Candace Thayer-Coe is one of the rare artists in Vancouver who specializes in the traditional art of Turkish paper marbling. The Italian Cultural Centre is currently presenting The Bookbinder’s Art, an exhibition featuring her art work, along with some antique Venetian books.

Candace Thayer-Coe with one of her Suminagashi pieces made into a book. | Photo by Naomi Tse

“I’ve never come across anyone else who practiced paper marbling in Vancouver”, says Thayer-Coe, a Los Angeles native who has been studying Turkish paper marbling since 1975.

Thayer-Coe first started learning how to make paper while she was living in the Philippines and working at a paper mill. As her expertise and interest in paper-making grew, she began studying paper marbling with Don Guyot, who specialized in refurbishing antique books.

Italian Cultural Centre museum curator Angela Clarke had come across Thayer-Coe’s art work at the Crafthouse run by the Craft Council of British Columbia on Granville Island, where the works of many potters, weavers and ceramic artists are displayed and purchased. Clarke says that the Italian community and various art classes have made their way through the exhibit.

“I felt that decorative art was not given a lot of display at the museum,” says Clarke who has a background in Italian art and history.

A brief history of paper marbling

Turkish paper marbling or Ebru (Cloud) was first used as a decorative backdrop for sacred scriptures. Venetian artisans who were trading with Muslim countries were exposed to this type of art and brought it back to Italy, where it was used for bookbinding. The Italians thought that the visual effect on the paper resembled marble instead of clouds and thus the name paper marbling was conceived. This unique form of bookbinding was used for book covers and endpapers in many European countries.

The paper marbling process

Thayer-Coe specializes in using grass fibres, such as talnag and cogon, to make her paper so that the paper is strong enough to endure the Turkish marbling process. The paper is first treated with aluminum sulphate and then pressed overnight. Then water colour inks are mixed in a vat of water called a size and then different patterns and designs, such as the French Curl, can be created in the ink with rakes and other tools. Finally, a sheet of paper is laid on top of the water so that the ink can be transferred onto the paper.

In addition to the Turkish and Italian paper marbling techniques, Thayer-Coe also practices the Japanese art of suminagashi or “ink floating.” Suminagashi does not require the paper to be treated beforehand, so the process is much faster. The ink is swirled into the water and the design is created based on how the ink spreads in the water.

“It’s so easy I’ve used it to make cards with kids as young as 4,” says Thayer-Coe.

Although she is not actively producing new works at the moment, Thayer-Coe plans to start up another studio in the near future. Her company, Cloud Art, is aptly named after the Turkish word for the marbling technique.

Practicing the art

Thayer-Coe says that she strives for technical precision in her work. This is not always possible, though, because there are variables that are difficult to control, such as the temperature and air movement inside the room.

“Some days [the ink] might just rinse off,” she says.

She explains that the paper has to be treated just right and there must be a sharp image visible on the paper with defined lines.

“I’ve seen a lot of work that is not technically correct,” says Thayer-Coe.

In addition to paper marbling, Thayer-Coe also produces decorative boxes and greeting cards. She notes that some of her customers will buy her paper to line their own books or use her suminagashi pieces for wrapping paper.

“I’m not in [paper marbling] to copy traditional Turkish marbling or bookbinding,” she says. “I like to play with traditional patterns to create my own expression.”

The Bookbinder’s Art exhibit will run until March 31 at the Italian Cultural Centre.
For more information, visit www.italianculturalcentre.ca/events/museum.