Man has been making marks on surfaces for thousands of years; in this informative talk learn more how handmade writing and printing surfaces have evolved, from the papyrus of old to the paper of today. Kathy Gurwell, resident Master Papermaker at The Printing Museum, will offer a timeline of that progression, including where, when, and why each new form developed. We will explore the early surfaces of papyrus, parchment and the development of paper around the world. Samples shown will include those both fiber-based (such as flax, bamboo, abaca, cotton, and kozo) and animal-based (parchment), as well as unique surfaces such as wood and stone paper.

Registration: The event is FREE and open to all. Please consider making a tax-deductible gift! Your donation helps keep our program fees accessible to all. Thank you! In order to best serve our community near and far, many of our online classes are pay-what-you-can. During programs, registrants can watch the instructor live or work alongside them, ask questions, and get feedback.

Location: It will be held virtually over Zoom. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. 

We are planning to make a recording of the program available to everyone who has registered for several weeks afterwards, so you will be able to watch the entire program at your convenience even if you can’t join us live.