Local Artist

Joan Rhine - Mixed Media,
including Handmade Paper, Jewelry

Joan Rhine's recent mixed media artwork includes abstract wall-pieces and jewelry. Her colors, forms and textures are inspired by landscapes, objects from nature, and natural phenomena. Her strong design background has led her to a predilection for controlled simple forms, which she enjoys combining with random elements.

For her wall artworks she has originated a unique way of weaving with paper, metal and fiber. In her working process, she makes handmade paper using pigment colored cotton or abaca paper pulp to form sheets. Her favorite paper mold is a Vietnamese style deckle-box, which makes it easy to create one-of-a-kind sheets of paper. Depending on the piece or series, she then builds up layers of materials with multiple laminations, or weaves pressed paper sheets, integrating them with textiles and wires. Surface treatments include detailed gouache painting and gold leafing.

In her hand-fabricated jewelry, she combines oxidized sterling silver and other metals with colorful handmade paper and beads. She is experimenting with new techniques which will no doubt get incorporated into her art.

Joan, with the collaboration of Jim Meilander, opened their papermaking studio Submarine Paperworks in San Francisco twenty-three years ago, and relocated it to Gualala in 2000. Joan's commitment to the medium of hand papermaking is reflected in her association with the international organization "Friends of Dard Hunter" and the Northern California based group "The Deckle Edge." Her background includes extensive formal art education and many years of personal research and experimentation.

Joan shows her work in juried exhibits locally in the North Coast area, winning a Judges' Award in the 2005 Beaux Esprits show at Point Arena CityArt Gallery, then a Merit Award in the 2006 show. She also shows in competitive national exhibits such as The American Craft Council's Baltimore and San Francisco Craft Shows, and in galleries across the country.

In 2006, she was accepted to become a Journeyman member of the Baulines Craft Guild, and was invited to participate in "Inspired by Marin: The Spirit of Baulines Craft Guild," at the Marin Community Foundation in Novato, and "North Coast Mastery" at Gualala Arts Center. In 2007 her work was exhibited at the Morris Graves Museum in Eureka, California in "Expressions in Handmade Paper 3: The Deckle Edge." Her work is represented locally by SK Gallery, Gualala.

Contact Information: Joan Rhine PO Box 1295 Gualala, CA 95445 Email: subpaper@mcn.org Phone: 707-884-4564

© copyright 2008 - all rights to the images are retained by the artist