Lesa Hepburn - Contemporary Artist, Papermaker and Designer
I was born in Perak, West Malaysia, and spent my childhood in Sarawak on the island of Borneo living close to the jungle and the sea.
Natural materials inspire my process of making, homegrown, homemade and handmade as an idea of RECOVERY for the environment. I like using the varied techniques of hand papermaking, weaving and surface design.
I’m often asked “how long did that take you to make?”. My answer is that it has taken a lifetime of observation and intense study of my environment and materials.
I am prepared to wait for items to become available, and also the time it takes to process materials is not an issue. I will cook my own glue and wait months while the fibre ferments, then wait for the next harvest.
With the current restrictions on water use, I have reduced my papermaking and have been reworking my papers and other materials from the collection in my studio at Scarborough, Queensland. I have designed a selection of handmade paper lamps, ‘recovery’ basket sculptures, wrapped hemp earrings, pendants and brooches. More work may be viewed at my website (www.lesahepburn.com).
