If you’ve noticed things have been quiet around here lately — the blog, the emails, the monthly SVG freebie — this is why.
For the past several months, I’ve been buried in my Cumulative Studio Project for my MFA program (basically my thesis), and I’m finally ready to start sharing it with you. It’s called Echoes in Paper, and the heart of it is a set of Linwood Bell paper models — five hand-built towers, each representing a different chapter of the bell’s history.
What Is Echoes in Paper?
The Linwood Bell has been part of my community since 1884, but most people don’t realize how many different buildings have actually housed it over the years. For this project, I set out to make that history visible by building a paper model of each bell tower, using old photographs as my only guide.
Every model is designed digitally and cut on a cutting machine, then hand-assembled almost entirely from paper (with a little acetate for the windows). They’re not exact historical replicas — in some cases I only had a single old photo to work from — but every color, texture, and detail is an intentional decision, built from research into what that building would have actually looked like in its era.
Building the Linwood Bell Paper Models, One Tower at a Time
I built all five towers in order, oldest to newest, and just like the real Linwood Bell, each one got a little better than the last:
- The First Bell Tower (1884) — the oldest and smallest, about 5×5 inches, cut from natural wood-colored paper to reflect fresh, new lumber.
- The Second Bell Tower (mid-1960s) — cream and brown, with a removable enclosed roof so you can see the bell inside.
- The Third Bell Tower (circa 1975) — white with a wood-grain texture, built from a single photo, which meant some details had to be my best guess.
- The Fourth Bell Tower (pre-2025) — the version most people picture when they think of the Linwood Bell, with the most labor-intensive deck and steps of the whole project, plus acetate windows that actually slide.
- The Fifth Bell Tower (2025) — the newest and most detailed, with interior beams, layered trim, a metallic cupola, and a removable bell that finally comes out without taking the whole building down.
Watch the Process: First Look at the Digital Design
Here’s the very first video from the project, showing where the digital design work began:
This Project Runs on Community Memory
Echoes in Paper is rooted in folklore research — what the Smithsonian Folklife Festival describes as folklore and folklife: the traditional knowledge and stories a community passes down through lived experience rather than formal records. That means the most valuable research for this project doesn’t come from archives — it comes from people.
If you found this because post because of Linwood and have memories, old photos, or stories connected to the Linwood Bell or its towers, I would genuinely love to hear them. Every piece helps complete the picture.
If you have never heard of Linwood Park, I hope you will still follow along as I share this project and if you find yourself near Vermilion, Ohio, I hope you will check out this place that is near and dear to my heart.
How You Can Help — and What’s Next
👉 Visit harpernco.com/linwood-bell to see the models up close, share what you remember, and join the mailing list for updates as the project grows — including more videos as I release them.
Thank you for looking closely. More soon, including that free September SVG I owe you (craft room reorganization pending 😅).
