making art with the trees
building kinship and community through poetic expression
Hi, I’m Lau. I’m an artist, craftsperson and papermaker.
In my experience, the connection with the trees need not be lost; even though, as humans, we can feel very isolated from the vegetal beings that inhabit earth with us.
My creative work aims to contribute to a process of healing. In collaboration with plants and trees I create artworks that remember the mutuality between human and vegetal.
I work with natural fibers, found in my near environment. I add little else. Only water, time, labour, attention.
...meeting a tree ...introducing ...asking ...listening ...touching ...cutting ...gathering ...carrying ...steaming ...peeling ...smelling ...noticing ...separating ...cleaning ...preparing ...slowing ...filling ...submerging ...composing ...watching ...feeling ...lifting ...drying
Creating our artworks, the trees and I meet one another in the practice of papermaking. The language we speak is rooted in touch. Movement. Repetition.
The fiber bodies born from our collaboration are not functional as paper. They are queer becomings that exist between vegetal and human. Expressing both.
My works are meant to be shared. Would you like to bring an artwork into your home or workplace? You can do so by becoming their guardian.
Interested in learning to make paper yourself? I host small group workshops to re-introduce you to the vegetal beings around us.