PAPER STUDIO NORTHUMBRIA

PSN was conceived and developed between 2013-18 by Siân Bowen as a unique facility for the research, teaching and scholarship of paper in relation to fine art, conservation and archiving, as well as for the practice of papermaking. The studio provided two large project spaces, mounting area, an archive of European and Asian papers and a seminar space. A large Voith laboratory beater, heavy-duty press and hand-crafted deckle and moulds were brought from Berlin in order to equip a papermaking area.

Bowen worked closely to develop PSN with members of the Paper Research Group: Jane Colbourne (Senior Lecturer, MA Conservation of Fine Art) and Fine Art Professors Chris Dorsett and Keith McIntyre. Research carried out by staff was embedded into teaching and learning across all Fine Art programmes. Talks and workshops were given by leading specialists and international artists. PSN was a facility open to students from BA to PhD and also hosted externally funded artist residencies, thus offering a platform for the exchange of ideas. Exhibitions of artists who had worked at the studio were staged both in PSN and in external venues including Taiwan National University of Art, Taipei.