Marbled Papers, Endpapers, Handmade Decorative papers, Bookbinding Papers SKYCRAFT DESIGNS, INC.

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Peggy Skycraft In 1970, Peggy Skycraft started a studio business producing editions of traditional marbled papers and silks. She is considered a master of this ancient art and reintroduced it in America through teaching seminars and workshops. The amazing resurgence of interest in marbled papers in the late1980's and early 1990's was in part due to her influence. Some of the artists she taught excelled and went on to teach others. Among these are Galen Berry, Susan Pogany and Don Guyot. The art of marbling had been virtually lost in America when Peggy Skycraft and these other artists began the work of restoring it. In time Peggy expanded her range of techniques to include many other styles, including paste grained, and other related exotic painted surface designs. She has developed a worldwide demand for these papers. She has built her marketing network over a period of 32 years with a emphasis on providing exceptional quality and custom services. She has also developed a substantial business licensing her art for reproduction in packaging, advertising, books, and in product design. Her intense interest in exploration of the materials and techniques of art has allowed her to create new types of paper patterning never before made for the market. This has led to a line of specialty studio produced art materials for a small circle of lucky artists. She also consults for companies who want specialty art material products. Peggy's background: Chicago Art Institute, Certificate in Design and Bachelor of Science in Painting from Portland State University. Minors in anthropology and English. Oregon secondary education teaching certificate was earned but studio work won out over full time involvement in public schools. Peggy has taught numerous seminars, workshops and intensive classes at many public schools, art schools, universities and for specialized conferences. Call for information on teaching engagements. Peggy Skycraft is one of the rare artists who have managed to coordinate the factors, creativity, business and personal goals, to arrive at attaining some facets of the American Dream. Peggy drew on her lifetime of knowledge to contribute, for a time, a regular column The Business of Art for a popular artist's magazine, Somerset Studio. Jack and Peggy's studio and home are on an Oregon ranch in the foothills of the Cascades, one hour southeast of Portland. Jack Townes shares studio production and marketing responsibilities as well as the outdoor tasks relating to the farm. They raise a small and entertaining herd of free range, organic sheep, and also have reforested much of their land, which is part of a 100 year old homestead. Peggy's avocation is gardening, and she has created perennial flower gardens and a greenhouse full of tomatoes, peppers, and even a fig tree!. Jack Townes Jack Townes' university background is in geology, at Queens College, New York. He had earlier learned woodworking at Thomas Edison in NY and later applied these skills to art installation, spending a number of years as preparator for the Portland Art Museum and doing free lance installations for galleries and for sculptors. He now does custom mounts for museum jewelery installations as well as the preparator and installation work for a number of types of shows for art museums in the western US.. Jack now produces a portion of the Skycraft studio output. He specializes in the painted paper styles, and his work is characterized by bold and wild designs and colorations. Jack's papers are unique and unusual and many easily qualify as frameable art. Jack , known as "the paper guy," has gained a lot of fans who love using his papers for adventurous book and art projects.