Saturday, April 19, 2008

REINVENTING THE WHEEL: CONFESSIONS OF A SELF-TAUGHT PAPERMAKER
Katy DeMent

Katy DeMent will present a program that is part discussion part demonstration.  We will also have a “mini/many” hands participation project in which we will make a small paper bookmark with fibrous inclusions.

Artist Statement
“New into old, old into new, I’m weaving together remnants of the past and present to preserve the rich textures of life for the future.”
     All Katy DeMent’s works are created out of handmade papers she has made from locally gathered materials. Her 2-D imagery includes cast paper quilts,  paper clothing and heirloom collage, whilst her 3-D work is more functional and includes waxed paper, wall sconces and lampshades that balance on lamps made of old tools that she welds and wires herself.
     Ms. DeMent has been making her living as a full-time papermaker and teacher for over 20 years.  Her work is found in galleries and museums worldwide and has been featured on HGTV’s “Crafters Coast to Coast”. DeMent was an Art major at Georgia State University but is self-taught in papermaking, welding, sewing and other crafts.
She has been obsessively creative all her life; she used to arrange her toys into color wheels, sew high fashion doll clothes, and make sandcastles. Her early creative leanings also included a love of clay inspired by her older cousin, Sue, who is a professional potter. DeMent’s father was an architect and would let her use his templates to design Frank Lloyd Wright style doll houses.  Katy spent her high school and college years working at a fabric store where she not only learned what geometry was for, but how to make costumes for bands, dancers and wrestlers.
     Today, each of DeMent’s works is a vignette that tells a story with layers of vintage ephemera, photos and bits of cloth interacting with etched images, small toys, natural objects and beads.  Some of her works are coated with raw beeswax, which gives them a warm glow when light is added, making this unique lighting both “romantic and aromatic.”  Utilizing the interaction between natural or man-made fibers and etched images. DeMent’s fine art works are complemented by handmade paper gift items, books, candle covers, Plantable Seed Cards and other stationery.
              She loves to share her skills with others, especially children, and has demonstrated her craft all over the southeast. “Ms. DeMent’s papermaking class exposes students to the principals of science and history while actively engaging students in the process and techniques of papermaking. This is what thematic instruction is all about.” -GAEA

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