As part of the visit, they were given an intimate look at the current special exhibit “A Gathering of Continents,” a rare exhibit of Georgia Tech’s deluxe editions of Joan Blaeu’s Grooten Atlas. They also tried their hand at artistry themselves, participating in a hands-on workshop involving Suminagashi, a Japanese paper marbling art form, meaning “ink floating on water.” 

Virginia Howell, education curator at the museum, led the workshop.

In this form, an individual uses one brush with ink, the other with a liquid which separates ink rings. The brush is touched to the surface of the water, and a circle is formed. The artist will alternate between the two brushes, creating concentric circles of ink.  Artists then blow, fan, or manipulate the surface to create designs to transfer onto paper. 

For more information about the museum, visit their website.