About Us
We want to change the paper supply chain from forest to farm.
Fresh Press is an interdisciplinary research and making lab at the University of Illinois that explores the potential of regional sustainable agricultural fiber waste as art, paper, and objects. We aim to develop entrepreneurial and artistic markets for paper products from locally produced sustainable agricultural fiber waste (corn stalks, rye, hemp, and prairie grasses). We are divided into three organizational components: research, residencies, and outreach. Our research involves developing new models, methods, and applications for the integration of agri-fiber waste paper as a viable commercial alternative to wood pulp.
Eric Benson - Co-Founder
Eric is a sci-fi-loving, tree-hugging nerd from Michigan who is also an Associate Professor of Graphic Design at the University of Illinois. He co-founded Fresh Press in 2012 and has been running his 501(c)3 non-profit Re-nourish since 2006. Benson has published and lectured internationally on the importance of sustainable design. His work has also garnered numerous design awards and has been seen in notable venues like The Walker Art Center, the Smithsonian Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, the Hammer Museum, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, and RISD.
Faye Wettstein - Social Media Manager
Hi, my name is Faye and I'm a student at UIUC majoring in Sustainable Design and Urban Planning. I'm passionate about sustainability and I'm excited to help support the sustainable paper making process with Fresh Press! I'll be supporting the social media here!
e ainsley - Studio Manager & Program Coordinator
Handmade paper is at the core of my artistic practice as a sculptor and occasional printmaker. I began my papermaking journey in June 2018 with a summer intensive residency at Pulp & Deckle in Portland, OR, where Jenn Woodward taught me the basics of using a critter beater to process egg cartons and cotton rag. Later that year, I relocated from Oregon to Illinois to pursue an MFA in Sculpture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I worked extensively with miscanthus, big bluestem, corn, hemp, and rye, learning how to process these fibers and use a Reina from former studio manager Veronica Pham. After graduating, I worked at a local flower farm for two summers while rebooting the workshops and community events at Fresh Press. I find joy in offering numerous affordable queer workshops either in western paper making or sculptural paper casting. Since our residency launch in 2024, I’ve had the delight of teaching and working alongside artists who share a passion for pulp and all its magical potential.