PAPERPULP Vessels and More - Debbie Wijskamp

2016 has been a very busy year for Dutch designer Debbie Wijskamp. Along with ideas and inspiration for utilizing paper as her material of choice, she has a new workspace, home, baby, and undoubtedly a sense of pride in all she has achieved.

Interested in creating from a young age, Debbie studied Product Design at ArtEZ Academy of Art and Design in the Netherlands. This past spring she opened a retail shop and studio in the Design District of Arnhem called Het Modekwartier. It is where she turns newspaper into pulp and forms it into a variety of beautiful pieces.

 

I'm sure you're curious about these objects that look so much like natural druzies. Aren't they fascinating? Made of recycled paper, plaster, colorant and salt crystals, each decorative piece is completely unique. Debbie titled this collection Circle of Life as a nod to the "collaboration between mind, body and soul." 

In 2009, inspired by cultures that make their homes from readily available materials, Debbie began combining recycled newspaper with a water-based binder to create a sturdy building material. She found the mixture to be strong enough for cabinets and shelving and named it PAPERPULP. You can watch a short process video here.

Debbie uses the same materials to form elegantly shaped objects such as vases and tableware.

The subdued color is dependent on the amount of ink in the newsprint. She also makes lamps from the mixture.

PAPERPULP Bright is a limited collection Debbie developed in 2012 featuring vivid shades that result from the addition of colored pigment.

Debbie teaches her pulp making method via short courses at her studio each month. Recently she traveled to Beirut where she led a workshop and will teach another session in February 2017 at West Dean College in Chichester, UK. More information can be found in the News section of her website.

See Debbie Wijskamp's latest creations on Facebook and Instagram.