Marilyn’s paper

Marilyn’s Paper is a short film inspired by a decade of my work locating the feminist history of the American hand papermaking movement.

The short film frames an ephemeral collaboration between Marilyn Sward, co-founder of the Center for Book & Paper in Chicago, and me when I find a discarded, unmarked portfolio of her work. Inside, I found a collection of her handmade papers in a spectrum of colors, textures and forms—all a mystery in terms of where, when and how they were made. Convinced the paper could speak to me, I searched for clues to her inspiration and process in a papermaker’s garden, an archive of unmarked photographs, and Marilyn’s papermaking studio.

Marilyn’s Paper animates the hand papermaking process through the lens of ecofeminism and reveals the story of an under-recognized artist who contributed significantly to a feminist craft history in America. It is shot on location in the city of Chicago, at the Lurie Garden at Millennium Park, the Columbia College Chicago papermaking studio, and Columbia College Chicago archives.

Directed and written by Melissa H. Potter. Cinematography and editing by Jelena Jovcic. Music by Solomon Kimrey.

Pulling paper with a mould used by Marilyn Sward in the 80s at her organization, Paper Press.

Sourcing papermaking fiber at dawn at the Lurie Garden, Chicago.

Cutting red switchgrass grass fibers from the Lurie Garden for cooking and pulping for hand papermaking.

An antique Chinese botanical print, almost discarded in an unmarked portfolio of Marilyn Sward’s work.

Installation for Let’s Do It: Twenty Three Years of Book and Paper.

Installation for Let’s Do It: Twenty-Three Years of Book & Paper.

Marilyn's Paper

Marilyn’s paper