Edward Fu-Chen Juan Introductory Papermaking | Saturdays in April and May

In this papermaking workshop participants will learn the fundamentals of papermaking using Abacá palm fibre and Esparto grass: from linter breakdown to pulp, counching, sizing, and finally drying. The paper produced in this workshop is well suited for dyeing, printmaking, and drawing. There will be room for personal experimentation on the last day of the workshop. Each participant can expect to finish the workshop with approximately 45 sheets of paper at 4” x 6” and the knowledge needed to continue practicing papermaking independently. 

Papermaking is an ancient practice that originates in China about 2,000 years ago. Abacá palm fibre is a plant indigenous to the Pacific Island regions and an affordable alternative to materials such as Kozo and Gampi. Its common name is the "Manila Hemp" from which the term manila envelope comes from. Esparto grass is native to the Iberian and North African region with historic paper usage during the British colonial era for newspaper printing. Both of these paper fibres are an affordable alternative to kozo and gampi papers.

Edward Juan  He/Him/His
Languages spoken: English, Mandarin, and Taiwanese

Edward Fu-Chen Juan is a contemporary visual artist based in Vancouver, BC, the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.  He identifies as a queer Taiwanese Canadian with ethnic roots from the Hakka and the Plains First Nation People of Taiwan.  His art practice is printmaking on paper with water-based ink extracted from indigenous and endemic plant specimens.  Presently, he has expanded his process to papermaking with unconventional plant fibres of significant cultural importance.