Most paper enthusiasts will know that the most influential handpapermaker in the USA for the last 50 years or so has been Baretto-san also known as Professor Timothy Barrett of the University of Iowa Centre for the Book. My wife Maureen and I separately met Tim in the mid 1970s - in her case in Toronto and in mine at Hayle Mill.
Over the years Tim has become a good friend and also one that can charmingly and obstinately holding up his end of some abstruse argument. Irritatingly, he is quite often right. Although his early interests were in Japan, for a very long period of time he has been obsessed with early European papermaking and he has conducted a lot of hands on research on how to do this in the middle of Iowa. Over that time he has educated and trained hundreds of young people and passed on his passion and deep knowledge and experience. I have learned a lot from Tim and expect to do so in the years to come.
Tim has now officially retired though he seems to have a new career in fundraising.
The University has put together an affectionate, charming, highly respectful and fascinating short tribute to the now Emeritus Professor Barrett and I recommend it to all of you.
https://www.grad.uiowa.edu/news/2020-07-24/tim-barrett-the-story-of-a-papermaker
Picture reproduced without permission of the subject but I may remove it if required!
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