Japanese Woodblock Print Workshop

At the end of January, I was invited to return to Winterthur to participate in a workshop about the materials, techniques, and conservation of Japanese woodblock prints. The paper lab was hosting, and the guest lecturer was one of the former Winterthur paper conservators and one of my old professors, Betty! My fellow Winterthur grads at the Centre were also invited: one of the perks of being local WUDPAC alumni.

Betty's specialty, and her favorite things, are Japanese prints. (She did laugh and say that Old Master drawings were pretty nice as well...) She studied for some years in Japan, working with a Japanese paper conservator, examining multitudes of prints, and learning all about Asian art on paper.

Like all good conservation workshops, it involved some hands-on learning. Betty in action.


















Woo! Very different than Western paper!


















Betty washes a woodblock book page.














Do not try this at home. There is a reason for the advanced degree.














Joan, the Winterthur paper conservator, tinkering with her camera, while the current WUDPAC students work.