The art form of paper marbling takes its name from the stone it resembles, which is prized for its characteristic veins and ripples. In the West, marbling originated in 15th century Turkey as ebru or ‘cloud art’. Paints were spread and manipulated on a gum-thickened tank of water to create embellishments for calligraphy and manuscripts, and to frame drawings and paintings.
Presented by Beck Sutton of The Harebrained Press, this workshop will provide participants with an introduction to the history, materials, equipment and processes of western paper marbling. Since 2016, Beck Sutton has learned the traditional art of bookmaking and techniques such as hand typesetting, letterpress printing, paper marbling and bookbinding. The Harebrained Press was born from this enterprise, along with its first edition, Closer than Breathing.
The workshop includes all materials and welcomes all levels of skill and ability. Participants will be given the opportunity to learn how to set up paper marbling at home, to try their hand at the art form, and to take their results away.
Beck Sutton of The Harebrained Press Presenter
Beck Sutton (R.I. Sutton) is a local writer and book artist who, in 2016, set out to produce her 136-page short story collection using only traditional bookmaking techniques. She dubbed this endeavor ‘The Harebrained Press Project’. Over the seven years that followed, Beck learnt hand typesetting, letterpress printing, paper marbling and bookbinding, to complete her project in 2023. The Harebrained Press was born from this enterprise.