

Handmade Paper and Prints by Finger Lakes Artist Brad Leiby
Oct 11, 2024

I was able to spend some time making handmade recycled paper and some relief prints this summer. It takes a while to do and can be pretty messy so it was not easy to work on while I was moving around for the past few years. I'm settled in The Finger Lakes now and getting back to it was great, I love the processes!

I carved a couple of blocks inspired by Sturgeon, a prehistoric fish that can be found in some large lakes. I have thought these fish were really cool for a long time. I have also used them as an excuse for why I don't swim in the lake. Stories of lake monsters and fishermen being knocked out of their boats have been attributed to giant sturgeon. Creatures like this and many more mundane lake fish freak me out enough to stay in the boat.

I used a piece of wood for the larger carving block and a piece of soft linoleum for the smaller print. I was not overly concerned with making the sturgeon look realistic. I was going for a more symbolic look to the print. It was the first time I had worked with these materials in a long time but I enjoyed getting back into it. I was also pretty happy with the results of the finished blocks.


I remember making recycled paper in school. I started thinking about it again when I was 30 and doing more print-related projects. It's a fun craft. The process feels meditative, and each piece of paper you make is a unique work of art on its own. It reminds me of automatic art. It's loose and chaotic but you can influence many aspects of it. I hope I can make a batch of paper like this every summer.




The limited run of handmade paper prints will be available in my shop soon!