Japanese art workshops offered in Blaine

By Heather Midori Yamada

By Mathew Roland

Washi Arts will host two workshops in July at the Blaine Harbor Center, 235 Marine Drive.

Madeleine Durham will lead the first workshop called, “Modern Paste Papers” from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, July 20. The class costs $125 plus a $25 materials fee.

Durham is visiting the Pacific Northwest from Santa Fe, New Mexico. During each workshop, she will give an overview of special techniques for decorating fine Japanese paper. She’ll also teach the appropriate brushes to use and how to hold them to create vibrant and traditional art pieces. Her paste paper methods are useful for book artists, binders, calligraphers and printmakers.

Washi Arts owner Linda Marshall will teach a second workshop, “Paper Voodoo: Transforming Washi with Konnyaku Starch” from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 21 at the Blaine Harbor Center. The workshop costs $85.

Participants will learn how to use Konnyaku, the powdered root of a perennial plant, to strengthen or weaken the paper in order to create a variety of art forms such as sculpture, cloth, collage and book shapes.

“Handmade Japanese paper has been made the same way, by individual craftsman, for over 1,400 years using sustainable materials and methods,” Marshall said in an email.

Washi Arts will participate in the 37th annual International Calligraphy Conference this month. The Japanese paper business, which was established five years ago, is selling a wide array of papers, quality supplies and tools at Western Washington University in Bellingham until July 21.

The conference explores the graphic design of alphabetic letters as well as the inner workings of calligraphy.

“The conference is unique since most papers of this type have to be purchased online these days, it is a good chance for calligraphers and book artists to touch and feel the papers in person,” said Washi Arts owner Linda Marshall in an email.

For more details email lindamarshall@mac.com. Washi Arts is located at 2390 Peace Portal Dr #19, Blaine, WA 98230.