2025

Are you looking for a creative community? The Paper Year is a warm, encouraging, supportive, creative group that will be open to new members October 1-12, 2025. Here’s a peek at what we’ll be creating over the next 3 months: a Papercut Profile, Slit Stars with guest artist, Cathryn Miller, of Byopia Press; and a Pop-Up Tree. And that’s not all. Click here to read more about The Paper Year and/or join me on October 6th to learn more about the program on Zoom.

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Check out this installation by Aprl Capalungan in The Philippines. The Parallels of Reconstruction <=> Deconstruction; Possibly, is an interactive, ephemeral paper installation retelling the possibilities of experience and ideas continuously taking shape and refocusing what preservation and/or transformation could be.

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Ann Wood creates exquisite paper sculptures. I love what she says about her process: “I developed my own way of manipulating paper as a material. I didn’t use any tutorials but developed my own techniques through experimenting. I don’t use the traditional crepe paper, but use many varieties of paper. Some are tissue thin, and others are lightweight cardboard. I’ve learned my own vocabulary with what each type of paper can do.”

Ann Wood, as seen on My Modern Met

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The Morgan Conservatory in Cleveland is holding its second annual Dress To Impress paper fashion fundraiser on Saturday, October 4th. Tony Williams talks about his hand painted paper garment that is quilted and hand stitched in this clip. This night of exotic and wild paper fashions and wearable art celebrates paper and print as fashion. Get details and tickets here.

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This has nothing to do with paper, but I wanted to share an article by my husband, Ted Katauskas, that’s in Outside Magazine. It is a fascinating account of a search and rescue/recovery mission that lasted almost 20 years and included our dog, Stryker.

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Paper TidbitsHave you had a chance to listen to my interview with Carole Kunstadt on Paper Talk?The 2026 Taos Paper Retreat is now open for registration. The theme is Capture the Light, and the retreat will take place July 19-25, 2026 in Taos, NM (sign up by 1/15/26).The 2026 Red Cliff Paper Retreat is also open for registration, and the theme is Paper Weaving. This retreat is in my Red Cliff, Colorado studio, August 17-21, 2026.If you’re in Southeast Ohio, Scout Ery (formerly of Paper Circle) is offering a Japanese papermaking workshop November 12-15.Join me, Nancy Cohen and Sara Garden Armstrong for a conversation that explores our careers, our relationships with handmade paper, and our current explorations, hosted by the Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking. We’ll be speaking on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at 7 PM Eastern ( on Zoom). Free to attend—advance registration required.

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Author’s Corner

Join me for a FREE Zoom mini-workshop on Monday, October 6th to launch pre-sales for Weaving With Paper AND to kick off registration for The Paper Year, which will be open to new members October 1-12. Sign up and get the supply list here. The session will begin with a short, face-paced overview of The Paper Year, followed by a viewing of an advance copy of Weaving With Paper and my pre-sale offers. Then we’ll create a Book Weaving. Please invite your weaving-, book-, and paper-loving friends!

We’re getting closer to pub date for Weaving With Paper (December 16th). I’m opening pre-sales on my website on October 1st. The first 50 orders placed will receive a FREE weaving tool, and there will be other special offers if you pre-order from me. Stay tuned!

I’m doing a few fun events leading up to the book release.

10/7: I’m participating in Spinning & Weaving Week, a 7-day celebration of the fiber arts hosted by the Handweaver’s Guild of America, Inc. I’ll be teaching a one-hour online paper weaving workshop on October 7th.10/27-31: I’ve created a pre-recorded session featuring 3 ways to create woven paper notecards and a VIP lesson on hexagonal weaving for Making Zen. Get notified when registration for this free event opens.12/16/25 is Pub Date! Save the date for the official book launch party on Zoom. Details coming soon!

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If you read this blog regularly, would you consider making a donation to support the research, writing, design and delivery of The Sunday Paper?

Tell 4000+ paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.

———————————————————————————————––––––

SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!

I occasionally have affiliate links in these posts – to products that I receive a small commission on if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

The post Paper Mushrooms appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.