Books On Books Collection – Pat Gentenaar-Torley

First Seven Books of the Rijswijk Paper Biennial (1996 – 2008)

Photos: Books On Books Collection.

These seven books that Pat Gentenaar-Torley put together with Peter Gentenaar-Torley and others introduced her work (and pulp painting) to the Books On Books Collection. Pulp painting is a too-little remarked technique that is followed around the world and deploys almost as many tools as there are brushes: pipettes, syringes and even turkey basters. The technique has been used in book art by artists such as Pacita Abad, John Gerard, Helen Hiebert, Lea Basile Lazarus, Tim Mosely, Pamela Paulsrud, Marius Péraudeau, Lynn Sures, Claire Van Vliet, Gangolf Ulbricht, Maria Welch and Michelle Wilson.

Water Dragon / Parrot Tulips (2011)

Water Dragon / Parrot Tulips (2011)

Pat Gentenaar-Torley

Pulp painting. H575 x W520 mm, excluding mounting board of white plastic. Acquired from the artist, July 2018. Photos: Books On Books Collection.

Drops of Moonlight (c. 2008?)

Drops of Moonlight (c. 2008?)

Pat Gentenaar-Torley

Pulp painting. H370 x W475 mm, excluding frame and matte. Acquired from the artist, July 2018. Photos: Books On Books Collection.

Here is Gentenaar-Torley’s explanation of her technique:

I work from the front of the painting on the surface of the vacuum table. Using the colored pulps, I pour thin, often transparent, layers of pulp, next to and on top of each other, sometimes shaping them with a knife as I go along. As the water drains down, I gradually build up the pulp layers to the back, finishing with a layer of hemp pulp overall, for strength, and then a layer of cotton pulp overall, to act as a cushion for drying on a board.

Screenshots of Gentenaar-Torley’s pulp painting process from artist’s website. Permission of the artist.

Gentenaar-Torley explains the technique in additional detail in the fourth booklet of Puur Papier/Pure Paper (Rijswijk : Stichting Holland Papier Biënnale, 2008).