Time

With the old year drawing to a close and 2010 approaching, I chose the prompt for this visual journal entry: time.

Again, the composition expands from an existing image, in this case the photograph of a colorful bird's head.

Henry David Thoreau's words are at the top: "The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it."

A quote from Omar Khayyam seemed to be the appropriate text: "The bird of time has but a little way to fly.... and the bird is on the wing!"

The Elephant Book

Sometimes I get really attached to a book I have been working on. That's the case with this one.
The cover graphics make me laugh.... Jumbo galloping full speed into a candy store, head down, on a mission. I know how he feels.

The brown leather spine is made from a recycled leather coat. I really hate to buy new leather when there is so much out there to 'harvest'. One less item for the land fill, and I can get quite a few nice spines from one coat. Of course the deconstruction and cutting creates a great mess on the studio floor, but it's all part of the experience.

Into the Garden

We have had a nice steady rain over night and throughout the day today. The garden is happy.

Several years ago I decided to transform the vegetable garden to a flower garden. This evolved after my "Earth Mother" phase in which I grew and canned everything. These days I am just as happy to support the Farmer's Market, but there are still a few tomato plants, green peppers and basil among the many flowers.

My Grandpa, who inspired my love of gardening, was always digging, planting and harvesting. In the spring there would be hundreds of tulips and in the fall, the entire yard was bordered by chrysanthemums of every imaginable variety. There were grafted fruit trees with 4 different kinds of pears on the same tree, roses and flowering shrubs galore. Grape vines grew on the fence around the garden and in the fall he made the best wine ever. He worked in the garden right up until the day he died and was always looking ahead to the next season.

I have kept his tree spade and most of his garden books, and all that he taught me over the years. And sometimes when I am out in my own garden I feel that he is still watching and guiding me with his gentle spirit.

Hand Bound Visual Journals

I have been busy making more hand bound visual journals. I've made a series of this design, which is one I like to use myself. These have a variety of hand torn papers for mixed media: Lenox, Strathmore Artagain, and heavy drawing paper. Since the book opens flat, it is easy to work on the pages. The size (5 x 7) is just right for slipping into a bag, along with a few pens and markers and it's easy to hold on your lap for little watercolor sketches and journal entries.

The leather used for spines is upcycled from discarded leather coats. There are so many materials that can be re-used in creative ways.

I have always loved the look and feel of well worn vintage books and have tried to create a bit of that here while designing an inviting "take along" visual journal for mixed media artists.

The covers are made with book board and canvas that has been slightly darkened around the edges for a comfortable vintage appearance.

The spine has exposed binding in a "Harlequin Stitch." This is a rather unusual technique that involves crossing threads between 2 signatures at a time. It is a challenging one to learn.

I use waxed linen for strong bindings and like the way it looks against the spine.

Here is a close up of the stitching. I have found that using a very small leather punch for the holes is preferable to an awl for this binding.
You can see more books like this and other designs at my Etsy shop.

Pollution

Colored pencils were the medium of choice for this drawing which was made in response to a local issue involving air pollution.

Altered Book Journals

Books have always been important to me on many levels. Reading books, making books and altering books are among my favorite things to do.

When I find vintage books that have structural issues, they come home with me and receive new spines and bindings. The old text pages are replaced with a variety of papers for mixed media art or writing. The books then begin their reincarnation as visual journals or sketchbooks and since I can't keep them all, they are posted on my Etsy site and sent out into the world.