But Let there be Spaces in your togetherness and let the winds of heaven dance between you.Love one another ,but make not a bond of love; let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your soul…

-Khalil Gibran

Explore the art of “Paper Mache..”

You will need:

- Water
- White flour (easy blend works really well, but must contain gluten)
- Salt
- Weldbond or exterior (brown) woodworkers glue
- Large mixing bowl
- Storage container (large empty plastic milk or juice carton)
- Long mixing spoon
- Kettle or pot for boiling water

Proportions to use

Mixing in the following proportion works best to cook it properly! So if you are going to need more, make in these proportions and mix together after. Trying to cook this will just burn it to the bottom of the pot, no matter how much stirring and labour.

- 1 litre luke warm water
- ¼ cup of table salt as preservative
- 1 litre all purpose white flour
- 1 litre BOILING WATER

You may decide to leave out the salt as it can react with some of the finishes. If so, just mix a batch as you need it and use it up straight away, making sure it is dried out before mould sets in! If mould does set in, a good spray of common household bleach should correct that, but be very drying on your hands!

How to make the paste

Stir salt (optional) and flour into lukewarm water until well mixed. I use an egg whip by hand but a blender also works.

Pour in BOILING WATER! Stir quickly into the white flour mix. This cooks the paste and activates the gluten.

Allow to cool before using. You can add clove oil, witch hazel or other anti fungal for long storage.

Keep refrigerated and air dry in a dry location as it can go mouldy in dampness. In this desert climate it is best done in the summer months and air dried outside! But I do it indoors all the time where there is dry heat . Remember though there will be humidity released as it dries depending on the size of piece! Watch for mould and wipe with a fungal solution if mould starts to form, usually the salt will inhibit this. Or use some clove oil, witch hazel etc. I have also washed moulding pieces with laundry bleach straight from the bottle.

Note: Add woodworkers glue to the amount you choose to use at any time. 50% woodworkers glue to 50% wheat paste makes a stronger quicker drying substance! You can use this for slabs, strips, fabrics, paper twigs and mush.

Paper Mush

Your local newspaper is the best for this process. It makes a wonderful clay-like mush for sculpting and filling in spaces or covering for a wonderful effect. Also colours will vary according to inks in papers so make up a full batch per project if you don’t intend to paint it, then refrigerate until used up! It can be mixed with some bleach if mould starts to grow.

How to make the mush

Tear up into small confetti like pieces, several pages of the paper. Hint: Tear would be best from top to bottom, and   tear very narrow strips and then cut with scissors, though tearing is better for the fibre.

Put the cut up paper into a large pot (that you don’t want to use for anything else!) Fill about ½ full with the paper and top up with water. Now boil the heck out of it and stir until you have a grey paper pulp. Pour into a towel and hang to drain. When cool you can squeeze out the remaining water and break it up into a large mixing bowl. Add the wheat paste/woodworkers glue to it, mash it and knead it. It should be a non sticky but clay-like consistency. Now create away, but not too thick – one layer at a time!

Slabs

Just about any non gloss newsprint will do for this – glossy can separate. Depending on the size of your creation of course, but start with full sheets of paper. On a flat, smooth surface lay out one full sheet of newsprint and cover with wheat paste/glue mix. Spread evenly with your hands (yes, your hands!). Carefully lay on a second sheet starting at the top, as if applying wallpaper. Smooth down and out, applying more paste/glue mix and smoothing out the layer, expelling any extra paste from between the sheets by smoothing outwards. Repeat a minimum of 9 times, better still 12 to 20 times, depending on structural use! Now you have a leather like slab you can mould into or around just about any shape. You can tear it, cut it to shape, fold it, or roll the edges. Remember to wrap any mould you are using in plastic unless you want the slab to stick to it (e.g. if applying it to a glass or plastic cup for use as a vase or planter). Let it rest once you are happy with the shape, but not dry if you are applying things to it, like embedded objects or driftwood etc. Once you are completely happy with your piece other than maybe draping, beading or finishing, let it dry thoroughly.

“We live by admiration, hope and love.” — William Wordsworth