This book would not exist were it not for my daughter, Kim Schiedermayer. She envisioned it, marketed it, and served as liaison with the publisher. Most of all, she spent those necessary endless hours going through over a thousand handmade sheets to select the optimum illustration of a specific technique or point. Then there are drawers and containers full of sculptures, castings, and assorted weirdos. The selection process was pure, unadulterated mental labor of decision after decision after decision. So I repeat, my forever thanks to Kim.
Where can an author do better than at Storey Publishing? I didn’t know a publishing staff could be so pleasant, willing, and easy to talk with, and still be so professional and decisive (makes me want to write another book). Our compliments and appreciation to, and my admiration for, Pam Art and Deborah Balmuth, who decided the world needed this papermaking book and performed the labor and judgment to create one. Thanks and admiration also to Nancy Wood, the capable and insightful editor who took on the unimaginable task of combing through my former texts to glean and organize the best from them into the book you now hold. And for giving the book the vital assets of design; my thanks to art director, Dan Williams; the photographer, Greg Nesbit; and stylist, Sara Gillingham.
Acknowledgement must go also to my former colleagues, the entire research staff and faculty of the former Institute of Paper Chemistry. For 17 glorious years they stuffed my brain with cutting-edge paper science and technology for my editorial duties. To delineate the magnitude of their contribution to this book would take another book. The Institute was also the source of the amazing photo on page 10.
I acknowledge the life-long labor of Dard Hunter, master paper historian and founder of the Dard Hunter Paper Museum. It constitutes the world’s major collection of paper historical matter (now housed in the Robert C. Williams Paper Museum at the Georgia Institute of Technology). I had the privilege of being its curator for six years. Without that experience, the void in my hand-papermaking knowledge would be endless.
Every would-be author should have benefit of longtime friends in his/her field of expertise, such as I have had. Thanks for Howard and Kathryn Clark of Twinrocker Handmade Paper, the late Joe Wilfer, Dard Hunter III of the Dard Hunter legacy, and each and every member of the vibrant paper craft and art fellowship, Friends of Dard Hunter. They are a fellowship that causes one to keep standards high.
Where would any author be without his spouse? I have Mabel. As long as she can maintain her unbelievably high level of patience and tolerance, we will always be able to look forward to another wedding anniversary. Selah.
Credits: Fish Bowl (page 144), Torrent Lampshade (page 183), and Coiled Bowl (page 185), by Ellie Schiedermayer. Other projects reflect designs by Mary Ayres, Saundra Galloway, Erikia Ghumm, Sara Gillingham, Maria Nerius, and Kay Williams.