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ARTIST: Chertoff

Chertoff studied at Pratt developing a special process of layering handmade dyed natural papers with her drawings and gold leaf.  She describes these assemblages as 'tapestries,' works that can weave light and fiber.

Migratory Moment IV 20x20.jpg

Migratory Moment IV, 20" h x 20" w, original mixed medium with gold leaf on canvas

The Artist's Process

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  1. The fiber Kozo is processed by hand cooked in a caustic soda to release impurities in the fiber

  2. Abaca, a banana leaf fiber, is put in a large beater and beaten

  3. Both fibers are dyed and pigmented

  4. Next, a fiberglass screen is cut to an exact dimension

  5. A chemical formation aid is added to the colored pulp fiber

  6. Colors are mixed in 5-gallon buckets

  7. The fiberglass screen is put on top of another screen

  8. Pulp is diluted and poured in layers for the desired color and or texture

  9. Next, the images such as the birds are original and hand-drawn

  10. They are cut out with a backing of heat-sensitive paper

  11. The images are rolled by hand with an ink

  12. The images are gilded with 23 Karat gold

  13. The images are drawn through the gold to create contour and texture

  14. The images are arranged on the fiberglass screen

  15. The images are heat activated and are glued to the fiberglass surface

  16. Layers of thin pulp are integrated into the design creating depth and mystery

  17. The work is sealed and protected

Artist Process

Artist Biography

Chertoff describes her (Washi) handmade paper assemblages as “tapestries.” Layered and textured, they are pure assimilation of Japanese aesthetics. They are hand-dyed fiber, poured, and laminated onto flexible screens. This unique technique permits the interplay of space, light, and fiber. Inclusions reflect Byzantine coin transfers and architectural elements that are drawn and gold-leafed. Her work with its Asian and Euro-Western influences is decidedly Pacific Rim. Her pieces are found in the private collections of George and Dorothy Saxe, Proctor and Gamble, the Oakland Museum, and Paramount Pictures, as well as leading craft galleries across the United States.
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