Hummingbird

A two page A6 book about the Hummingbird.

How to describe a hummingbird in one concise sentence?
"A continuous sequence of visual commentary."

I initially produced a piece of artwork with that description on very thin strips of paper collaged together to create the image of the hummingbird.

However, in wanting to make multiple A6 books, I needed to avoid using an original for each book and use a reproduction instead. This led me to explore the process digitally, which was more successful than I anticipated!

Front cover 'Hummingbird', 2014. 

A6

Card, paper, inkjet.

Inside page 'Hummingbird', 2014. 

A6

Card, paper, inkjet.

Counter Plymouth Artist Book Fair

Plymouth Arts Centre hosted the Counter Plymouth Artist Book Fair

Sunday 19th October 2014

This was a great (and my first) opportunity to display my books at a local book fair. It was great to see what other artists created and talk to them about their work. 

It also raised questions about pricing book art work, which we all agreed, was very difficult. Typically, a buyer would be prepared to pay a couple of hundred pounds for an small original watercolour painting, but not for an original, one-off hand made book. Both artists would have spent hours working in their art, not forgetting the time spent training, qualifying and reading about art. Is the problem the book concept - once read, it's finished with? 

It is frustrating and I came to the conclusion that I would still make the larger, more complex one-off books, but also focus on making multiples of smaller, inexpensive books that people are prepared to buy.  By doing this, hopefully more books will sell and more people will get to know my work. I guess it's about getting the balance right!

A selection of my hand made books.

Place Names in Devon, England

A hand made book using reply paid envelopes, a map of Devon and stab binding.

The inside is a handwritten list of all the place names in Devon.

Continuing with my theme of repetitious tasks! Again, I feel that the capital letters in a natural handwritten size work well, especially in two columns on each page. There is also a steady spatial quality to the alphabetical order.

I had seen other artist's work using maps and envelopes, and after collecting the envelopes over a period of time, I decided on the theme of place names, (which the old map fitted into well).

The list of names intrigues me, particularly the localising of some of the words, such as coombe, meaning valley. It's also worth considering the sound and rhythm of the place names when read aloud in list form. 

'Place names in Devon' 2014

Prepaid envelopes, map, tapestry wool, ink

Extracts from September

A hand made book using extracted text from the Plymouth Herald online during September 2013.

This is a good example of a hand made book that has had quite a few hours work put into it! From extracting the text, to typesetting, then painting the cover and assembling pages and binding. It does have a lovely solid, finished quality about it, but i feel that I should have made more than one. 

I was talking to Alexandra Czinczel,  a book artist, who creates wonderful pop-up books, usually in singles. She spoke about her keenness to make multiples when she starts out the making process, but by the end, although loving her work, she feels finished with that idea and ready to move on. Thus the multiples don't get made!
(@AlexCzinczel thechinchilla.com)

I agree totally, but still resolve to make more copies!

'Extracts from September' 2014 SOLD

Goatskin paper, card, inkjet printing, watercolour paint, buckram, acco fastener

Counter Plymouth - Artists Book Fair

Artists Book Fair
Plymouth Arts Centre
38 Looe Street Plymouth PL4 0EB

Sunday 19th October 2014. 2-5pm

I will be exhibiting my hand-made books at the Fair, including books from the project 'From here you can almost see the sea'.

I am currently working on some new ones too, and hope to show them as well!

Latest Exhibition featuring 'Absence' in the Sunderland Book Project

Sunderland Quakers Meeting House,
30 Roker Park Road,
Sunderland.
Friday 12 September 2014: 1000-1500
Saturday 13 September 2014: 1300-1600
Sunday 14 September 2014: 1300-1600


Bede's Bakehouse Gallery, Sunderland is the latest venue for the Sunderland Book Project.

Currently 72 participants from 6 different countries and 63 books to browse through and enjoy.

From 22 March until 18 May, 2014

At St. Peters Church, St. Peters Way, Sunderland, Tyne And Wear, SR6 0DY

Tel: 0191 5640431

Opening Hours: Tues-Fri 10.30-2.30; Sat 10.30-3.30; Sun 1.00-3.00