This project involves two separate groups of Visual Arts Program students (18 students per group) going on an excursion to one of the few hand-made paper mills in North America. Papeterie St-Armand is run by David Caruthers, who is a living legend in the paper-making milieu. Students will be presented with some history and processes of paper making, as well as to see unique examples of paper crafted in-house.

During the Industrial revolution, when cheaper and faster ways of mass-producing paper were developed, there was a great decline in hand-made paper production and in paper quality and longevity. However, given the durability, beauty and archival nature of hand-made rag paper, the art of paper-making did not entirely die out. Since 1979, David Caruthers has been supplying artists, artisans and others throughout North America with custom-made papers.

The eyes of art students will be opened to the possibilities of hand-made paper as both a support surface for artwork and as the artwork itself.