January 8, 2022

Program and Workshop

Tara Leigh Tappert and Drew Matott

The Speaker:

Tara Leigh Tappert is an independent scholar and an archives and American art consultant. Her current scholarship focuses on 20th century American craft, with recent work on arts and crafts and the military. Tara’s research that has been funded by the Center for Craft and by the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress. She also manages for traveling exhibitions a collection of artworks by veterans and other artists interested in the cultural history of war. Tara holds a Ph.D. in American Studies from the George Washington University; an M.S.L.S. in Library and Archives Administration from Wayne State University; and a B.A. in History from Hope College.

Guild Meeting/Program: Trauma-Truth Telling-Transition

This presentation documents the long history of artmaking within military life and as an aspect of the cultural history of war. It demonstrates how creativity has been and remains a powerful outlet for healing and transitioning from the traumas of war. In the 20th century the American military incorporated the use of crafts in two major service areas. During and after WWI occupational therapy and vocational training were rehabilitation tools; and during and after WWII recreational therapy was a leisure activity intended to promote a sense of well-being and efficacy. In the 21st century the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan inspired such top-down government art therapy programs as Creative Forces at the National Endowment for the Arts. Complementing the current government-led programs are many grassroots arts initiatives for veterans, military family members, and refugees displaced by war. Two groups – Combat Paper Project and Peace Paper Project – have used the detailed and methodical papermaking process as a tool to address the traumas of war.

Date/Time: January 8, 2022 10:30 AM (following Guild meeting)

Location: Online (Zoom)


Mini Workshop: Peace Paper Projects:  Papermaking Workshop

Join Peace Paper Project Director Drew Matott as he shares his personal story of using papermaking as a form of social activism, fine artmaking and art therapy around the world. During this workshop, participants will make paper out of fibers significant to Peace Paper Projects workshops, including refugee clothing, military uniforms and pulped underwear. The first half of the workshop participants will use their household blenders and tools supplied by a kit to form unique sheets of paper. Participants will be able to mix in their own personal material for pulping (old letters, photographs, small bits of clothing…). The second half of the workshop, participants will use papers provided in the kit to bind a journal using pamphlet stitch binding. This workshop is open to all levels, no papermaking or bookbinding experience is needed.

Note: Papermaking is a wet process.

The Artist:

Drew Matott is a Master Papermaker with an expertise using traditional papermaking as a form of social engagement and community activism across the globe since 2005. He received his MFA in Book & Paper Arts from Columbia College-Chicago (2008) and his BFA in Printmaking from Buffalo State College (2001). He co-founded the Combat Paper Project, Panty Pulping and the Peace Paper Project. He currently lives and works in Hamburg, Germany where he directs the vision and strategy of Peace Paper Project’s International programs.

Date/Time: January 8, 2022 (1PM – 4PM)

Location: Class will be held live on Zoom

Mini Workshop Fee: Members: $30.00 Non-Members: $45.00

Student Materials Fee: $50; kit includes:
For Papermaking: A 7×11 inch papermaking mould, dried pulps from refugee clothing, US military uniforms, and underwear.
For Bookbinding: Three 12″x18″ dried sheets of paper for bookbinding (made from refugee clothing, military uniforms, and underwear), binders needle and a length of binders thread. Once you are registered you will receive a link in which you may make your payments.

Student Supply List:
For Papermaking: Blender, small plastic basin large enough to comfortably scoop the 6×9 mold through, 10 pieces of interfacing (pellon, old bedsheets, felting) cut to 8″ x 12″, a small piece of wood for pressing the paper, a clothesline and clothespins to dry the paper.
For Bookbinding: 20 sheets of 8.5×11 office paper for bookbinding.
Click here to print supply list.