Planter
Prismacolor on 90lb Stonehenge paper
7 1/2 x 5 5/8 inches
The color and contrast on these are coming out wonky. The color is too garish, and the shadows are hard and shiny looking. The highlights are too harsh, as well. The problem is that my scanner is picking up under-layers of pigment. Hrmf. I may have to try photographing instead of scanning. Honestly, there is no pink or lime green in this drawing! I’ve fiddled with it a bit in Photoshop, but I’m ready to give up for the night.
Bottle
Prismacolor on 90lb Stonehenge paper
7 1/2 x 5 5/8 inches
gel pen on 90lb Stonehenge paper
7 1/2 x 5 5/8 inches
The Cynic’s Apprentice (in progress)
20 x 16 inches
collage (child’s dress pattern, glass, nails, knife blade, and bone), oil pastel, and litho crayon on canvas
I said I was going to dig out the gel pens, and so I did. While watching another episode of Rome, I did some mindless doodling. For those who are familiar with both shows, don’t Atia and Octavia bear a striking resemblance to Eddie and Saffy from Absolutely Fabulous? I kept expecting Atia to call Octavia “sweetie darling.”
gel pen on 90lb Stonehenge paper
5 5/8 x 7 1/2 inches
Hemp Bound Journal, finished (finally!). I started it in July of 2005 and quickly got sidetracked. I picked it up a couple of times, but didn’t get serious about finishing it until a couple of weeks ago. I still have to do a table of contents, and will post that when I’ve completed it, but for all intents and purposes, it’s done, done, done.
This, of course, means I am in need of a new journal. I’ve been trying to decide what paper I want to use. I’ve got some really nice 140lb Cartiera Magnani hot press left (God, I love that stuff!), but I decided to go with the black 90lb Stonehenge for now. I may regret that decision, though. It doesn’t take kindly to water. Not at all. But it’ll be fun to play with gel pens again. (Oooh! Shiny!)
Stonehenge Journal
7 1/2 x 5 5/8 inches, 11 signatures of 4 pages each (44 pages total)
Coptic stitch with linen thread, 90lb black Stonehenge paper
If you aren’t familiar with exposed spine bindings, and would like to try making your own books for writing or art, there’s an illustrated tutorial for how to do this binding on my website. It’s really not complicated. Tearing down and folding the paper to the size I wanted took about 30 minutes. The binding itself, including setting grommets into the holes on the front and back covers, took about an hour. I did the entire thing while watching television.
Speaking of television, I’m in the middle of watching the first season of Rome. Oh my. If you enjoyed I, Claudius (or I, CLAVDIVS, as I like to call it), then you’ll like Rome. It’s set during Julius Caesar’s reign, so it directly precedes I, Claudius. In fact, I’m going to rewatch I, Claudius as soon as I’m finished with Rome. I could use a good dose of Derek Jacobi.
Side note: While Googling for links for the above shows, I came across the Wikipedia entry for the Robert Graves book that I, Claudius was based on. And it contained a spoiler warning. Honestly, does a book about Roman history–even if it’s heavily novelized–really need a spoiler warning? The mind wobbles!
One Desert Crossed
collage (altered Polaroid photo, sandpaper, newsprint, magazine clipping, filmstrip, leaf, fragment of old lace curtain) and oil pastel
8 3/4 x 11 1/2 inches
The title comes from an Emily Dickinson poem, I did not reach thee.
I did not reach thee,
But my feet slip nearer every day;
Three Rivers and a Hill to cross,
One Desert and a Sea—
I shall not count the journey one
When I am telling thee.
Two deserts—but the year is cold
So that will help the sand—
One desert crossed, the second one
Will feel as cool as land.
Sahara is too little price
To pay for thy Right hand!
The sea comes last. Step merry, feet!
So short have we to go
To play together we are prone,
But we must labor now,
The last shall be the lightest load
That we have had to draw.
The Sun goes crooked—that is night—
Before he makes the bend
We must have passed the middle sea,
Almost we wish the end
Were further off—too great it seems
So near the Whole to stand.
We step like plush, we stand like snow—
The waters murmur now,
Three rivers and the hill are passed,
Two deserts and the sea!
Now Death usurps my premium
And gets the look at Thee.
My Favorite Birthday Book. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1945. Illustrated with Persian Miniatures by Mahmoud Sayah, 7 1/8 x 7 1/8 inches.
I found this little book at a yard sale several years ago. I bought it for the illustrations, thinking I’d use them for collage. I don’t think I will, though, because I can’t imagine destroying the information inside.
January
Problematic Monsters
collage (altered Polaroid photo, photocopy, child’s clothing pattern, fragment from algebra text, scientific illustrations, and unbleached waxed paper)
8 3/4 x 11 1/2 inches
collage (35mm film negative, sewing needle and thread, page from old children’s book, and vintage tape measure)
8 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches
All Sorts of Schemes
collage (ink jet print, child’s clothing pattern, leaf, key, brass brad, antique photo mat, and vintage tape measure)
8 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches
red paper boat 