Paulownia-Pampas Paper

Previous posts (here and here) have described the fiber preparation of both Princess Tree bark (Paulownia tomentosa) and Andean pampas grass (Cortaderia jubata). As a reflection of the two coasts were the Book Bombers now reside, the two fibers were beaten together at an undisclosed California location and formed into sheets that will be a part of Book Bombs Issue #2.

Above, you can see a shot of the paper being pressed. After pressing, the paper was resist dried on the studio walls.


Below, details of the wet sheets resist drying.



On another note, Book Bombs will be presenting at the upcoming Friends of Dard Hunter Conference at the Arrowmont School of Crafts. Come join us and hear about our adventures!

Princess Tree Bark Cooking

Last summer, Book Bombs had harvested both leaves and bark from Paulownia tomentosa, also known as the Princess Tree. The leaves were made into paper for our February Print Bombing. The bark (above) was dried and put aside for another project.

And now, for part of the upcoming Book Bombs Issue #2, this bark was pulled out of storage. For its preparation, the bark was soaked overnight. The resulting dark plant liquor (below) was then poured onto the garden as fertilizer.


The fiber was cooked in washing soda, and then rinsed and rinsed and rinsed and rinsed to remove traces of the washing soda and the black gunk from the fibers.



The resulting fibers were a rusty color, however here you can see them prior to rinsing the black gunk. Book Bombs discovered that if the fibers were again soaked overnight, most of the gunk fell off the fibers to the bottom of the bucket and the fibers then could be scooped off the top. However, we made the mistake of dumping the bucket entirely into the strainer and having to rinse it all by hand. Live and learn!

Still more to come on processing. Stay tuned...

February Print Bombing

During this country's infancy, Washington Square was a burial ground for Revolutionary soldiers, inmates from the Walnut Street Prison (no longer standing), and victims of the 1793 Yellow Fever outbreak. In 2010, as snow buried the city, Book Bombs struck out for our second First Friday print bombing. In addition to in and around Washington Square, we also hit Christ Church Park and various parts of Old City. Be on the lookout for these prints!


Printed on paper made from Paulownia tomentosa, an invasive plant originally from China, this print is a tribute to tenacity, both of individuals and of the city itself.







Due to weather conditions, a second print bombing may occur. More to watch for...

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