Paper Think Tank is a community accessible hand papermaking studio, housed in Brandywine Workshop and Archives in Philadelphia, dedicated to making paper, collaborating with artists, and growing the paper, print, and book arts communities of the city.
Paper Think Tank produces sustainable and local handmade paper and books using invasive plants and renewable resources. We offer classes and workshops both in the craft of sheet production, as well as the creative applications of paper and paper pulp to make original paper artworks. The goal of Paper Think Tank is to strengthen the community of hand papermakers in Philadelphia and bring greater visibility to an under recognized art form.
Nicole Donnelly - Founder (she / her)
Founder of paperTHINKtank and a Philadelphia native, Nicole Donnelly is a hand papermaker and visual artist now operating the Morgan Conservatory of Papermaking in Cleveland, OH.
She opened the doors of paperTHINKtank as a community accessible papermaking studio in 2013 and ushered its growth over the last 10 years to become a resource in the Philadelphia arts communities. She has taught papermaking both as a traditional craft and artistic medium and served as Collaborative Papermaker to resident artists for both Brandywine Workshop & Archives and the Brodsky Center at PAFA. Her creative and academic research has been published by The Legacy Press and Hand Papermaking magazine, and she served as president of IAPMA (International Association of Hand Papermakers and Paper Artists) for seven years. Donnelly’s mission is to establish handmade paper as a recognized art medium and preserve its value as a craft.
Abbey - Studio Manager and Papermaker (she / they)
Abbey Lakey is an interdisciplinary visual artist, originally from the south, she has been Philly based since 2018. Abbey received her BFA in Painting in 2020 and a Studio Art Certificate in 2021, both from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Abbey’s practice includes, but is not limited to, working with fibers, handmade paper, found objects, video, and paint. As a collaborator with her materials and environment, Abbey's material focus centers on sustainability and ephemerality. Through their art, Abbey reflects on the experience of life as both an observer and a participant.
Rah - Papermaker (they / them)
Rah Gerg is a mixed-media painter who creates immersive collage works with an emphasis in papermaking to portray natural and supernatural queer kinships. Rah works as an artist-educator, curator, and muralist based in Philadelphia, and received their BFA in Painting from Rhode Island School of Design in 2024.