Paper has long served as a bridge to hands-on learning for makers of all ages--from young learners to experienced hobbyists--by drawing on the accessibility and rich heritage of papercrafting. Studies show how familiar, accessible materials like paper can broaden participation in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) education, making it an ideal medium for creative and inclusive learning experiences. 

Join authors and artists Lynn Sures & Michelle Samour as they talk about their new book Radical Paper: Art and Invention with Colored Pulp. Although handmade papers have been used by artists for centuries, the use of colored paper pulp as an integral element in creating art – as opposed to serving only as the surface on which art is created – has seen remarkable development over the last 70 years.

Mary Hark will discuss her practice as a studio artist, a production papermaker, and the ways she has shared her skills with a variety of communities. Describing projects that she has led in inner city St. Paul, Minnesota, her ongoing project in Ghana, West Africa, as well as her work as an educator in a variety of settings, Mary will share the ways that her papermaking practice has contributed to building community in the places she lives and works. 

Join three artists, Lehuauakea, Dalani Tanahy, and Cora-Allan from the Bark Rhythms: Contemporary Innovations & Ancestral Traditions exhibition as they discuss their artwork and process. Lehuauakea and Dalani Tanahy will discuss Hawaiian Kapa barkcloth and Cora-Allan will discuss Hiapo bark cloth from Niue.

Join speakers James Ojascastro and Cekouat Elim León Peralta while they speak about the Bark Rhythms: Contemporary Innovations & Ancestral Traditions exhibition. Ojascastro will discuss Bast fibers for bark paper & cloth, and León Peralta will discuss his artwork and process for his Papel Amate from Mexico.

Join artists Sheila Nakitende and Tedi Permadi from the Bark Rhythms: Contemporary Innovations & Ancestral Traditions exhibition as they discuss their artwork and process.  Sheila Nakitende will speak about her Ugandan barkcloth and Tedi Permadi will speak about his Indonesian Daluang bark paper.

 Join four artists from the Sustainability in Chaos exhibition as they discuss their artwork and process. Heather Kohlmeier, Joyce Gold, and Kerri Cushman all have three-dimensional works in the exhibition. Some hang from the ceiling, others project from the wall, and one is a sculptural book. The variety is boundless!

 Join four artists from the Sustainability in Chaos exhibition as they converse about their artwork and process. John Vinklarek, Kristen Tordella-Williams, Marjorie Fedyszyn, and Samuel Aguirre discuss the techniques of casting, rust painting, binding, and strengthening to make utterly unique works of paper art. This talk pulls back the “wizard's curtain” to reveal how these wonders are made.

Professors Dr. Natalie Khazaal, Associate Professor in the School of Modern Languages and the Director of the Arabic, Middle East and North Africa programs and Dr. Mohammad Ghomi, Professor in the School of Mathmatics will interpret the concepts from the exhibit Geometric Aljamia: A Cultural Transliteration in their respective fields. Learn a bit more about Middle Eastern culture and the math found in the lovely geometric patterns of Islamic cultures.

Geometric Aljamia: A Cultural Transliteration is a cross-cultural collaboration that addresses how connections between the Middle East and the West during the Golden Age of Islamic Civilization continue to be relevant and vibrant in the 21st Century. The exhibition includes artists, designers, performers, and writers from Afghanistan, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Canada, and the United States.