Conclusion
Many artists in the Paper Legacy Collection remain active, and new artists are still entering the field. In the US, most papers are now sold online as brick-and-mortar outlets have decreased. There is also an apparent shift away from making production papers toward creating one-of-a-kind or small-edition artwork.
The decorated paper arts have survived for centuries, through cycles of popularity and disinterest. The Watson Library’s Paper Legacy Collection preserves and documents works made by the most prominent artists working since the 1960s. We encourage you to explore the collection in person and online.
Claire Maziarczyk (b. 1955)
Celebrate 100 Years, 2006. Paste paper quilt, methylcellulose paste with Golden Artist Colors, on Mohawk Superfine paper.
Claire Maziarczyk created this paper quilt in honor of the Guild of Book Workers 100th Anniversary. It is the first of a series of eight such works. The background papers were created over a ten-year period from custom paste papers Maziarczyk had made for various bookbinders who desired traditional color ways. Contemporary motifs were added to the design. The collage is mounted on Masonite and laminated in a satin finish polymer.
Thomas J. Watson Library, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Claire Maziarczyk