Studio Visit: Twigs Fabrics and Wallpaper

Founded in 1973, Twigs Fabrics and Wallpaper specializes in handmade textiles and wallpapers inspired by 18th and 19th century decor. Founder, owner and creative mastermind Arthur Athas embarked on this path in Boston where he was still attending art school. Twigs’ first major project was in 1977, commissioned by The Metropolitan Museum of Art to reproduce “The Monuments of Paris” wallpaper (originally made in early 1800s). The museum requested a panoramic wallpaper to use in their exhibition room, taking a team of artists two years to produce the drawings and over a thousand silkscreens to finish the printing. After many years of working on numerous large scale projects (even at the White House!), Arthur and his partner Rick decided to scale down to a two-person team in their production studio in Culver City.

“The Monuments of Paris” promotional material

About ten years ago, Arthur began using rolls of Japanese papers for his wallpapers, because of their durability and their texture that adds to Twigs’ handmade feel. By using a paper that is a blend of kozo and cotton/hemp, the paper is strong enough to withstand multiple layers of silkscreen, hand-painting and dyes. Noticeably, there are no machines in the Twigs studio, because no part of their process requires them. The papers or fabrics are laid out on their long tables, where all of the printing, painting and dyeing magic happens. Even the dyes are made by hand in the outdoor patio area, carefully concocted by Rick’s visual senses and 27 years of experience.

Wall paper hand painted on Japanese paper

Though struggling to adjust to the ever changing tastes and interests in the decor/design realm, Arthur has never let his artistic vision be blurred. He still keeps an aged poster of the Villa Foscari – La Malcontenta (villa near Venice, Italy) on his studio wall, as a constant reminder of what had initially sparked him to start this now niche business. Behind Twigs’ continued success in such a unique market is Arthur’s unwavering vision and passion for art and all things beautiful.

Hand painted wallpaper on Japanese paper

Pyramid Atlantic: Sargasso Sea Scrolls

Scrolls in production – species images being screenprinted over the golden sargassum

Pyramid Atlantic and the Sargasso Sea Alliance (SSA) collaboration: screen printed Sargasso Sea Scrolls on HPR-01 Okawara Roll currently on view in the Washington Printmakers Gallery (WPG).

For more information, check out:pyramidscreenprint.blogspot.com/2012/04/sargasso-sea-scrolls.html

Five rolls of Okawara paper were ordered from Hiromi for the project, and the scrolls are now completed and are being taken to Bermuda next week for unveiling and exhibition there at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute on Thursday 20th September at 6.00pm.

The Sargasso Sea flows around the island of Bermuda in the Atlantic and is host to a wide variety of endemic and endangered sea species.  The scrolls have been made to raise awareness for both Pyramid Atlantic  and the Sargasso Sea Alliance  – which is striving to protect the Sargasso Sea and its associated marine species under international law.

The idea was conceived by 2 board members of Pyramid Atlantic, Marti Ittner and Jenny Freestone.  Artists from around the world were approached and ask to submit drawings of some of the marine species that live in, or make use of, the Sargasso Sea.  The scrolls comprise a set of 3 panels of Okawara paper, each 2’6′ wide by 8′ high

Under the direction of Gretchen Schermerhorn, Artistic Director at Pyramid Atlantic, photographic images of the sargassum weed have been digitally printed on gold on each panel.  The artists’ drawings have been converted to digital images, and screenprinted onto the panels.  The scrolls are in an edition of 5.  Six portfolios, each containing containing a full set of each marine species (on Okawara) are also under production.

If interested in purchasing or for further information, please contact Pyramid Atlantic!

Behind the paper: Takaoka Ushi

Just recently, one of our beloved paper makers in Kochi prefecture was featured in an article in the Yomiuri newspaper. (You can see the original article here)

Yomiuri Online: February 6 2012 article. http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/e-japan/kochi/news/20120205-OYT8T00868.htm

Takaoka Ushi was the first paper makers to ever invent a paper-making machine in 1957; which is still used to this day. It is often said that handmade paper is better in quality than machine made ones, which is accurate, but these machine made papers by Takaoka are of excellent qualities, resembling those of handmade papers.

Los Angeles Eiga Fest 2011

Click here to watch the LA Eiga Fest commercial featuring artwork done on our Daitoku Roll.

LA Eiga Fest

Tickets will be available for purchase online for the film festival taking place November 11-13, 2011 at the Chinese Theatres, Los Angeles.

Shiramine Roll Paper and My Work

By Yoshiko Shimano
Associate Professor, Printmaking
University of New Mexico

I was introduced to a roll of Shiramine washi paper over ten years ago and I have used it ever since.  This paper has extended my work in many directions and challenges me to create my prints (works on paper) innovatively.  The rolls of paper allow me to work large. My over-sized prints are composed by joining together a few or many sections of the Shiramine.  This process helps me to create my prints three dimensionally or even four dimensionally. Before I make any matrices (materials to be printed from), I start composing papers, thinking about the overall size, flow of energy, dynamics, physicality and presence of the work based on my concept.  I put the sections of blank papers up in place (on a wall or sometime on a floor for a floor installation work.) In my mind, I can see my images, which I haven’t even printed yet.  It is a most critical stage in my creation process.  If I can see the image, I feel that the work is already successful.

Washi Tour 2010 Part 6 Nai Gai – Machine Made Tengucho Paper

The next stop was to a paper mill that was brand new to Hiromi Paper, Nai Gai Tengucho Paper, Ltd. Owned by two sisters, Nai Gai specializes in machine made Tengucho. Like the Shikoku Wagami machine made Gampi mill, we learned here again that machine made paper still takes a large amount of time to prepare by hand. The kozo fibers are cooked and cleaned by hand. Then, setting Tosa Tengucho apart from everywhere else, a specially made stainless steel basket (koburi) is used in water to separate the fibers and clean them even further.

Judy Pfaff : Year of the Dog

Judy Pfaff
Year of the Dog – a selection from the series

Showing at the Greenfield Sacks Gallery
Bergamot Station B6
www.greenfieldsacks.com

February 26 – April 16, 2011

Works feature woodblock, collage with hand painting, digital and encaustic on custom made HPI kozo roll.

Surfboard & Fine Art Archival Printing

“Archival Prints LLC art firm is internationally recognized for custom surfboard design, surfboard laminates, large-format archival printing, fine art reproduction, and mixed media fine art. Founded in 2004 in Maui, Hawaii, artistic exploration is at the core of the company’s foundation. Inspired by a passion for the arts, surfing, respect for community, cultural awareness and a drive to support change through art.

In 2004, Archival Prints LLC created its unique “archival print”, a large-format surfboard laminate – a fine are reproduction printed on Japanese paper using ink with 100 year permanence. The process of glassing a ‘100 year archival print’ onto a surfboard, is revolutionary in the world of surfing. This distinctive process is the brand’s cornerstone and allows for photo-realistic imagery to cover the entire surfboard. High function and artistic freedom set the standard for Archival Prints LLC custom surfboard collections. These defining traits, instilled in each new design, have forged a recognizable identity, placing Archival Prints LLC into the ranks of respected artists in the surfboard industry.

Archival Prints LLC services include archival printing, fine art reproduction, graphic design, and image archiving. These custom services are offered to an array of clients, ranging from international company’s in need of original artwork for products, local artists seeking image archiving and printing services, as well as to surfboard shapers in need of design and laminates.”

• Click here for Archival Prints LLC fine art printing and archival services, including Japanese Fine Art Paper media

• See the surfboard gallery here, with lamination services here.

• Hiromi Paper’s digital & archival papers and rolls

More Gorgeous Wallpaper Designs

From Twigs Fabric & Wallpaper (310-314-6284) on our KMR-01 Shikoku Natural Roll
• previous post here

KMR-01 Shikoku Natural Wallpapers

Arthur from Twigs Fabric & Wallpaper (310-314-6284) in IDS Venice stopped by to show us a sample of his work on our  KMR-01 Shikoku Natural Rolls.

Japanese “Wave” Pattern using the Italian “Carta D’orata” technique (spelling may be off)

According to him, the Shikoku Natural paper’s long fibers make it a great paper for soaking in different colors, they’ve been using it for years now!