As a paper maker and fine artist that completed my Master of Fine Arts degree at Concordia University, studying paper making and making handmade paper art. I create paper art both as a home decor for people to purchase and hang in their homes, but also as handmade paper art that can be exhibited in galleries and exhibitions all around the world.
Read MoreHandmade Paper Canada
Learn about my handmade paper in Canada.
Read MoreCanada Artist Grant
I received a Canada artist grant with th Ontario Arts Council last year and worked on a project that Canada artist grant. I was awarded a grant of $2000 for emerging artists to learn a new skill or for professional development including the purchase of new art supplies. You can learn more about this Canada artist grant in this post!
Canada artist grant/OAC artist grant proposal
For my Canada artist grant I chose to focus on papermaking in my application. I proposed learning how to make paper out of plants and learning how to use the letterpress machine. I wanted to letterpress some of my Patched poems on handmade pieces of map paper I made. I also proposed to purchase some mould and deckles to help me with papermaking some abaca and cotton pulp, a vat and other paper making supplies.
Canada artist grant/OAC artist grant
I chose to work with a local paper making company the Papertrail to be able to learn about paper making easier. The Papertrail is based out of New Dundee, Ontario. That’s also where I attended workshops, completed my letterpress poetry project and ordered my papermaking supplies.
I attended 5 paper making workshops in total with the grant money. A basic beginner paper making workshop, two workshops on making paper with plants and two on using the letterpress.
About the Paper making Workshops
The Beginner Papermaking Workshop
This workshop took place in August of 2022 and in this workshop I learned basic skills and refined my paper making skills. We also learned how to use pigments in paper and got to experiment with the sheets of paper we made.
Letterpress Workshop #1
I did this workshop in November, during this workshop I learned how to use the letterpress and the history of the letterpress. I also did some test prints of some text with the letterpress.
Paper Making with Plants Workshop
This workshop was a two day back to back workshop in December. In these workshops I learned how to make paper from plants. I made paper from the stems and pods of milkweed as well as from flax. I got to use their hollander beater and beat the pulp by hand.
Letterpress Workshop #2
This workshop happened in December. I got to complete my Patched poem project and letterpress 5 different poems I wrote onto handmade map paper.
All of these workshops were full day workshops. I am grateful for the Canada artist grant with OAC and being able to develop my paper making skills as an artist as well as being able to complete a project and purchase new paper making supplies.
You can purchase my book Patched that has more poems here!
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Read MoreOAC Grants
Early this year, I was given one of the OAC grants for emerging artists. This OAC grant is a $2000 grant that gives funding to purchase art supplies and to participate in educational skill development.
I started applying for OAC grants this past fall and I was excited to have received one. OAC stands for Ontario Arts Council. The OAC grants are a lengthy process to set up an account and submit your application online but they are worth it.
By receiving OAC grants or other grants, artists can receive funding to make projects possible. $2000 is a lot of money and I am grateful to have received this grant as this project would not be financially possible without it.
There are many different OAC grants available. You can learn more by clicking here!
It’s important to note that OAC grants are only for residents in Ontario. However, depending on where you live, the province or state, try Googling grants with your location to find other grants to apply to.
OAC Grants- the OAC Grant Proposal
I will be using the money from the OAC grant to purchase paper making supplies including different types of pulp, mould and deckles and other paper making supplies. I will also be registering for some paper making and letterpress classes to be able to enhance my skills as a paper maker. Lastly, I will use some of the money to rent out a paper making studio place near where I live. I have until 2023 to complete this project. I started purchasing supplies and signing up for workshops this summer of 2022.
I plan on making sheets of map paper using recycled maps and using the letter press to write some of my poems on the paper. I also want to make more large sheets of the map paper to be able to do large installations of my work Patched. You can read more about the Patched project here!
Jackie Partridge, Patched Project
If you are interested in applying to OAC grants you can click here to check their deadlines.
I appreciate the financial support of OAC grants for funding my art practice!
To find out more about the project check out my instagram @jackiepartridge_ and search the #patchedproject
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Read MoreSediment -Art Installation by Jackie Partridge
Sediment art installation by Jackie Partridge was started in 2017. I started paper making in 2015 where I was working as a teaching assistant in a paper making class during my MFA. See some behind the scenes look at a current project and learn about the process of paper making below!
Sediment is an ongoing art installation since 2017 where I form sheets of handmade paper with blue jeans from my grandfather. Currently there are about 300 pieces of handmade paper.
My grandfather is a retired farmer who sold the family owned century farm in 2012.
The paper acts as a memory and are stacked on the floor like waves in the water.
This piece is inspired by the artwork Remnants that also used old farming clothes belonging to my grandfather.
Learn how to make paper out of denim here! This explains the process for making this artwork.
In order to make the denim paper the blue jeans must be collected rinsed with water and cut into tiny 1”x1” squares. After the squares are cut they are put into a beater that grinds the natural fibres into tiny blue threads.
The paper making process- denim pulp
After the pulp is beaten down to tiny threads (taking around 4 hours or longer) The pulp is added into a vat of water and a mould and deckle are used to create sheets of paper.
This is the mould and deckle used to create the circle sheets of paper
I invite you to take a look at the handmade paper I sell in my shop. Check out my beautiful handmade paper art here!
Learn more about new art and special offers by clicking here!
Group Exhibition at the O Gallery, 2020
Check out a group exhibition for artist Jackie Partridge. To see my textile artwork and handmade paper art.
Rainbow Field 6
CA$120.00
I am excited to announce that I am a part of a group of two other artists showing exhibitions at the O Gallery on 44 Gaukel St. in Kitchener, ON, Canada.
I will be showing work I have curated for a theme of Fields. This work includes past work of my hand dyed, hand embroidered dish cloths that are beautifully framed and work of my sewn thread line drawings embedded in abaca sheets of handmade paper that are for sale.
Fields is an abstract representation of aerial views of farmlands. I have grown up close to farming and fields and have visually seen the landscape change over time and become more developed.
The exhibition is on view from January 15-March 6, 2020.
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