August 17 was the first day of my artist in residency project at Peddock’s Island, Boston Harbor Islands National Park. Joyce, who is a recent graduate from Montserrat College of Art in Beverly MA, came to volunteer for the papermaking AIR art project, and we started preparing some Phragmites (Common Reed) leaves and made samples and tried out some of the stencils I created to make paper in the shape of some of the endangered bird species found on Peddock’s Island.
The Phragmites paper turned out really strong and sturdy and a nice golden brown color, even though it looks green when the pulp is wet! Two other volunteers will be coming to help on Thursday and Friday to prepare pulp from other invasive plants.

IMG_96634 IMG_96645 IMG_96736 IMG_96777 IMG_96798 IMG_97749 IMG_978210 IMG_978311  IMG_979413 IMG_980414 IMG_980815 IMG_981616 IMG_981817

On Saturday and Sunday, August 20 and 21 the public will be invited to participate in the papermaking activities and hopefully we can create hundreds of handmade paper birds to include in the finished installation that will be ready by next Thursday, August 25 for the celebration in honor of the 100th anniversary of our national parks. I will have a booth for this celebration at Christopher Columbus Park and be there from 2-4PM on Thursday, August 25.

Check back here in a few days to see more photos of the artist in residency project on Peddock’s Island. The photos are taken by my husband Timothy S. Allen. To see more of his photos check his Blog at http://allentimphotos2.wordpress.com