Ray Tomasso Hand Papermaking Workshops

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Diane

Ray Tomasso forming sheets of paper.

Ray Tomasso forming sheets of paper.

Ray is now offering scheduled workshops at his professional hand papermaking studio.

Two one-day hand papermaking workshops are scheduled for September 24th and October 8th.  Each Saturday workshop runs from 10 am until 4 pm with an hour for lunch.

Classes will be held at the Inter-Ocean Curiosity Studio, 2905 S. Elati St., Englewood, CO 80110.  Each class will be limited to five attendees.

The fee for each class is $150.  Mail a check to the address above to reserve your place. Please make sure to specify which date/s you plan to attend. Checks should be made payable to Ray Tomasso.

Students should bring molds and/or objects for their paper casting projects. All other other materials will be provided.  Each student will take home their own paper sheets and castings.

The class schedule is listed below. E-mail Ray for any additional information or call him at 303-552-8256.

CLASS SCHEDULE
Morning

  • Brief history of papermaking.
  • Selection of materials for making paper.
  • Preparing paper pulp for sheetmaking and sculptural casting.
  • Building papermaking equipment.
  • Demonstration, hands-on experience forming sheets of paper with several different pulps and paper molds.

ONE-HOUR Lunch
Participants can bring their own lunches or eat out –
Chipotle, Smashburger and Jimmy John’s are all five minutes away.

Afternoon

  • Demonstration and hands-on experience laminating multiple sheets of paper and experimenting with a variety of decorative processes, included painting with colored paper pulps.
  • Various ways to press and dry paper.
  • Demonstration, hands-on experience casting paper sculptural forms.
  • In any remaining time, students may continue sheet forming, casting sculptural forms, and Ray will consult on individual projects.

If you’d like to do a little reading before the class, here are three suggested books:

Dard Hunter. PAPERMAKING The History and Technique of an Ancient Craft. Alfred Knopf: New York, 1943 & 1947. There is also a 1978 Dover paperback reprint of the 1947 2nd edition, ISBN 0-486-23619-6.

Bernard Toale. The Art of Papermaking, Davis Publications, Inc:  Worcester, MA, 1983.
ISBN 0-87192-140-5.

Sophie Dawson. The Art and Craft of Papermaking; Step-by-step Instruction for Creating Distinctive Handmade Paper, Aurum Press Limited: London, 1993. ISBN 1-85410-237-0.

The University of Colorado at Boulder recently prepared a series of videos of Ray making paper and discussing hand papermaking.  These can be viewed at http://scriptalab.org/?page_id=649

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Ray Tomasso’s New Site-Specific Works at CU Boulder

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Diane
Ray Tomasso in his studio completing two site-specific works of art created for Norlin Library on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder.

Ray Tomasso completing two site-specific works of art for Norlin Library in his studio.

Historic photo of Norlin Library showing the location of the new site-specific work just left of the semi-circular bay.

Historic photo of Norlin Library showing the location of the new site-specific work just left of the semi-circular bay.

In 1977, the east addition to CU Boulder’s Norlin Library encapsulated architect Charles Z. Klauder’s original window bay, seen in the historic photo at left. Ray created a pair of new works of art for former window locations just to the left and right of the semi-circular bay, now an interior decorative element of the second floor Reference Library.

Each of the works is 8’3″ tall, 4′ wide and 6″ deep. Entitled “Red Skies” and “Love in Spring,” the two works are cast archival rag paper with natural pigments, acrylic and watercolor.  They form the centerpiece of a show of approximately thirty of Ray’s recent works of art currently on display in conjunction with a larger Book Craft program that includes other exhibits, lectures and workshops.

Ray Tomasso's new site specific works at Norlin Library.

Ray Tomasso's "Red Skies" (left) and "Love in Spring" hanging in the 2nd floor Norlin reference library.

 

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BIG BIG Artists’ Book Donated to Norlin Library

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Diane
Ray Tomasso with the collaborative artists' book "Erosion of Tradition."

Ray Tomasso with the collaborative artists' book "Erosion of Tradition," measuring 3' x 2' x 8"

In 1980, Ray collaborated with fellow artists Tim Anderson and Gretchen Esping-Swanson to produce a large artists’ book entitled Erosion of Tradition. The work was exhibited in the 1983 show “Breaking the Bindings: American Book Art Now, An Exhibition of Creative Bookmaking Produced in the United States Since 1980.” The show was organized by Walter Hamady for the Elvehjem Museum of Art at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

The book was designed by Ray, the deerskin binding worked by Gretchen, and the wood and metalwork crafted by Tim.  The pages of the book, based on the golden mean, were handmade by Ray.

Cast glass book by Ray Tomasso.

"Death," a book in cast glass by Ray Tomasso.

The book was recently donated to Norlin Library by Colorado art collectors Paul and Teresa Harbaugh.  It is currently on display there with a larger show of Ray’s work in cast paper.  A few of Ray’s smaller and more recent books in cast glass are also on view.  View staff member Andrew Violet’s series of images of Erosion of Tradition on the Norlin website.

Carrying case for the artists' book "Erosion and Tradition."

Well-worn wheeled carrying case for the artists' book "Erosion of Tradition."

Ray contends that the well-traveled custom case that carried Erosion of Tradition to and from the Madison show by Greyhound bus was an early prototype of our present day wheeled suitcases.  Unfortunately, he failed to capitalize on his invention.

 

 


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Peter & Donna Thomas Workshops and Book Show a Success

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Diane
The Thomas' well-attended book-making workshop at Inter-Ocean Studio.

Peter Thomas teaches a well-attended book-making workshop at Inter-Ocean Studio.

Peter and Donna Thomas held two bookmaking workshops at the Inter-Ocean Studio last Friday and Saturday.

The busy week at the studio wrapped up on Saturday evening with a potluck dinner and some kind of wacky event involving making cocktails in a Hollander blender (I think you really have to be a hand papermaker to understand the humor in this, but hey, here’s the link to YouTube!) Peter thinks this video could go viral, but somehow I have my doubts.

Sunday we relaxed and went up to Red Rocks, which Donna and Peter had never seen.  Unfortunately, they forgot to bring their ukeleles and were unable to perform on stage.

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Opening Reception for Norlin Book Craft Show

Posted on May 18, 2011 by Diane
Ray Tomasso, James Ascher and Peter and Donna Thomas view the exhibit in Norlin's Special Collections.

Ray Tomasso, James Ascher and Peter and Donna Thomas view the exhibit in Norlin's Special Collections.

Thursday night was the opening of the Norlin exhibit held in conjunction with the University of Colorado Boulder’s Book Craft program.  The show includes works by Ray, the local chapter of the Guild of Bookworkers and visiting California bookmakers Peter and Donna Thomas.

Chris Levine of Norlin Library's Special Collections.

Chris Levine of Norlin Library's Special Collections.

Peter and Donna, long-time friends of Ray’s, are featured in a larger exhibit of artists’ books in Norlin’s Special Collections room on the third floor. James P. Ascher, Assistant Professor and Rare Book Cataloger, organized the Thomas portion of the show and prepared a wonderful catalog for the event, its cover letterpress printed by Tom Parson on Ray’s handmade paper.  James even assembled the volume and hand-sewed the binding himself!  Library Technician Chris Levine added other artists’ books from the collection and kindly donated her time to keep the exhibit open for the reception.

Meanwhile, Deborah Fink, Norlin’s Planning and Promotions Librarian, was busily supervising and organizing all other elements of the evening, including a highly amusing and entertaining talk by Peter Thomas.  Despite the pouring rain, the opening was well-attended by Colorado devotees of the book.  See Donna’s blog on the event, too.

Posted in Art Openings & Exhibits, Artists Books, Book Arts, Hand Papermaking, Letterpress | Leave a comment

Ray heads back to school …

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Diane
Ray and Dean load artwork for the trip to Boulder.

Ray and Dean load artwork for the trip to Boulder.

Yes, Ray’s heading back to his alma mater, CU Boulder, this time for a major exhibit of his recent work at Norlin Library.  Part of the University of Colorado’s Scriptalab Book Craft Program, the show was packed up at the studio this morning, driven up to Boulder and installed this afternoon. Click here to download a PDF of all the program events.

Large work of art in Ray Tomasso's Ford pickup.

Huge work of art in Ray's Ford pickup.

Dean, whose cabinet shop is across the alley from the studio, took Ray’s work up on his trailer.  This is necessary since Ray’s 1964 Ford, fine for art deliveries around Denver, can’t make it up the hill to Boulder anymore.  At Norlin, Boulder artist Andrew Violet coordinated a team of students and facilities management staff  to speedily install the exhibit of over twenty-five recent works and two new site-specific pieces in locations throughout the library.

Ray Tomasso in Boulder with Flatirons behind.

Ray in Boulder with Flatirons behind.

The show is part of a larger program that includes a 6:00 pm exhibit opening for Ray’s show and a show of recent work by the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Guild of Bookworkers on the evening of Thursday, May 19th, followed by a 7:00 pm lecture by Peter Thomas. Two one-day  reservations-only workshops with Donna and Peter Thomas will be held at Ray’s studio on Friday and Saturday, May 20th and 21st.  At 5:00 pm on Saturday, an open house with pot luck supper will be held at the studio. Peter and Donna will present a show of their books and offer tours of their amazing traveling gypsy wagon. On June 10, bookbinder Don Glaister gives a talk followed by a reservations-only two-day workshop.

The program is sponsored by University Libraries ScriptaLab, Graduate Committee on the Arts & Humanities, CU President’s Fund for the Humanities, Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Guild of Book Workers, CU Art Museum, Book Arts League, and Friends of the Library.

All exhibits and events free and open to the public (workshops excepted).
Exhibit hours at http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/hours/index.htm
Event information at http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/news/index.htm
Contact: Deborah.Fink@colorado.edu, 303-492-8302

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“Colorado Modernism and Abstract Art” Opens at Mod Livin’

Posted on May 15, 2011 by Diane
Mod Livin' exhibit opening.

Ray Tomasso work "Note From a Stone Age Dream" at the Mod Livin' exhibit.

Mod Livin' exhibit opening.

Mod Livin at 5327 E. Colfax.

Last night marked the opening of a new exhibit, Colorado Modernism and Abstract Art at Mod Livin’, a great Denver shop specializing in vintage and contemporary modern furniture, art and decor.

The show features contemporary artists including Ray, Steve Wilson, Michelle White and Steve Batura. Colorado modernists included Pawel Kontny, Alyce Frank, Charles Bunnell, Vance Kirkland and Mel Strawn.

Work by prominent Colorado ceramicists Betty Woodman, Mark Zamantakis, Nan McKinnell and Carroll Hansen also appear.

Mod Livin' exhibit opening.

Richard Samuels with some of Ray's work.

The exhibit was organized and curated by Richard Samuels, a well-known dealer in art, furniture and decorative arts of the 20th century.

Richard lives a few doors down from us in Arapahoe Acres, a mid-century modern neighborhood listed as a National Register Historic District.

A number of other neighbors also attended, as many collect period art and furnishings for their homes.

Our own collection includes a great Steve Wilson collage and a large work by Pawel Kontny unearthed in Pueblo.

The event was well-attended despite the cool and rainy evening.

Go / Return to Ray Tomasso Home.

Mod Livin' exhibit opening.

Ray with Colorado art collectors Teresa and Paul Harbaugh.

Mod Livin' exhibit opening.

Artist Steve Wilson with Mod Livin' owner Jill Roorda and Richard Samuels.

 

 

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