FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY
Florida Atlantic bookbinding students learned the basics of sheet formation at the Diving Pelican Papermill, Jaffe Center for Book Arts’ new and improved papermaking studio.
Joseph Velasquez, Professor and Head of the Printmaking Curriculum at Florida Atlantic, reached out to the Jaffe Center about bringing his bookbinding class to the papermaking studio this fall. On November 8, eighteen students came to the Diving Pelican Papermill to learn and practice their skills.
The students worked with two large plastic vats sitting on tables outside, charging their pulp from a stuff chest that rested on the concrete floor of the patio adjacent to the vat. They took turns forming sheets and labeling them with their names so that each student could take their paper after the class.
While this wouldn’t be necessary in a collaborative project environment, it was important that each student walk away with individual applications for their handmade paper.
The papermaking studio has recently moved from Building T6 to T10, both historic structures on campus, dating back to the time when it was part of Boca Raton Army Airfield.
Soon after the move the studio got a new name, Diving Pelican Papermill, paying homage to the soldiers once stationed at the Airfield, who were trained in radar and radio communications during World War and called themselves “The Diving Pelicans.”
The studio is organized based on the vision of John Cutrone, Jaffe center Director, and Daniel Zaccardi’s observations. Daniel, a Studio Coordinator at Jaffe, studied papermaking studios from afar, mostly through photographs, and had the opportunity to visit the paper studios at North Carolina’s Penland School of Craft in April of 2023, and the Rhode Island School of Design in October 2023.
“During both visits I took notes on where equipment was placed in relation to other immediately needed tools or supplies, and I asked how students felt about the studio spaces, what they wanted, what they made work despite limitations, and, if applicable, what was untenable. All the notes taken went into the recent organizing,” Daniel explained.
They added that for the first time in Jaffe paper studio’s history, the team begun a logbook, where the papermakers using the facilities can document the fiber used, its dry weight, processing prior to beating, beat times, the roller height of the beater, and so on.
“After each edition of the paper is completed, there is space in the log in which to adhere a small sample of paper for future students and researchers to refer to,” Daniel said.
The Jaffe team walks away from every session with new ideas, potential solutions, and many daydreams for the future. After the recent students’ workshop, they realized the workspace and instruction area, outdoors under a patio roof, were far from ideal, with wind and elements getting in the way of papermaking.
“We hope to someday install an awning to protect papermaking students and their handmade paper from the sun and debris,” Daniel added.
The Diving Pelican Papermill will officially open to the public in 2024.
“We cannot wait to open our doors to all students, faculty, and staff of FAU, as well as the local book arts community. It is our goal that the Diving Pelican Papermill will harbor the kind of warm and motivating environment the rest of the Jaffe Center beams out to the world,” said Daniel.
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