By Heidi Trautmann

ÇADER - Çatalköy Development and Culture Organization  -  had invited Cyprus Paper Art Association to learn more about paper making. The name ÇADER implicates in itself the high interest the group has shown towards this special art form, not only have they visited the last paper art exhibitions of our association but have subsequently tried themselves among their group members to make paper for their own special purpose with their main interest of environment protection. Please read more about their activities under  … https://www.facebook.com/groups/208833896528/about/

On June 29, Ismet Tatar, the President of KKSD/ACPA (Cyprus Paper Art Association) accompanied by other members and artists of the association, Şenol Özdevrim, Mandana Mernia and Heidi Trautmann,  found everything ready in the beautiful workrooms of the Culture House, an old Cypriot building in the mountain village of Catalköy. Paper pulp had already been prepared by the Çader members and children in big buckets. Sitting around a large working table members of the association and quite a handful of children were excited to hear what Ismet Tatar had to tell them. “Hopefully”, Pervin Özgeçen and Irene Raab-Marancos told me, “it is one of many meetings to come, as we really want to find out how we can make use of this art form for our purposes”, which is their project ‘Çevre ve ben/ the Environment and I’. One step after the other, also to stimulate curiosity and knowledge of our children members, to learn how to re-use material our society is so recklessly throwing away without realizing the value the material really has.

The necklace Ismet Tatar was wearing around her neck attracted the interest of her audience, a necklace made entirely of paper pulp and so she decided to help them create one for themselves from the paper pulp they had prepared. The first point of instruction was how to use the binding agent properly when preparing the pulp in order to obtain a proper consistency and how to prepare coloured paper pulp. Ismet Tatar had brought with her six natural colouring media, i.e. red and black henna, saffron, walnut shell cooked and refined in a blender, instant coffee and turmeric.

With these differently coloured pulps, the ÇADER members, adults and children, were now shown how to create an abstract painting on a piece of cardboard; the results were beautiful.

In the meantime, artist Şenol Özdevrim had got ready for his demonstration of sculpting with paper pulp.  For this purpose he had brought with him an oblong Asian or African head mask of wood which he covered with a plastic sheet to protect the wood. Now, with the help of many hands around him, he applied the very moist white paper pulp onto the form and when that was achieved they created mouth and eyes with some of the coloured pulp previously prepared. 

One could see the joy all of them were having. The sculpture copy will take some days to dry, though, in order to be able to take it off the wooden body.  In the same manner other objects can be created, such as bowls, cups and plates for example which they learnt would be a good substitute for plastic ware, the workshop participants were told.

At the end of the successful workshop we all sat down and enjoyed a delicious apple tart and good coffee. A big thank you to ÇADER and its active and welcoming members, we wish them luck with all their activities for environment.