Several months ago a customer bought up all our most expensive and highest quality paper we offer, and requested more...that peaked my curiosity. What is she doing with all this amazing paper?

Karen Garrett de Luna has produced an exquisite body of embossed and inkjet prints using Gampi Torinoko. When I viewed her photographs at the Emily Carr University I was astonished to see that she had chosen the perfect paper to express her artistic statement ...”both visible and invisible illnesses and injuries as seen on the skin, while focusing on the fragility and resilience of the human envelope”.

Unbeknownst to me as I began exploring printmaking papers, gampi torinoko comes with a pedigree; according to Steven Saitzyk's Art Hardware: The Definitive Guide to Artists’ Materials, “The Treaty of Versailles was written and signed on this paper because it was believed to be the most permanent paper in the world” (Saitzyk 110). I fell in love with the silky texture of the paper and it was strong enough to withstand the embossing process. In an instance of synchronicity, the paper is composed of 100% Philippine gampi (i.e. fibre from Filipino gampi trees)." 

Karen Garrett de Luna holds BAs in Dance and Mathematics from the University of Washington and an MAA in Visual Arts from Emily Carr University of Art + Design.http://delunatic.net/illBody/