Amanda Degener & Michael Durgin

Essay by Mina Takahashi Editor, Hand Papermaking magazine

It is fitting that these lifelong friends are being honored together for their shared and significant contributions as co-founders of Hand Papermaking magazine. As current editor of the magazine I reflect with gratitude, at the publication of every issue, on Amanda’s and Michael’s foresight and moxie. They admit, in their “Founders’ Conversation” (2006), reproduced below, that they had a “Well, why not?” kind of attitude about starting up the magazine in 1986, reinforced with encouragement by those already established in the field such as Tim Barrett and Elaine Koretsky. Amanda and Michael speak of their casual entry into the publishing world but in their deliberate choice to employ a fine-art journal format (Fine Print was their model) yet call it a “magazine” they demonstrate an approach that I believe many in our field ascribe to: that we are serious about the work we do to advance hand papermaking, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. The other element in their relationship that I see mirrored in the field is the strength and joy of their collaboration. Amanda noted recently, “I am reminded of how much fun it was to bring HP into being with Michael...because of our friendship, this ‘project’ happened.” Enjoy their conversation below, in which they outline their paper paths together and finish each other’s sentences. Our field has greatly benefitted from their enduring friendship.

The following article was originally published in the Summer 2006 issue of Hand Papermaking magazine and is reprinted here with permission from Hand Papermaking, Inc.