Cast Paper

I love making paper castings. Paper doesn't have to be flat; it can be textured, or it can be scuptural. I press an interesting object, texture, or design into clay, bake it, then press thick pulp onto it, blotting to remove all excess water. When I pull it off, the result is cast paper that I can either paint, or allow light to cast shadows to show the design. I put most of my cast paper medallions onto card stock and sell them as one-of-a-kind greeting cards.
This description is for the card above:
While walking in my garden in early spring, I saw my rhubarb plants poking up through the soil. I picked this first, tiny leaf and pressed it into clay so I could cast handmade paper and remember how beautiful small beginnings can be.

This cast paper design of a bamboo plant is based on a drawing of a bamboo fountain my daughter gave me for Mother's Day. This recycled, handmade paper is painted with watercolors and acrylic.