Teaching Spotlight: ART 335 Introduction to Papermaking
November 8-November 22, 2026
Maika'i Tubbs, Assistant Professor of Kānaka Maoli Visual Arts
THE COMMONS GALLERY, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
This course explores paper as both a material and a conceptual tool for contemporary art. Through hands-on experimentation, students investigate how everyday materials can be turned into something unexpected, examining the relationships between resourcefulness, sustainability, materiality, and storytelling.
The first project, PAPER FACTORY, invites students to source two different materials from their everyday surroundings and fuse them together to create a hybrid fiber. Using materials such as discarded clothing, dead plants, and found fibers, students process these resources into pulp to form sheets of handmade paper. This process encourages them to look at their surroundings with renewed attention and recognize the possibilities in often-overlooked materials. Rooted in the spirit of aloha, this approach emphasizes care and respect as it gives these materials another form.
Building on these handmade papers, the second project, REVEAL, challenges students to transform paper into three-dimensional sculptures that communicate a story through both concept and physical interaction. Students use different papercasting techniques to explore personal memories, hidden histories, cultural narratives, and environmental concerns. Through mechanisms such as unfolding, separating, or interacting with light, each sculpture invites viewers to look beyond its exterior and discover what lies beneath the surface.
This exhibition also includes a collaborative wall installation created by the class. Together, these works demonstrate the versatility of paper as a medium for experimentation, transformation, and expression. From discarded materials to intimate revelations, these projects explore how art can shift our perception of the ordinary and bring new meaning to what we choose to preserve, conceal, or reveal.
THE COMMONS GALLERY is located on the ground floor of The Art Building. From Dole Street, take East-West Road, turn left to Correa Road, and then turn right for the Art Building.
Hours & Admission
Tuesday–Friday, & Sunday, 12–4 p.m.
Closed Saturdays, Mondays, spring break (March 18-22), and state holidays.
Free admission. Donations are appreciated.
Parking is free on Sundays. Parking fees may apply during weekdays.
For more information, please contact 808.956.6888 and gallery@hawaii.edu