e ainsley

e ainsley

Handmade paper is at the core of my artistic practice as a sculptor and occasional printmaker. I began my papermaking journey in June 2018 with a summer intensive residency at Pulp & Deckle in Portland, OR, where Jenn Woodward taught me the basics of using a critter beater to process egg cartons and cotton rag. Later that year, I relocated from Oregon to Illinois to pursue an MFA in Sculpture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I worked extensively with miscanthus, big bluestem, corn, hemp, and rye, learning how to process these fibers and use a Reina from former studio manager Veronica Pham. After graduating, I worked at Delight flower farm for two summers while rebooting the workshops and community events at Fresh Press and experiementing with local paper artist Robert Chapman. I find joy in offering numerous affordable queer workshops either in western paper making or sculptural paper casting. I love working with paper pulp and all its magical potential.

e. ainsley