PGH Spotlight | The Paper Lady - Katy DeMent

Katy DeMent, aka The Paper Lady,  has been making her living as a full-time papermaker and teacher for over 20 years. Her work is found in galleries and museums worldwide and has been featured on HGTV’s “Crafters Coast to Coast”. DeMent was an Art major at Georgia State University but is self-taught in papermaking, welding, sewing and other crafts.

Katy's Paper Dresses

All DeMent’s works are created out of handmade papers she has made from locally gathered materials. Her 2-D imagery includes cast paper quilts, paper clothing, heirloom collage, and interactive shadow boxes, whilst her 3-D work is more functional and includes waxed paper, wall sconces and lampshades that balance on lamps made of old tools that she welds and wires herself.

DeMent grew up in North Carolina under a sewing machine. Around quilting great grandmothers, gardening great aunts, and mom= fashion designer. When Mom went to work She lost her personal seamstress so began altering her families Vintage clothes, up cycling, years ahead of this trend ,raiding closets for vintage materials.

Working at Hancock Fabric Store in high school and college (7 years she still has some cloth today," the one with the most…” she honed her craft as seamstress, costumer , designer.  DeMent discovered hand made paper in 1989 at the China Exhibit , High Museum o art , Atlanta . Profoundly influenced by this tactile and versatile medium. DeMent begin a self taught -on going journey creating art works both functional and decorative sustaining herself through paper making for over 20 years at galleries and art festivals.

This passion for hand made papers primary manufactured from recycled materials, vintage ephemera and invasive plants are influenced by her interest in visual narrative, a love of gardening and her long time relationship with fabrics and fibers and stitchery.

Paper Dress

Some of her works are coated with raw beeswax, which gives them a warm glow when light is added, making this unique lighting both “romantic and aromatic.” This utilizes the interaction between natural or man-made fibers and etched images. DeMent’s fine art works are complemented by handmade paper gift items, books, candle covers, Plantable Seed Cards © and other custom stationery.

This past fall DeMent won Best of Show at the Kentuck festival in North Port Alabama. Out of 350 artist nation wide. She will be exhibiting at the Kentuck Museum in June as well as teaching paper making work shops there in conjunction with the show.

Be sure to come see The Paper Lady's awesome creations at the 5th Annual GAGI Fest Fashion Show this Friday at the Pittsburgh Glass Center.