visitors from Univ. of W. GA in Newnan looking at the handmade paper “house” quilt laid out on the studio floor

Another quilt block in progress

Making a sample of magnolia bark paper

with Bette Hickman looking at magnolia bark paper samples made in Newnan

Newnan Eco-quilt block laid out on the studio floor and deciding on a white or off-white border

Deciding on the placement of the Newnan flower bed at the site

Putting in stakes to mark the site of the bed

Beating magnolia pulp to make handmade paper in Newnan

Univ. of West Georgia visitors looking at my “Made in Taiwan” handmade paper book

Meredith Wilson came by the Gray Cottage to visit my studio and brought some wisteria bark from her farm for me to use for papermaking.

All the quilt blocks are made and I am taking off the stencils used to make the house design

\

I am an artist in residence from August 8 to Sept. 1, in Newnan, GA, at Newnan Art Rez. The Newnan eco quilt and “flower bed” will be ready for installation and a dedication ceremony at 6 PM on August 31 at the site. The Newnan eco-quilt will be installed on the grounds of the old Male Academy near the corner of Temple and College Streets in downtown Newnan.

The place for the “bed” has been marked off and the city has cleared the ground, and soil to build up a bed shape has been brought in. I will be working at the site starting on Friday and creating a headboard and footboard of local branches and vines. Volunteers are encouraged to bring any tree trimmings or vines that they trim to the site of the installation to use in the headboard and footboard. Open studio times for helping with the weaving of a headboard and footboard and helping to shape the bed will be 10AM to 2 PM at the site. Everyone is welcome to come to the dedication ceremony too at 6 PM on August 31.

These photos show progress on the handmade paper quilt that will be about 6 feet x 8 feet in size. The quilt blocks are a house design since Newnan is known as the “city of homes” Here you can see the quilt block laid out on the floor of my studio at Gray Cottage. For the pat two days I have been making borders for the quilt that will be an off white color of pulp using all the plants I have used in Newnan for hand papermaking. More photos will be posted soon of the “bed” making and the installation at the site. Photos here are by my husband Timothy S. Allen (allentimphotos2.wordpress.com).