All veterans have a story to tell. For too long, we have lived in a day and age where veterans tend to suppress their experiences – producing a culture of the “silent veteran.” Frontline Paper (formerly known as Combat Paper NJ) is a unique art project that offers artistic tools and professional instruction for all, providing a space to use art and writing to explore experiences, and ultimately share them publicly, all through papermaking.
Our specialty is the transformative process of making handmade paper from military uniforms. Through public workshops, this handmade paper creates a platform for veterans and non-veterans to come together and share stories, providing a “new language,” and much needed discourse between veterans and society. In casual drop-in sessions, on college campuses, in community centers, at pop-up street corner workshops, and at VA and military hospitals, Frontline Paper artists teach the art of papermaking and printmaking to veterans of all service eras.
DECONSTRUCT
Uniforms can hold dirt, blood, sweat, and memories. Each workshop session begins with the participants sharing their stories while cutting into the uniform. They deconstruct the trace object as they deconstruct the memories associated with the uniform.
RECLAIM
The cut pieces of uniform are beaten into a pulp using specially designed papermaking equipment, creating a slurry of fibers and water. Sheets of paper are then pulled from the pulp and dried to create handmade paper. In this process the fibers and memories are reconstructed, or reclaimed into something different - paper.
COMMUNICATE
Dried sheets of paper become the platform for veterans to communicate their stories. Through instructional periods, veterans integrate drawing, printmaking, and/or written words into their paper using various techniques. Whether the blank paper, or a created image on the surface, each work of art tells a story through the new language of papermaking.
EVERYONE BECOMES A WITNESS
Community-based events, and exhibitions are important opportunities for veterans to talk about their military service, and for society to hear stories from the veterans themselves, the people. The practice of community-based art, storytelling and making, engages society, gives everyone a voice, and exposes the true complexity of the veteran experience. This sparks a dialogue of the raw realities of what it means to serve in the military, and live through the aftermath. These opportunities help the public better understand the complex veteran narrative, and raise awareness among witnesses that the current bridge built between veterans and society needs repairing.
For more information on the program, or to book a workshop at your community center, VA Center, VA Hospital, arts institution, university, or college, please contact Frontline Paper Program Manager, Ron Erickson, by clicking the Frontline Paper Request Form button below.
If you are not able to participate in-person, Frontline Paper also has virtual Paper Making Workshops for Veterans. In three virtual platform sessions we will bring your group members through the transformation of their uniforms to paper and guide them in the making of art on that paper to communicate their stories.
FREE SUNDAY WORKSHOPS
12-4pm @ Frontline Arts' Studios
We work hard to ensure our Frontline Paper workshops are always FREE for Veterans. Our Veteran-Artist Instructors are here in the studios every Sunday from 12-4pm during our open, drop-in hours. No RSVP or fee required. Stop by to check out the studios, learn about the program, and get hands-on with papermaking from military uniforms.
We can help you create your own unique batches of paper pulp from your military uniforms, or you can work from our community paper pulp, comprised of donated military uniforms from different branches of the military.
We respectfully request Sunday workshops stay focused on the Veteran community. If you are not a Veteran, but are interested in the program, please contact us for a tour on a different day. We host free public papermaking demonstrations at Art Festivals across the state and plan to expand the workshop into a public class offering in the near future.
Not in the central New Jersey area? Our Sunday workshops are now hybrid and participants can tune in virtually while everyone works in the studio! Please contact Program Manager Ron Erickson at ron@frontlinearts.org for directions to our studio, or for the URL and login info to join us every Sunday from 12pm-4pm ET where we cut uniform, make art and just hang out together for a couple hours!
Frontline Arts now has a Veteran Residency program!
For information and applications, please click here.
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!
With your contribution, we will be able to:
purchase much-needed supplies for our weekly free veterans' workshops
maintain our paper beater
teach veterans new technical skills in printmaking on their handmade paper
offer free open workshops in public spaces to deepen the dialogue and mission of the program connecting civilians to the veteran experience
Interested in donating your military uniforms?
Frontline Arts' accepts donated military uniforms.
If you or someone you know has military uniforms they are not sure what to do with, please consider donating them to Frontline Arts!
Drop by during any of our open hours, or give us a call if you have questions about the donation! (908) 725-2110 or email ron@frontlinearts.org
GROWING GALLERY OF FRONTLINE PAPER PRINT COLLECTION
We also travel our collection of veteran artwork for exhibitions! For inquiry on loan of the collection for exhibition, contact ron@frontlinearts.org
LATEST NEWS
Frontline Arts is one of 26 organizations nationwide selected to receive a Creative Forces® Community Engagement grant. A grant of $50,000 will support expanding our free Frontline Paper Sunday workshops, as well as mobile workshops across New Jersey, where veterans make paper from military uniforms. Read the full press release here.
Frontline Paper has just been awarded a grant from WarnerMedia, funded by the AT&T Foundation, for Frontline Paper Veteran Program Outreach, in large part due to Frontline Paper being featured in the film “This is Not a War Story” now streaming on HBO. See Press Release by clicking here.
We are also very excited to launch a new fund for scholarships and residencies for veterans in the arts. See details here! https://www.frontlinearts.org/52-reasons-to-love-a-vet
Praise from Mark Ruffalo for the feature film “This is Not a War Story” directed by Talia Lugacy on Facebook, Nov 15, 2021
Thank you to our Frontline Paper program supporters:
Creative Forces® initiative, in partnership with Mid-America Arts Alliance.
Creative Forces Community Engagement Grants are part of the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.
The Frontline Paper program of Frontline Arts is supported by a charitable contribution from Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson.
Frontline Paper is also supported by in part by Church & Dwight Co., Inc. as well as the Wawa Foundation.
