Chandler O’Leary’s solo show Mnemonic Sampler opens tonight in Tacoma, WA. She’s made 26 samplers, one for each letter of the alphabet, combining fabric, monoprinting and sewing. On her blog, she explains (and shows) how she made them — using reduction-cut linoleum blocks for the monoprints. To pique your interest, here are a couple of them…
Most books that showcase architectural projects use photos. Wendy Evans Joseph made a pop-up book instead. It features 3d constructions of 10 projects. You can see more images on her website. Below is the pedestrian bridge at Rockefeller University.
My Food Diary is mentioned in the November issue of Prevention Magazine. I’ve been making these little books using the double fan binding method for a long time for myself, and about a year ago made some extras to see if anyone would buy one. I’ve made 3 more batches since then, many more than I thought I’d sell!
After a lot of waffling about whether or not to print a calendar for 2010, I gave up on a month-by-month extravaganza and instead did a mini entire-year-on-one-page design — it’s 5″ x 7″, a small edition of 65, printed on 110lb lettra, in 3 colors. You can see some close-up photos here.
Yesterday I met my friend Cathy up in San Francisco to see an exhibit called Bookish at the back of a shop called Adobe Books in the Mission district. The front of the shop is chocked full of shelves of new and used books and a few comfy chairs for readers. On the way to the gallery space in the back, we passed a guy hunched over a typewriter, single-mindedly tapping away.
The exhibition space is small, but full of surprises. In the corner was a fake flame crackling on top of a pyre of books — which unfortunately had the wrong effect on me, as the noise was comforting, like a cozy fireplace to curl up beside to read a book. There were about half a dozen other works on display with the best being a small shelf with five “classical” books that viewers were invited to read. Turns out they each were hollowed out, and nestled in the removed space was a handwritten, very funny summary of, and running commentary on, the book’s plot. The artist is Jennie Ottinger. Below are images of 2 of the books — Anna Karenina, so you can see the structure (the tabs on the right help you to turn the pages). Below that you should be able to read part of the one we both particularly enjoyed, Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying.
I’m participating again this year in the Book Arts Jam, a one-day regional celebration of the book and print arts, at Foothil College in Los Altos Hills, CA on Saturday October 17 from 10-4. The event features an exhibition of artists’ books, hands-on demonstrations, make-and-take activities, and an exhibitors’ showcase with work for sale by over 50 artists and craftspeople in the book, paper, and print arts. You’ll find a schedule, directions and a list of exhibitors here. If you get a chance to go, please stop by my table and say hello!