I’ve just returned from the annual meeting of the Friends of Dard Hunter at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tenn. The Friends are an international association of book and paper artists, historians, educators, conservators, and anyone with a passionate interest in paper.

Many who attend the annual meetings are very accomplished artists, whose works grace the collections of colleges, universities and museums throughout the world. And then there’s me. No talent, just passion, so I get to show off not what I can do, but what my friends are so good at.

At each annual meeting, keepsakes are created with small works submitted by dozens of members for all attendees to take home. The first thing I did last night after arriving home was to open my keepsake. Following are some of the delightful pieces included. I’ll bring you some more another day.

From top:

Handmade paper from banana, seagrass, lily, cotton and abaca, Mary C. Leto, New York.

Artemsia and Abaca, Joanne Davis and Sally Rose, Douglas Lake Paper Camp, Michigan.

Kiwi Fruit (yes really) embedded in handmade paper, Winnie Radolan, Philadelphia.

Letterpress Arrowmont Annual Meeting Graphic, Kerri Cushman, Farmville, Va.

Laser-cut image of Dard Hunter watermark, Brian Queen, Vancouver, BC

Stitched paper quilts, Anna Velez, Indiana.