Quilling or paper filigree is an art form that involves the use of strips of paper that are rolled, shaped, and glued together to create decorative designs. The paper is wound around a quill to create a basic coil shape. The paper is then glued at the tip and these shaped coils are arranged to form flowers, leaves, and various ornamental patterns similar to ironwork. During the Renaissance, French and Italian nuns and monks used quilling to decorate book covers and religious items. The paper most commonly used was strips of paper trimmed from the gilded edges of books. These gilded paper strips were then rolled to create the quilled shapes. Quilling often imitated the original ironwork of the day. Projects can range from simple gift tags and cards to pictures, jewelry, three dimensional models or the decoration of boxes. This is an introductory shape making class but skilled quillers will also enjoy the class. Space is limited for this class so please call the Jackson County Library to register.The instructor, Lawrie Williams is a local skilled paper artist and educator with over 35 years experience teaching. Lawrie has been a featured artist at Southwestern Community College. You can find her teaching her paper art at both Jackson County Senior Centers, the County Extension Service, ECA groups, and various other clubs.
For more information, please call the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva at 586-2016. This event is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Jackson County Public Library.