PAPERMAKER ZELA BISSETT
Zela Bissett is passionate about her garden – here, she is inspired about her arts practice and papermaking. It’s the source of many of the raw materials for her distinctive handmade papers and paper sculptures.
Zela has been experimenting with making botanical paper for almost 2 decades, using low tech eco-friendly processes. It has become part of her seasonal cycle of weeding and pruning in her garden. “Each year when I cut back the Warrigal greens I set aside a portion for paper-making. It is a very tough fibre and never really softens up, but I persevere because people are really interested in papers that come from edible native plants, and it is one of the few plants that retains a greenish colour.
One of her most reliable fibres is banana “… the actual trunk makes the best paper. After the bunches are cut off, I put the sections through my chipper, then soak the pulp and cook it down. I even grow a variety called Red Dacca because of its lovely papermaking fibres.” Ginger, galangal, turmeric, cardamom, lomandra, bulrush and dianella have also found their way into Zela’s papers.
“Some of my paper-making experiments have been quite unexpected. For instance when I cleaned out the frog pond it was quite choked up with an aquatic plant called dwarf papyrus. It is stalky plant so I decided to give it a try. It made a successful paper without too much cooking and preparation.”
“Once friend brought me some bags of green algae from cleaning out her cattle drinking troughs. That made paper too but even though it was years ago, that paper still retains a swampy smell!”
“I try to keep an artist’s eye on all the variations of leaves, vines, seeds and flowers as the seasons change,” she says. “I call it mindful gardening, and it feeds directly into my arts practice.”
Zela’s papers are an experience – see her at the Heritage Makers Fair! www.zela.com.au www.zela.com.au/sneak-peek-in-the-studio/ www.facebook.com/sustainablesuzeela/