Check out Kickstarter.com and make your own contribution to this program now!
Combat Paper is a community of veterans dedicated to the process of deconstructing, reclaiming, and communicating our military experiences to the world. Combat Paper is run by veterans, for veterans.
We deconstruct our past by cutting up our military uniforms; we reclaim our experiences by making handmade paper from these uniforms; and we communicate our lives by printing our images and speaking our words on this Combat Paper. The telling of our stories transforms us through healing, and gives us confidence to bridge the gap between ourselves and society.
Combat Paper is held Sundays beginning October 23, from 10am until 4pm at the Printmaking Center of New Jersey, 440 River Road, Branchburg, NJ. Veterans can drop-in with no pre-registration necessary. There is no charge to veterans for participate.
Testimonial: "Combat Paper creates a community of veterans working together sharing knowledge and the simple, repetitive physical act of making paper. When the community sees, hears, meets, and looks at the art made from physical remnants of war, by the warrior, they then begin to have a connection to what war does to people. I believe this is an important aspect to help connect fellow veterans, connect community members to veterans, and connect veterans to communities they live in."
Workshop participant and former army medic Jesse Albrecht
- The Combat Paper Program is dedicated to open, honest and respectful forms of expression shared through paper making, art making, and writing.
- Combat Paper is a public environment where all participants are mindful of each other's safety.
- Combat Paper is an open and free workshop available every Sunday. All veterans are welcome. No exclusions
- Combat Paper follows all studio policies and safety rules of Printmaking Center of NJ.
This Combat Paper Program has been inspired by and adapted from the highly successful Combat Paper Project which was co-founded and co-directed by Drew Cameron and Drew Matott. The Drews and their crew have toured the United States and several foreign countries bringing healing art programs to veterans in communities for the past 3 years. For additional information please visit their website at
Combat Paper Project.
Also check out these ongoing sister projects of CPP:
Peace Paper
Button Field Press
Program Coordinators:
David Keefe was born in St. Paul, Minnesota and grew up in Newark, Delaware. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Montclair State University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting from the University of Delaware. From 2002-2009, he served in the United States Marine Corps and completed a tour of combat duty in Iraq from 2006-2007. Besides facilitating the Combat Paper Program, Dave teaches Painting and Graduate Independent Study at Montclair State University, works as a part-time curator and exhibition coordinator, and makes art in his New Jersey studio.
Eli Wright began working with the Combat Paper Project (CPP) shortly after its creation in 2007, while he was serving as a medic in the US Army. Learning the craft of traditional handmade paper making from co-founders Drew Cameron and Drew Matott, he immediately recognized the therapeutic potential of this art form for veterans and other survivors of trauma. After his discharge from the Army, he joined CPP on one of its many workshop tours, reaching out to veterans and discovering creative paths to healing through communication and collaboration. Eli is honored to have this opportunity to help bring the Combat Paper Project to a new home and community of veterans in New Jersey.
