Papermaking with Hawaiian plants

(Papermaking with Hawaiian Plants)

A multicultural art form quietly developed in Hawaii, which is to use the existing materials in Hawaiian nature, combined with the advanced technologies of the East and the West, and the art form of the bark cloth made by Polonia. Most of this paper is used in the process of making books by hand.

Lisa Louise Adams, a volcanic workshop, hand-crafted some books about Hawaii: Petro Glyphs is a miniature book about rock carvings in Hawaii. It uses pens and pens to draw rocks. Its cover is made of handmade paper. Exquisitely crafted; three miniaturized albums called “Ula (bread fruit)”, “Uala (sweet potato)”, and “Kalo” describe the early Hawaiian food in calligraphy and painting. They are Hawaii's heritage and indispensable culture. These books are made of handmade paper and are protected with removable loopers. Loopers use original artistic methods to decorate them.

The production of books and magazines has reappeared as an art. The Honolulu Institute of Arts has made great contributions in this regard. The school will hold an international book fair entitled "Opening up for Profit" at the Art Center at 1111 Victoria Street from October 6th to 30th. Hand-made books are on display. Most of these books are made of handmade paper. Many books are solitary in their books, including Lisa Louise Adams' original book Night Vision.

Adams introduced the papermaking process in her book called Pepa, which is about the process of making books. (Pepa is the Hawaiian vocabulary created since the arrival of a Western explorer)

One of the papermaking methods is to soak a shoot of a mulberry plant called wauke overnight. In Hawaii, this plant can be used to produce a bark cloth. Wauke is popular for its beautiful translucency and excellent strength. Adams stripped the outer bark, exposing its fine inner skin, and boiled it with water and baking soda for 2 to 3 hours until it could be easily torn open. Producers of bark cloth do not cook it, just beat it to ensure that the material can be a complete piece. When making paper from it, the producer wants to separate the fibers to ensure the good quality of the paper. After cooking, Adams squeezed the fibers with a fine mesh bag and rinsed them until the water became clear. She placed the fibers on a smooth wood plate and struck it with a heavy mallet, paying attention to the weight of the heavy smashing fiber.

Adams often adds some dyes, pieces of outer bark, other plant fibers, and petals to produce effects such as color, texture, and patterns. Her favorite use is the stem buds of ginger - a very delicate bud, and a plant called akia, which was used by ancient Hawaiians to anesthetize fish for easy catching. Akia plants are soft, beautiful and irritating. Adams also likes to add ferns to the hairs.

The paper is formed on a screen that can leak moisture and leave plant fibers. When the paper is formed, Adams first transfers it to the felt and then transfers it to the woodblock for drying.

Adams uses a variety of methods to make books using handmade paper. She attaches the paper to a material that does not bend easily to form a decorative cover and cover, and it can also be used as a text page for the book; sometimes the entire book is made from handmade paper with natural burrs.

Adams works at the Volcano Studio on the Big Island. You can contact her at 985-8888 by mailing address: Hawaii 96778, vocano 207 PO Box; Email: