Where did that bird fly?
What happens when you stop … when you stop to ponder a moment … or an encounter or a found treasure or a lost memory?
What happens when you give yourself time … and slow your breath … and look? I mean really look.
What happens when you give yourself time to breathe and open your eyes and feel the air and the breeze and the sounds and the sights around you … and wonder?
I recently gave myself that gift.
And from that gift I created a new artist book … a reflection of time to think and feel and slow and create.
The artist book is simple in construction and materials, deeply connected in my own sentiment and thought, and an expression of self that sometimes I forget I am capable of (or allowed to) creating.
I think moving into 2021 I need to be giving myself more of these gifts … of time.
Where did that bird fly?
When I took the time to quieten my mind
When I took the time to quieten my mind and silence the chatter inside my head
I heard a sound and song
I heard a sound and song and movement of air swoosh above my head
When I took the time to look
When I took the time to look and see what was around me
I saw space and beauty
I saw space and beauty and trees and clouds
When I took the time and focused my view
When I took the time and focused my view on this small feather
I found a gift of freedom
I found a gift of freedom and a fallen feather
When I took my time to stop
When I took my time to stop and wonder where she flew
For me, an artist book is an intimate treasure – a personal invitation to share an experience or thought or sentiment or idea or beauty created by the artist; a hand made sculptural artwork designed to be experienced with touch as much as with the reader’s eyes.
That is what I hope my new book conveys (albeit through the screen you’re reading this through).
This book was born from a recent workshop I attended run by Fiona Dempster of Deckled Edge Press. I have admired Fiona’s artist books for many years … she creates considered, intimate, deeply meaningful and beautiful artwork. This workshop was specifically about building the narrative within the structure of the artist book (before the structure is realised).
For me, the gift I gave myself was taking the time to attend the workshop … to be the student and learn from someone whose work I admire, and from whom I know I can learn so much. The workshop gave me a new way of thinking and considering and investigating. Following the workshop I continued to develop my (workshop) idea and create my book.
It was, it is, a treasured gift to myself.
I feel that I build narrative in to much of my work on an intuitive level – but I am wanting, now, to take a more conscious and considered approach in both my artist books and linocut printmaking work.
I recently realised that, when working as a graphic designer, I worked to ensure that there was a narrative of sorts in the imagery I chose for a client’s work. I made conscious decisions and choices to ‘tell a story’ on their behalf in the commercial space they occupied. I’m curious now to see where conscious decisions and choices in my own fine artwork will take me.
Many years ago I used to write. I think, too, that there may be more writing coming in 2021.
Oh the possibilities 🙂
Colophon
Words by me
Papers
Cover – Gmund Gentlemen Blue 300gsm
Text – Fabriano Rosaspina 220gsm
Printed
Letterpress printed using my Showcard Proof Press with 24pt Goudy Lanston lead type
Imagery
Hand printed blind embossing with a carved linocut plate
Structure
Folded pages glued to create an accordion structure with dust jacket cover
Edition Size – 3
Completed December 2020
How wonderful…. the text, the philosophy & the completion. Brava!
Thank you 😊🙏 Here’s to taking time in 2021 to notice and enjoy and delight and breathe. And make more artist books 🙂 💙