Working out of her studio in Mill Valley, California, Louise Forbush creates small collages of handmade papers accented with calligraphy, gold leaf, scraps of fabrics, bits of reed, worn woods, and other found materials. Her work is full of texture and rich colors, often appearing as abstracted cityscapes or landscapes. Forbush’s love affair with handmade paper began during a residency in Japan when she began collecting much of the supplies she still uses today. For the artist, ephemera such as old Japanese books and hand drawn maps bring their own hidden histories to her work. It is these suggested, yet unknown, stories that have continued to intrigue the artist throughout her practice.
