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Helen Hiebert
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The Sunday Paper #620
We just wrapped up the 11th Red Cliff Paper Retreat. It is always a delight to host makers from around the country (and occasionally the world) in my Colorado studio. We explored paper weaving this week. The works below were picked at random and represent a very tiny sampling of what was created. Clockwise from top left: Wendy, Yvonne, Sherry and Kim.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Angela Fung and Ashley Bedford, of Fung & Bedford, on Paper Talk.
Fung & Bedford is a multi-disciplinary studio exploring how material can think, hold memory, and reshape space. Through large-scale folded sculptures and installations, they transform flat surfaces into structural form, using geometry and repetition to give gesture a tangible presence. Their process is guided as much by gravity as by resistance to it. They test the threshold between weight and lift, creating forms that appear suspended — poised between ascent and collapse. To Fung & Bedford, folding is both action and a philosophy — a way to ‘Unfold the Moment’. Each work emerges through cycles of tension and release, where precision meets transformation. Every crease records a decision; every plane reveals a dialogue between intention and material behavior.
The recording is a bit faint in spots – I apologize in advance. Enjoy our conversation!
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Speaking of folded paper, Tom’s Sons International Pleating, a company that began in Lebanon and moved to NYC in 1975, creates pleated fabric for some of the world’s top apparel brands. They use cardboard molds to press pleats into fabric, and this is a lovely profile of the company.
Photo by Christopher Payne, Tom’s Sons International Pleating
Take a look at the work of Libby Raab, a paper weaver and licensed architect based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Raab views weaving as an inherently architectural act, a form of spatial expression and material experimentation. Just as her residential architecture prioritizes connection and intimacy, her artwork seeks the same personal resonance, inviting viewers into layered, tactile encounters with familiar imagery.
This is a lovely video essay about Aimee Lee, who is keeping the tradition of Korean papermaking alive.
Mulberry Paper carries this Indian Cotton Rag Crinkle. It comes in 12 colors at the time I’m writing this, some matte, some metallic.
I found this to be perfect for the Paper Cloth Pocket Book we made in my Paper Year Program back in 2021.
The post For Pleat’s Sake appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.
August 23, 2026
We just wrapped up the 11th Red Cliff Paper Retreat. It is always a delight to host makers from around the country (and occasionally the world) in my Colorado studio. We explored paper weaving this week. The works below were picked at random and represent a very tiny sampling of what was created. Clockwise from top left: Wendy, Yvonne, Sherry and Kim.
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I had the pleasure of interviewing Angela Fung and Ashley Bedford, of Fung & Bedford, on Paper Talk.
Fung & Bedford is a multi-disciplinary studio exploring how material can think, hold memory, and reshape space. Through large-scale folded sculptures and installations, they transform flat surfaces into structural form, using geometry and repetition to give gesture a tangible presence. Their process is guided as much by gravity as by resistance to it. They test the threshold between weight and lift, creating forms that appear suspended — poised between ascent and collapse. To Fung & Bedford, folding is both action and a philosophy — a way to ‘Unfold the Moment’. Each work emerges through cycles of tension and release, where precision meets transformation. Every crease records a decision; every plane reveals a dialogue between intention and material behavior.
The recording is a bit faint in spots – I apologize in advance. Enjoy our conversation!
—————————————————————————————––––––Speaking of folded paper, Tom’s Sons International Pleating, a company that began in Lebanon and moved to NYC in 1975, creates pleated fabric for some of the world’s top apparel brands. They use cardboard molds to press pleats into fabric, and this is a lovely profile of the company.
Photo by Christopher Payne, Tom’s Sons International Pleating
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Take a look at the work of Libby Raab, a paper weaver and licensed architect based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Raab views weaving as an inherently architectural act, a form of spatial expression and material experimentation. Just as her residential architecture prioritizes connection and intimacy, her artwork seeks the same personal resonance, inviting viewers into layered, tactile encounters with familiar imagery.
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This is a lovely video essay about Aimee Lee, who is keeping the tradition of Korean papermaking alive.
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In honor of my new book, Weaving With Paper, I’m featuring highlights from the book by professional artists as well as participants in my online class, Weave Through Winter, which the book is based on. There are 30 projects with prompts and each project features a weaving technique. Prompt #16 is Ephemera. Souvenirs. Keepsakes. Family photos. We all have them, and there are many printed items that might remind you of times gone by, like the paper I used in my sample weaving.
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Paper of The Week: Indian Cotton Rag Crinkle
Mulberry Paper carries this Indian Cotton Rag Crinkle. It comes in 12 colors at the time I’m writing this, some matte, some metallic.
- Medium weight: 100-110 GSM Handmade
- Handmade from recycled cotton textiles in India
- 4 deckled edges on a 22″ x 30″ sheet
- Acid-free
- Sizes: 22″ × 30″ and 8.5″ × 11″
I found this to be perfect for the Paper Cloth Pocket Book we made in my Paper Year Program back in 2021.
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Papery Tidbits:
- Who has been to see Jacob Hashimoto’s Giant Arc exhibition at SF MoMA?
- Dieu Donné, the place that set me on my papermaking journey, is celebrating 50 years. There are many festivities, but one of them is a new book, Dieu Donné: Paper Making Art
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Featured In My Studio Shop:
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Tell 4000+ paper enthusiasts about your work by promoting your business in The Sunday Paper.
———————————————————————————————––––––
SHARE THIS blog post with your paper-loving friends!
I occasionally have affiliate links in these posts – to products that I receive a small commission on if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!
The post For Pleat’s Sake appeared first on Helen Hiebert Studio.