In paper collage Joanne has truly
found her niche. The feel of the handmade paper, the fibers, the
textures, the colors, all inspire her creations. Each collage
forms a bridge across time and cultures to express Joanne's own unique
artistic vision. To
view Joanne's collages online, please visit the Collage
Gallery. All images
U.S. Copyright 2009 by Joanne Casey. Please report broken links or other problems
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Joanne began her collage
work nearly twenty-five years ago when she learned the art of making
paper by hand. In her collages Joanne uses her own handmade papers
as well as papers made by hand in countries from around the world.
Each sheet of handmade paper represents hours of careful labor.
Plant fibers are mixed with water and beaten to a pulp in a large
vat. The pulp is then lifted from the water by a fine mesh
screen. A wooden frame called a deckle is used to shape the edges
of the paper. The water drains away leaving behind a sheet of
fiber which is pressed and dried to form paper. Many of the sheets contain inclusions of plant
fibers, bark, leaves, and petals.