Amanda started this, here http://bookartobject.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/slq-follow-up-fun.html and Robyn followed with her selection.
At first, I thought I was too much of a butterfly, flitting around so many that I like and finding choice almost impossible, but I decided to go with Robyn's idea of including paper engineering.
Benja Harney does many stand-out pieces in paper, but I think the leather collaboration pretty much tops it for me. http://paperform.wordpress.com/2012/05/10/pop-up-by-petit-h/
I saw this http://ianbrooks.me/post/50607565134/derailing-my-train-of-thought-by-thomas-wightman on a Tumbler site last week and thought immediately of Brian Dettmer
And for almost as long as I've been blogging, I've loved Cecelia Levy's work, whether books or re-interpreted paper, often from books.
Of course, we could also cruise through the list of BAO contributors!
Who's next...?
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Friday, May 17, 2013
LIBRIS AWARDS 2013
Rather than put up a lengthy cross-post here I'll just give you a link to my blog, which features work by some of BAO's members.
http://moreidlethoughts.wordpress.com/2013/05/16/more-from-the-libris-awards/
http://moreidlethoughts.wordpress.com/2013/05/16/more-from-the-libris-awards/
Throwing my hat in the ring....favourites :)
 |
| Detail Image - Altered Book by rObfOs |
I was interested that the majority of "favourite" books chosen by the SLQ speakers were of a traditional and safe format, I thought they may have chosen books that pushed more boundaries. However, there is beauty in diversity, and I was extremely interested in their choices.
I find I am as unable to pick favourite books as I am to define them, but I would like to list a few book/paper artists whose collections of works have left lasting impressions upon me.
In no particular order (I hope you find something new & exciting to pique your interest):
Artist 1) Daniel Essig - Beautiful wood and metal sculptural objects as vessels for books
Artist 2) Julie Shaw Lutts - Collage & ephemera cleverly contained in book form
Artist 3) Marlis Maehrle - Light and delicate paper vessels
PS: Great idea, Amanda :)
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Helen Cole talks about the Libris Awards
Helen Cole, the judge of the Libris Awards, has written a post about the awards as a guest blogger on Doug Spowart and Victoria Cooper's blog.
You can read it here
http://wotwedid.wordpress.com/2013/05/13/2013-libris-awards-the-judges-view/
and she has also blogged about some of the books in the awards on the SLQ Australian Library of Art blog here
and she has also blogged about some of the books in the awards on the SLQ Australian Library of Art blog here
http://blogs.slq.qld.gov.au/ala/
The webcast of the SLQ Siganto Seminar, The Trouble with Artists Books is now available on the State Library's website here
The webcast of the SLQ Siganto Seminar, The Trouble with Artists Books is now available on the State Library's website here
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Update!
I'm almost ready to send off the second box of books to Sarah Bodman at UWE for "BookArtObject Edition Four, Part II" - the exhibition! Perhaps we need a more catchy title for our shows - something to consider in future! - but it is GREAT to have our books out and about and to be able to share what we're doing.
Sarah's asked me for photos of more of the books and I've had a "slight network problem" which, in simple terms, means all the photos I've taken are there but not currently accessible... luckily I'm married to an IT whizz, who is in the process of fixing things.
Meanwhile, thank you to everyone who has supported my Pozible crowdfunding campaign! It is a little unsettling to put yourself on public display and ask for monetary assistance, but so far it has also been a very positive and humbling experience. To everyone who has texted and emailed me, sent me a message on Pozible and pledged a donation to my project, thank you. It gives me a very warm and fuzzy feeling inside. Even if you don't want to make a donation, feel free to go on over to the site and watch the video my friends Shane and Jo made of me in my studio! From far away you'll get a little glimpse into my world.
Sarah's asked me for photos of more of the books and I've had a "slight network problem" which, in simple terms, means all the photos I've taken are there but not currently accessible... luckily I'm married to an IT whizz, who is in the process of fixing things.
Meanwhile, thank you to everyone who has supported my Pozible crowdfunding campaign! It is a little unsettling to put yourself on public display and ask for monetary assistance, but so far it has also been a very positive and humbling experience. To everyone who has texted and emailed me, sent me a message on Pozible and pledged a donation to my project, thank you. It gives me a very warm and fuzzy feeling inside. Even if you don't want to make a donation, feel free to go on over to the site and watch the video my friends Shane and Jo made of me in my studio! From far away you'll get a little glimpse into my world.
SLQ Follow-Up Fun!
As you've seen below in Helen's post and also over at Double Elephant , Sara Bowen's blog, a number of us were lucky enough to attend a seminar on artists' books at the State Library of Queensland.
I thought that as there are a few reports on the seminar floating around the blogosphere (see Helen and Sara's posts) and the talk itself will be available soon on the SLQ website to download, that I might propose something a little different.
The second part of the talk was most interesting I found, as two of the speakers shared a short list (four or five) of their favourite artists' books from the SLQ collection. They spoke a bit about what they felt made the book so successful and of course showed us some pictures.
It was fascinating to be introduced to some new books, some by artists who were also new to me, to see some "old favourites" appear, and afterwards to think of some books which did not appear that may have been expected. Of course, it doesn't really mean much, as there are some 400+ artists' books in the collection and only nine were presented by the two speakers. Nevertheless, it has occupied my thoughts quite a bit since the afternoon.
So I thought that it might be fun to ask BAO blog readers to offer up a choice or two (or as many as you like really) to share with one another. In doing this, we need to observe good netiquette, so here are a couple of guidelines.
1) PLEASE no downloading images from peoples sites or blogs to post here.
2) Instead, just provide the name of the artist, and the book, and a link to their work.
3) Please do tell us why you really love the book.
4) It's just for fun, so don't feel as if you absolutely have to work out your absolutely most favouritest AB in the world before you can join in.
And to kick things off , I thought I would share two of my favourites.
1) Cell Memory by Macy Chadwick which you can see at Abecedarian Gallery. I actually own a copy of this book, so now I can read the text which is beautiful. Initially I was drawn to it because of the interaction of the pages with light, the sense of fragility and the idea conveyed by the title. It speaks of the wonder of nature, of cells, and the body.
2) Vessels by Adele Outteridge, seen on the Uni of Melbourne site. I think this book really speaks to me because I used to be a potter, so the vessel form really hits a chord. Also, I am drawn to the delicate ephemeral effect of the transparent pages and the metaphor of the book as a container for knowledge. To me, this work has a lot of power because it is both beautiful and very strong
conceptually.
As you can see, I tend to rave on a bit, so please don't let me put you off. I think it could be terrific if a number of you do jump in and share your favourite ABs for others to see.
I thought that as there are a few reports on the seminar floating around the blogosphere (see Helen and Sara's posts) and the talk itself will be available soon on the SLQ website to download, that I might propose something a little different.
The second part of the talk was most interesting I found, as two of the speakers shared a short list (four or five) of their favourite artists' books from the SLQ collection. They spoke a bit about what they felt made the book so successful and of course showed us some pictures.
It was fascinating to be introduced to some new books, some by artists who were also new to me, to see some "old favourites" appear, and afterwards to think of some books which did not appear that may have been expected. Of course, it doesn't really mean much, as there are some 400+ artists' books in the collection and only nine were presented by the two speakers. Nevertheless, it has occupied my thoughts quite a bit since the afternoon.
So I thought that it might be fun to ask BAO blog readers to offer up a choice or two (or as many as you like really) to share with one another. In doing this, we need to observe good netiquette, so here are a couple of guidelines.
1) PLEASE no downloading images from peoples sites or blogs to post here.
2) Instead, just provide the name of the artist, and the book, and a link to their work.
3) Please do tell us why you really love the book.
4) It's just for fun, so don't feel as if you absolutely have to work out your absolutely most favouritest AB in the world before you can join in.
And to kick things off , I thought I would share two of my favourites.
1) Cell Memory by Macy Chadwick which you can see at Abecedarian Gallery. I actually own a copy of this book, so now I can read the text which is beautiful. Initially I was drawn to it because of the interaction of the pages with light, the sense of fragility and the idea conveyed by the title. It speaks of the wonder of nature, of cells, and the body.
2) Vessels by Adele Outteridge, seen on the Uni of Melbourne site. I think this book really speaks to me because I used to be a potter, so the vessel form really hits a chord. Also, I am drawn to the delicate ephemeral effect of the transparent pages and the metaphor of the book as a container for knowledge. To me, this work has a lot of power because it is both beautiful and very strong
conceptually.
As you can see, I tend to rave on a bit, so please don't let me put you off. I think it could be terrific if a number of you do jump in and share your favourite ABs for others to see.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
LIBRIS AWARDS WINNERS
I've been having an email exchange with some of the members who had work accepted for the Libris Awards and it occurs to me that perhaps I should post some of this here. Particularly since both Ronnie and Sara entered their BAO works.
At any exhibition, of anything, there are always some who are delighted and feel that it's a vindication of their own "good taste and intelligence" and always those who feel somehow slighted that the one they liked was passed by. I think it's one of the best markers of human differences !
At any exhibition, of anything, there are always some who are delighted and feel that it's a vindication of their own "good taste and intelligence" and always those who feel somehow slighted that the one they liked was passed by. I think it's one of the best markers of human differences !
So, I've had a chance to see these up close and personal, as they say.
And,personally, I like "Wave Form." I also like that the tumbling "wave" can be scrunched back into its box, looking more like a book. (That should please the woman who has difficulty with the concept of artists' books!)
Kelvin's piece is interesting, but I'd call it an installation, not a book. However, all the discs came in and can be returned to a box. In this case, not a hand-built container, tailored to the work, but a big old Kodachrome [I think] cardboard film box. So, just as much "a book" as the first one?
And the Youth Award is, by all interpretations and popular perception, a book. A book-ish book, read left to right. And quite lovely in its simplicity.
Di
Friday, May 10, 2013
PROGRESS REPORT
Yes, I am still working on my final BAO title.
By now, you should all have received "Silent Wolves." Thank you to those who have let me know it arrived.
And for the Group 10 people, here are some progress pics. As you can see, much progress has been made... in the filling of waste paper baskets!
I am afraid I may have damaged my poor printer, but I simply don't have the time or money to haul it to a repair man (if there is such a chap around here!) right now.
So, once again, I re-jigged things, which I'll write about later. For now, have a sneak peek and a laugh. Go on, I did. Well, no, actually, it wasn't very funny.
A brief summary of "Wolves" is here
By now, you should all have received "Silent Wolves." Thank you to those who have let me know it arrived.
And for the Group 10 people, here are some progress pics. As you can see, much progress has been made... in the filling of waste paper baskets!
I am afraid I may have damaged my poor printer, but I simply don't have the time or money to haul it to a repair man (if there is such a chap around here!) right now.
So, once again, I re-jigged things, which I'll write about later. For now, have a sneak peek and a laugh. Go on, I did. Well, no, actually, it wasn't very funny.
trimmings
brimming basket
cover
A brief summary of "Wolves" is here
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Sara's Pozible Project
A week or so ago two fantastic friends, Shane and Jo, came around and spent a couple of hours of their precious time videoing me in my studio. No, I'm definitely not famous but I have set up a Pozible fundraising project, which is what this post is about.
I feel slightly embarrassed about posting information about my project here since it has never been my intention to tie BookArtObject to money in any way, but I am hoping that you might consider supporting my fundraising effort as I try to raise the money to go to Europe later this year.
I'm taking part of BookArtObject to the Impact 8 international interdisciplinary printmaking conference in Dundee, Scotland, at the end of August. We've been saving our air miles for my plane tickets so I can get to Europe and back. But while I'm there I've been offered a two week artists' residency at the Scuola Internationale di Grafica in Venice, Italy. I've applied unsuccessfully for several residencies over the years but I guess no-one has trusted me with one because I don't have a track record! After all, they're not holidays, they're a chance to immerse yourself somewhere new and work VERY hard on your own particular art project without all the usual interruptions you'd have at home. It feels very special to have finally been invited to do a residency and it would be great to have the chance to do it while I'm already in Europe.
But. There's always a 'but'! It's quite simple: I can't afford it. The residency isn't free, and I will need to feed myself while I'm there, as well as buy a few art supplies. So I'm hoping to raise $2,000 Australian dollars to fund the project and I've put together a Pozible crowd-funding campaign to help. If you've never heard of 'crowd funding' you're not alone - it certainly isn't big in Australia yet. The basic premise is that asking your friends to help you find $2,000 is unlikely to succeed, but if you can ask 200 people for $10 each and offer them something in return you might have a better chance of raising the money. Pozible is an on-line platform that enables me to put together the campaign and show people something about what I do. If I don't raise the whole $2,000 I get nothing at all - I only get the money if I meet my target. There's a good reason for this: I need to present potential donors with a good case for my fundraising, and a sensible budget. We all know there's no point in having half the money you need to do something because you still can't afford to do it, so instead of risking everyone's money on something that is bound to fail, the "all or nothing" approach means I only get the money if I can raise what I realistically need to undertake my residency. The sweetner is that donors do get something in return and in this case the 'rewards' range from hand-written postcards from Venice to a limited edition artists' book, invitations to a private drinks party in Coffs Harbour before my solo show next year and vouchers for workshops at my studio.
The bottom line is, I suppose, that crowd funding works. A couple of years ago I helped to support an American-Korean artist who wanted to spend time in Korea learning traditional papermaking techniques. She was great at keeping her supporters updated with her progress and I received some beautiful sheets of handmade Korean paper in return for my support. Since then she's gone on to do bigger and better things, and I feel good about having helped her on her way.
Here's the link to my Pozible project!
Thank you for allowing me to post news of my Pozible project on here, and thank you for being great supporters of BookArtObject in all sorts of ways.
I feel slightly embarrassed about posting information about my project here since it has never been my intention to tie BookArtObject to money in any way, but I am hoping that you might consider supporting my fundraising effort as I try to raise the money to go to Europe later this year.
I'm taking part of BookArtObject to the Impact 8 international interdisciplinary printmaking conference in Dundee, Scotland, at the end of August. We've been saving our air miles for my plane tickets so I can get to Europe and back. But while I'm there I've been offered a two week artists' residency at the Scuola Internationale di Grafica in Venice, Italy. I've applied unsuccessfully for several residencies over the years but I guess no-one has trusted me with one because I don't have a track record! After all, they're not holidays, they're a chance to immerse yourself somewhere new and work VERY hard on your own particular art project without all the usual interruptions you'd have at home. It feels very special to have finally been invited to do a residency and it would be great to have the chance to do it while I'm already in Europe.
But. There's always a 'but'! It's quite simple: I can't afford it. The residency isn't free, and I will need to feed myself while I'm there, as well as buy a few art supplies. So I'm hoping to raise $2,000 Australian dollars to fund the project and I've put together a Pozible crowd-funding campaign to help. If you've never heard of 'crowd funding' you're not alone - it certainly isn't big in Australia yet. The basic premise is that asking your friends to help you find $2,000 is unlikely to succeed, but if you can ask 200 people for $10 each and offer them something in return you might have a better chance of raising the money. Pozible is an on-line platform that enables me to put together the campaign and show people something about what I do. If I don't raise the whole $2,000 I get nothing at all - I only get the money if I meet my target. There's a good reason for this: I need to present potential donors with a good case for my fundraising, and a sensible budget. We all know there's no point in having half the money you need to do something because you still can't afford to do it, so instead of risking everyone's money on something that is bound to fail, the "all or nothing" approach means I only get the money if I can raise what I realistically need to undertake my residency. The sweetner is that donors do get something in return and in this case the 'rewards' range from hand-written postcards from Venice to a limited edition artists' book, invitations to a private drinks party in Coffs Harbour before my solo show next year and vouchers for workshops at my studio.
The bottom line is, I suppose, that crowd funding works. A couple of years ago I helped to support an American-Korean artist who wanted to spend time in Korea learning traditional papermaking techniques. She was great at keeping her supporters updated with her progress and I received some beautiful sheets of handmade Korean paper in return for my support. Since then she's gone on to do bigger and better things, and I feel good about having helped her on her way.
Here's the link to my Pozible project!
Thank you for allowing me to post news of my Pozible project on here, and thank you for being great supporters of BookArtObject in all sorts of ways.
SLQ Seminar: The trouble with Artists Books
A huge crowd attended this seminar at the State Library of Queensland last Saturday afternoon.
It was lovely to catch up with fellow Book Art Object members Sara Bowen, Amanda Watson-Will, Jack Oudyn and Robyn Foster, and so many fellow book artists and friends from Brisbane, country Queensland and interstate. Unfortunately I decided to relax and enjoy the event and didn't take notes or photos to write a proper post about the seminar, but for those unable to attend these blog posts will give you some idea of the great afternoon we enjoyed.
Doug Spowart and Victoria Cooper http://wotwedid.wordpress.com/2013/05/06/slq-siganto-seminar-the-trouble-with-artists-books/
Judy Barrass http://www.criticalmassblog.net/2012/?p=2568
Sara Bowen http://doubleelephant.wordpress.com/2013/05/11/1506/
Helen Malone
It was lovely to catch up with fellow Book Art Object members Sara Bowen, Amanda Watson-Will, Jack Oudyn and Robyn Foster, and so many fellow book artists and friends from Brisbane, country Queensland and interstate. Unfortunately I decided to relax and enjoy the event and didn't take notes or photos to write a proper post about the seminar, but for those unable to attend these blog posts will give you some idea of the great afternoon we enjoyed.
Doug Spowart and Victoria Cooper http://wotwedid.wordpress.com/2013/05/06/slq-siganto-seminar-the-trouble-with-artists-books/
Judy Barrass http://www.criticalmassblog.net/2012/?p=2568
Sara Bowen http://doubleelephant.wordpress.com/2013/05/11/1506/
Helen Malone
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Deadlines, deadlines!
A quick reminder to those of you currently finishing work: I will shortly (i.e. in the next week to ten days!) be sending off the next parcel to Sarah Bodman, which will contain everything I've received so far that didn't make it into the first parcel. This is so that Sarah can put them into the second BAO exhibition at the University of the West of England.
So far over 40 of the 100 titles have been finished, which is fantastic! Hopefully many more will arrive before I leave Australia to attend the Impact 8 Interdisciplinary Printmaking Conference in Dundee: the ideal situation would be for August to be the cut off date for the Edition as I will take any books that don't arrive in time for me to post off in this parcel with me on the plane on August 25th.
That doesn't mean you can't keep working on your books if you haven't finished by August! That would be terrible! It just means that I don't have any exhibition opportunities lined up for them after my trip to the UK.
Any questions, leave a comment.
So far over 40 of the 100 titles have been finished, which is fantastic! Hopefully many more will arrive before I leave Australia to attend the Impact 8 Interdisciplinary Printmaking Conference in Dundee: the ideal situation would be for August to be the cut off date for the Edition as I will take any books that don't arrive in time for me to post off in this parcel with me on the plane on August 25th.
That doesn't mean you can't keep working on your books if you haven't finished by August! That would be terrible! It just means that I don't have any exhibition opportunities lined up for them after my trip to the UK.
Any questions, leave a comment.
Monday, April 29, 2013
SLQ on Sunday?
A query for Australian BAO-ers... Are any of you going to the State Library of Queensland artists' books seminar on Saturday? If so, I may see you there!
Throwaway, Group 5
I am wishing that I could follow the same format that I have noticed in your posts, where documentation appears when an edition is done. My edition is not done but the second one has made it's way out into the world at this point, so it behooves me to write and show, even though it may spoil a bit of the surprise (however, the more I attempt to show pictures of artist's books, the more I realize they are inadequate to encompass the experience.) As for where this one is now, I was thrilled that it was selected for Artist's Book Cornucopia IV at Abecedarian Gallery.
Having made the second box and worked out a few more design improvements, I hope to have some jigs set up to make the rest of the edition go smoother. Members of my group, thank you so much for the the wonderful books I have received so far, and do not fear, Throwaway will be coming to you in the future.
The box enclosure aspect is a collaboration with my husband, the first of many, I hope.
Throwaway has been on a long journey of nearly a year. There were so many potential directions it could have gone in, some which I have vowed to explore in the future. I became less interested in the photographs of trash and recycled items I had taken, and more driven to explore a number of different ways things, people, the environment are part of the "thrown away." The amount of information I found was quite overwhelming, and I could have easily written a paper or two. But that would not be an experience, would it? I kept returning to the idea of crumpling up the paper. After trying a few different papers and having it tear, I settled on tyvek, which I had been using in other work to reinforce and join. Originally I had intended to print photographs on tyvek with my inkjet printer, but found it slowly bleeding and becoming blurry, not to mention how it could be ruined if water got on the surface. It became a letterpress project. It seemed to follow naturally to make plates using materials you might find recycled or thrown away, even though I might have done photographic plates. Frankly, my budget would not allow for that.
How and when the contents (metaphorical or not) were salvaged cannot be answered. As an artist, perhaps I look into the future and imagine this.
On the inside of the fold book is a map of sorts, as well as a “key” or map legend, which is a short poem, a plea, to reconsider, to alter the “mindset” of what is “thrown away.”
C O L O P H O N
BookArtObject Edition Four, Group Five, http://bookartobject.blogspot.com
Title #99 of 100 taken from An Exercise for Kurt Johannessen (2010), by permission of the author,
Sarah Bodman.
Sarah Bodman.
Throwaway (2013) by Julie Russell-Steuart explores ways in which our culture/economy tosses aside things.
With permission from http://wearethe99percent.tumblr.com, two people’s stories have been adapted poetically. “Throwaway” materials like cereal boxes and string were used to make pressure prints on hand-painted DuPont Tyvek, a spun polyester material that is 100% recyclable and safe for landfills. The format is an accordion style booklet that opens up on the other side to a map style folding. The text is letterpress printed with hand-set types in English Caslon Oldstyle 37, Century Bold, Della Robbia, and Style Script. The box enclosure was constructed with the design and engineering skills of David Steuart, and is made from boards covered in hand-painted Tyvek.
With permission from http://wearethe99percent.tumblr.com, two people’s stories have been adapted poetically. “Throwaway” materials like cereal boxes and string were used to make pressure prints on hand-painted DuPont Tyvek, a spun polyester material that is 100% recyclable and safe for landfills. The format is an accordion style booklet that opens up on the other side to a map style folding. The text is letterpress printed with hand-set types in English Caslon Oldstyle 37, Century Bold, Della Robbia, and Style Script. The box enclosure was constructed with the design and engineering skills of David Steuart, and is made from boards covered in hand-painted Tyvek.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Group Two
Trying to finish Making Bread has been an exercise in anticipation and disappointment, which has made me reluctant to write about it here, lest I just sound whiney. At last, all the challenges have been overcome (I hope!) and I am in the process of printing. Laser cutting and assembly to start on Monday.
Here is the front - more images will follow after I take it to my favourite photographer next week. Then it will be sent off!
Friday, April 26, 2013
Libris Awards Winners Announcement & Opening Night
This is mainly for the Australian members of BAO...today I received my invitation to the opening night.
Yes, I will be there. And if any of the entrants are planning on attending, please do seek me out and introduce yourselves!
Not sure about the rule on photos, but if possible I'll try to get some pics of BAO members' work.
Good luck!
Yes, I will be there. And if any of the entrants are planning on attending, please do seek me out and introduce yourselves!
Not sure about the rule on photos, but if possible I'll try to get some pics of BAO members' work.
Good luck!
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