Cast Paper Tree Stump

During the my first fall semester in graduate school, my class was informed that we would not have access to the bronze foundry due to COVID-19. As a metal worker primarily, I was left feeling quite disheartened; however, I wasn’t going to allow this to stop me from progressing as an artist. Taking this as an exciting challenge, I shifted my focus to experimenting with different casting materials. Straying away from the more classical sculptural materials such as plaster and wax, I began toying with the idea of casting with paper. Creating my first experiments with coupon catalogs I had found off the streets of Philadelphia, I was quite pleased with my results. This first cast paper tree, lead me to continue to explore the medium and even dive deep into making my own paper.

33.5” x 25” x 12”
Recycled Newspaper
December 2020

Cast Handmade Kozo Paper Tree Stump

After having much success with recycled paper, I turned my efforts toward making my own paper and was immediately excited by the possibilities and complexities of paper-making. Experimenting with different fibers such as, flax, cotton, kozo, and abaca, I found that each has its own physical properties ranging from shrinkage, fiber size, texture, and transparency. I began by layering the fragile, wet sheets of paper into rubber molds, until I found which fiber would work best. The handmade Kozo Paper offers longer fibers perfect for picking up details and is more durable when it comes to the casting process. Each cast has a solid structure, which on the surface appears to be delicate, but in fact embodies the strength of any plaster or wax cast.

33.5” x 25” x 12”
Handmade Kozo Paper
March 2021