Hanji International Events 2013 .......

Here is a list of International Hanji Events for 2013 and their descriptions, written by the respective organisers   ........... if you know of any others I'd love to hear from you so we can all share in what is going on in this every globalising world of Hanji.

KOREA
	Jeonju Hanji Festival   I've been to this event and it's absolutely amazing.  The Hanji Artists  from around     the country come together to show their best work  for the year. I remember when I was in Korea my teacher was  showing her work and it was hailed as a must visit   event for anyone  interested in Hanji. The Korean Men and 'Ajimah's' are very  serious  about producing the  most amazing pieces of  furniture,  boxes,  screens  and lamps. I was  blown away by what I saw.     When: - planned for May (no dates as yet) Address: Pungnamdong 1-ga, Wangsan-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do Location: Jeonju Hanok Village, Hanji Industry Support Center area      Telephone: 1330 tt call center +82-63-1330 ( Korean,English,                                                                                 Japanese, Chinese)       For more information:  +82-63-271-2503,  +82-63-281-2931
	Introduction:
	Organized to promote the excellent qualities of Korea’s  traditional  paper Hanji, the previous Jeonju Paper  Culture Festival was  renamed the Jeonju Hanji Culture Festival. As the name suggests,  the festival’s main specialty is paper, featuring all kinds of products   made from Hanji as well as contests, exhibitions,  hands-on programs  for visitors, and a traditional market. Event Programs: Unlike previous festivals, the Jeonju Hanji Culture Festival has added a new  Hanji Traditional Pavilion and a Hanji Products  Special Invitational Exhibition. The Hanji Craft  Competition, where Hanji  craftsmen can display their work, and where winners will feature and  exhibit their work in the categories of traditional,  modern, and cultural products. There will also be a Hanji fashion show featuring Hanboks,   Korean traditional dresses, and a Hanji patented products invitational exhibit. The festival offers  numerous hands-on programs that include  boiling mulberry leaves and bark, laying and  drying the paper, a Hanji workshop for making   various crafts, and games using traditional items made of Hanji. If you want to get close and  personal with your loved ones or friends, try the family window paper-pasting contest.   Creating a unique Hanji door with your  family or friends  will not only teach  you more about Korean culture, but it will also help you develop  a stronger  bond between loved ones. Programs Jeonju Hanji International Fashion Show, Costume Play Fashion Show, Hanji  craft experience, Hanji scientific adventure, Hanji lantern making, hanging wish  lanterns  performances, etc Admission/Participation Fees:  Free Age Limit :   Open to visitors of all ages Transportation:  Bus 1) From Jeonju Station, take bus 79 or 119.  Get off at Jeondong Cathedral      (Hanok Village)  Bus Stop. Walk 450m to arrive at Jeonju  Hanok Village. 2) From Jeonju Intercity Bus Terminal or Express  Bus Terminal, take bus 79.      Get off at Jeondong Cathedral (Hanok Village) Bus Stop.  Walk  450m to      arrive at Jeonju Hanok Village. Taxi It takes 15-20 min by taxi from Jeonju Station or  Jeonju Bus Terminal
	Wonju Hanji Festival         I haven't been to this Festival but it's on my 'must do' list in the next year      or so. I've heard that it is also quite amazing and it has many different      activities for visitors to do as well as a lantern  festival..    When: 5th Sept. 2013 ~ 9th Sept. 2013    Address: Chiak Art Hall,  National Fitness Park, 151, Hanjigongwon-gil,                     Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, Wonju-si Musil-dong                             강원도 원주시 한지공원길 151 (무실동)    Location: Gangwon-do Wonju-si Hanji Theme Park area    Telephone:  1330 Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English,                                                                                      Japanese, Chinese)                                                                                  For more info: +82-33-766-1366, +82-33-761-8012 (Korean)    Sponsors / Management: Wonju Hanji Festival Committee     E-Mail:  wjhanji@hanmail.ne    Fax:  +82-33-766-1367 Introduction: In early Fall every year, the Hanji Festival with the theme of  Hanji  (traditional Korean paper) is held in Wonju (Gangwon-do),  a city  with rich history of producing Hanji. This year, the festival  opens the  Hanji Theme Park for the first time. The festival, in particular, hosts a  special opening event: the Hanji Fashion  Show. Performed on a  main stage in Hanji Theme Park, the fashion show offers the infinite  potential of Hanji (its transformation from mulberry to paper, fibers,  and functional  new materials). Hanji Theme Park also boasts a colorful array of lanterns  made of Hanji. These lanterns (e.g., lotus  flower lanterns  and cloud lanterns), reflecting wishes of visitors, dot the  sky while visitors can craft unique Hanji items at various  booths.  All in all, the festival offers more than 100 exciting events, programs, and performances (to name a few, Hanji Puppet  Show, Korean  Shuttlecock Contest, and Hanji Craft/Gift Box Contest). During the  festival, visitors may want to visit  nearby tourist attractions  including Chiaksan Mountain National Park, Baeunsan Mountain,  and Sinrim Seonghwangrim Forest. Admission/Participation Fees: Adult 2,000 won / Youth & elementary student 1,000 won Dak paper doll contest participation fees: 15,000 won Experience program participation fees: 3,000 won - 8,000 won Transportation: Take an intercity bus from Dong Seoul bus Terminal to  Wonju. From Wonju Intercity Bus Terminal, take a taxi to  Hanji Theme Park. OR Take bus 2-1 at the bus stop located across from Wonju  Intercity Bus Terminal. Get off at Youth Center (청소년수련관). Walk 10min toward Hanji Theme Park. Event Map: UK  100% Design -  London Officially the UK’s largest design show with over  25,000 visitors! This should be interesting for those interested in the design  of  products and the many uses of hanji at this exhibit. When:  18th - 21st September, 2013 Where: Earls Court, London Exhibitors: Beeeen & Company Ltd.    Stand L12 Hanji exhibit: Reflective of refined warmth in its color, Hanji is a product that embodies meticulous craftsmanship and artistry with earnest devotion. Its versatile utilitarian qualities includes ventilation, damp proof, antimicrobial properties with firm permanence durable enough to last a thousand years.

USA

Special Hanji workshop: uses for Korean paper in art 

and conservation. 

This is a workshop conducted by Aimee Lee and Minah Song Aimee Lee  wrote the
     the book 'Hanji Unfurled', as I mentioned in one of my earlier blogs, . I would love to
     attend but distance prevents me but I'm sure it'll be very informative and well work a
      visit.

When: Saturday, April 6 - April 7, 2013 (8:30 AM - 4:30 PM Saturday/Sunday, April 6 - 7 )

Address:  Boston, Massachusetts, North Bennet Street School (NBSS)

Location: North Bennet St. School

Instructors: Aimee Lee and Minah Song

Cost:  $375

Introduction:

Korean paper, known as hanji, is made from the inner bark of the paper mulberry tree, renowned for its long and strong fibers. The first half of the workshop provides the theoretical and practical introduction to hanji, traditional Korean paper and its use in conservation. Students have an opportunity to make one of the Korean traditional books, using seonjang technique, a Korean side-stitched binding. The second half of the workshop covers creative and artistic methods for manipulating the raw materials of hanji and of the paper itself. These techniques range from ancient tradition to contemporary inventions that take advantage of hanji's versatile characteristics. There is a $100 material fee for this course. Please register at least three weeks in advance.

Profiles:

Aimee Lee is an interdisciplinary artist who works in paper, book, performance and installation arts. She holds a BA in Visual Arts from Oberlin College, an MFA in Interdisciplinary Book and Paper Arts from Columbia College Chicago and conducted post-graduate research on hanji in Korea on a Fulbright grant. At the Morgan Conservatory in Cleveland, Ohio, she built the first Korean papermaking studio in North America and has written articles on her hanji experiences in publications that span Hand Papermaking, Bull & Branch, Buddhism & Culture Magazine and Book Arts arts du livre Canada. She exhibits internationally, and her artists' books reside in collections that include the Cleveland Institute of Art Gund Library, Joan Flasch Artists' Book Collection, Museum of Modern Art Library, and Yale University Library. Lecture and teaching sites include the Cleveland Museum, Denver Art Museum, Korean American Educational Commission, Oberlin College, Mills College, Center for Book Arts in New York City, Seattle Center for Book Arts, and the University of the Arts.

Minah Song is a paper conservator in Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts in Philadelphia. She has a M.A. in East Asian Art History from the Academy of Korean Studies in Korea and a M.A. in Conservation from Camberwell College of Arts in London. Some of her presented and published research projects include: “Permanence, Durability and Unique Properties of Hanji” co-authored with Jesse Munn (AIC Book and Paper Annual, 2005), “The History and Characteristics of Korean Books and Bookbinding” (Journal of the Institute of Conservation, 2009 U.K), “Can West Meet East? – Different Approaches to Conservation of East Asian Art” (Conference: East Asian Art: Historic Context & Modern Preservation of Paper-Based Works, 2010).
 

Santa Fe International Folk Art Market 

This yearly Festival is renown for including Korean Hanji and it's products by talented artists. The program for 2013 has not come out as yet  but be assured it'll be a fascinating place to be with some really interesting artists from all over the world. So if you're able to get there I'm sure it'd be worth the effort.

Date: 12^th, 13^th and 14th July                                              

Location: Museum Hill, Santa Fe, New  Mexico

Telephone: 505.992.7600

Email: askus@folkartmarket.org

Information: The Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, a non-profit organization, produces the largest international folk art market in the world, and our success led to Santa Fe’s designation as a UNESCO City of Folk Art.

What is Folk Art?

• FOLK ART is rooted in traditions that come from community and culture – expressing cultural identity by conveying shared community values and aesthetics.
• FOLK ART encompasses a range of utilitarian and decorative media, including cloth, wood, paper, clay, metal and more.
• FOLK ART is made by individuals whose creative skills convey their community’s authentic cultural identity, rather than an individual or idiosyncratic artistic identity.
• FOLK ARTISTS traditionally learn skills and techniques through apprenticeships in informal community settings, though they may also be formally educated.

Hanji supplies for crafting .....

Many people have asked me exactly what is needed to begin doing Hanji crafts so I thought that this year maybe it's time to get back to the basics.

You don't need a lot of tools and they can be added to over time as your interest grows and you feel the need to make larger pieces and embark on bigger projects.  You can begin with just 12 items, some of which are shown here and many you probably already have at home.

• A pattern or a kit
•  Hanji papers 
• 3 mm thick cardboard
•  Sharp pencil 
•  Metal ruler
• 1 cm wide masking tape
•  Small craft knife
•  Craft Knife & blades
•  Soft brushes
•  Contact Adhesive glue
•  Wallpaper paste
•  Cutting mat

A PATTERN OR A KIT
Worksheets are available  in some Korean books or through my website. You can buy pre cut kits from shops in Korea which makes the process of learning the craft much easier especially for beginners as the marking out of the cardboard, cutting and assembling is already done.

Instructional worksheets

Pre cut kits

HANJI PAPERS
The best paper to use for these projects is the handmade mulberry paper from Korea.  It's mouldable and very easy to work with giving good results that you'll be happy with. These are available in a variety of colours, designs and patterns from specialty shops or online from Korea. 

Hanji pattern with Korean or Chinese lettering

Some of the many colours of Hanji paper

CARDBOARD

The basic structural material for most Hanji projects is the 3mm thick cardboard which provides strength for the product and a base on which the paper can be applied. In some places you can get a 5 mm thick cardboard which is even better but, much harder to cut. 

Cardboard

Sometimes the cardboard comes with a very thin layer of white paper on both sides which works well when you're applying one of the thinner Hanji papers on top as the white reflects the true colour of the paper in a more natural light. If you can only get the buff/grey coloured board, which is true in my case, this is also fine,  as you can put your own  layer of white hanji paper over it before applying the thinner hanji papers. Fortunately most hanji papers are thick enough not to reveal the base colour of the cardboard and this step is not needed.

Cardboard is used to cut out the designs to make different items.

SHARP PENCIL

This is needed to draw accurately onto the cardboard to give precise measurements for cutting.

Draw the design

Cut out the cardboard

METAL RULERS

These come in all different sizes and  can generally be purchased from stationery stores. I would start with a 30cm ruler and a 15cm ruler. Metal is used so that when you're cutting with the craft knife you're not going to slice off small amounts of the ruler each time and end up with wavy lines.

Using 2 rulers to measure

MASKING TAPE

Used to cover over the joints of the cardboard once they are glued together giving them extra strength and  stability and a smoother base on which to glue the paper.

SMALL CRAFT KNIFE

This is used to cut out designs in the paper to place on your projects. They give you more precision than a normal craft knife. There are several different brands around which come with 30 and 45 degree blades. I use a Japanese brand which is called an NT Cutter D400.

Small craft knife for cutting out paper

CRAFT KNIFE AND BLADES

Used for cutting the cardboard and they can be purchased at hardware stores, craft stores and stationery shops. You'll find that the blades will become blunt quite easily from cutting through the cardboard, so you'll need lots of spares to replace it at regular intervals.

SOFT BRUSHES

These are used to apply the wallpaper paste to the paper and then you can apply the paper to the article. They should be soft so they don't tear the paper as it gets wet.

CONTACT ADHESIVE GLUE

Used to glue the cardboard pieces together.

WALLPAPER PASTE

Any wallpaper paste will do.  Mix up the powder with water until it becomes a sticky consistency without being too thick. This is used to glue the hanji paper to the cardboard.

CUTTING MAT

Essential for cutting on if you don't want to ruin your table tops !!

I hope this has been helpful and gives you a better understanding of what is used in this craft, and why.

Roots of the hibiscus plant used to make the glue in Hanji paper making

Hanji New Year .......

I'd like to wish you all a very Happy and CREATIVE New Year.

I'm already excited about 2013 because at the end of this semester I'll be retiring from my full-time position as an ESL teacher. This means that I will have more time for doing Hanji and setting up my Hanji business.  I find teaching ESL can be very creative in itself but it's going to be such a luxury to be able to spend time creating new Hanji projects, taking more Hanji classes and exploring this craft further.

I hope that you too can look forward to a year of creating, exploring and sharing.