When I want to express an idea or feeling in an all-encompassing way I use the book form. Because it incorporates both two-dimensional art on the pages and three-dimensional art with its structure, I can convey an idea on multiple levels at once. I start with a final picture of what I'd like a book to look like. I then decide what type of binding would best suit the content of the book. Using colored pencil, paint, collage elements, prints, or type I create the pages of text and images. Then I use traditional hand bookbinding techniques to create sewn signatures, accordion folds or even scrolls. This art form is meant to be handled and manipulated. You, as the viewer, are participating in the tale these books tell by interacting with the piece.
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In The Forest
The dappled light of the forest reveals a deer and one is overcome with the beauty of nature and the mystery of sharing this moment in time with a fellow creature of this world. This "star" book may be displayed closed with a brass ring holding its arms in place. The leather onlays on the outside are the trees hiding the forest within. Remove the brass ring and open the book to reveal an animal and poem within. This book is leather, paste paper, letterpress text and watercolor animal traced in gold leaf. The piece stands about 8" high.
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in stock |
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$0.00 |
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Marsh Grass Glows Golden
Look out at the beautiful golden grasses of the marsh and see the white slender form of the snowy egret. She is perfectly still in the light of the setting sun, waiting for a fish. This "star" book may be kept closed with its brass ring. The leather onlays on the outside show only the marsh grasses. Remove the ring to reveal the bird and poem within. This book is leather, paste paper, letterpress text and watercolor animal traced in gold leaf. The piece stands about 8" high.
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in stock |
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$150.00 |
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Night Flight
This book is a variation on the accordion style of book. Remove the bat from its roost and gently unclasp the wings. As the wings unfold, the pages reveal a night in the life of a bat. The story borrows some illumination style from medieval manuscripts. This art of decorating a story adds other elements such as the night blooming cereus flower used here. This flower, known as Queen of the Night, seemed appropriate for a story about a bat.
One-of-a-kind book object, full leather with onlays and blind tooling, accordion style book with watercolor illustrations.
Dimensions: 7" x 11" with a 31" wingspan when open
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Not For Sale |
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$0.00 |
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Dream of Flying - Bluebird
This little bird spreads its wings and conveys the feeling of flying through a short poem written on its pages. Each page has a collage of the sky on one side and a print of the various positions of the bird in flight on the other.
One-of-a-kind book object, sewn signatures bound with leather and hand painted wings and body.
Dimensions: 6" x 7" closed with 12" wingspan when open
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Made to order |
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$150.00 |
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Opossum: La Vie Morte
In this piece the opossum is representative of all animals on the road. The style of the pages in this book is called a "pocket accordion" meant to represent the pouches of this marsupial animal. Each pocket contains a watercolor painting of a different animal
often seen dead on the side of the road. Sometimes we see them so frequently we don't really see them anymore. We seldom take a moment to think about the life of that individual animal. Remove each animal and turn it over to read its account of "how it happened."
One-of-a-kind book object, full leather with onlays and blind tooling, bound pocket accordion with papier-mâché head.
Dimensions: 6" x 9"
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Not For Sale |
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$0.00 |
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Journey (Monarch Butterfly)
The butterfly must go through stages to change from the earthbound caterpillar into a free flying winged creature of beauty. As the Monarch Butterfly moves through its life it also undertakes a journey of many miles. A person may also be seen to go through this transformation and follow the path to reveal who they truly are. This little book is the life size of the butterfly (2 1/2" x 3 1/2"). It is full leather with intricate leather onlays to illustrate the design on the butterfly's wings. The book inside is illustrated using block printing. The text is letterpress. Wire legs allow it to perch on you finger or stand on a shelf.
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3 in stock |
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$45.00 |
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Dream of Flying - Waxwing
This little bird spreads its wings and conveys the feeling of flying through a short poem written on its pages. Each page has a collage of the sky on one side and a print of the various positions of the bird in flight on the other.
One-of-a-kind book object, sewn signatures bound with leather and hand painted wings and body.
(also available in this series - Blackbird and Goldfinch)
Dimmensions: 6" x 7" closed with 12" wingspan when open
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Made to order |
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$150.00 |
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