Wild Bird of the Ink

Wild Bird of the Ink is a new title that I'll now be using on my blog and at book fairs.

The name came about from a prompt on social media, suggesting to use predictive text to complete the title 'My autobiography will be called....' 

I loved the choices the predictive text offered of  'wild bird of the ink' as it summed up my love of printmaking and my interest in birds! Many of my handmade artist books feature themes around birds, so it fits perfectly.

I've printed some more of my Wild Bird book marks, which will be available for free at next years book fairs.

'Wild Bird of the Ink' bookmarks

7x6cm

 

Slipping through the Net

'Slipping through the Net' is a small concertina book with a poem inspired by a failed attempt to get an appointment at an NHS GP surgery.

I wrote the text to illustrate the sense many people feel of being forgotten or disregarded, as the UK struggles with the decline in NHS services.

One side of the book was made by monoprinting a piece of scrim (loosely woven net) on cartridge paper. The other side was a monoprint of textures from Anaglypta wallpaper. The ink is a mix of Prussian Blue and Bone Black.

The text is Avenir 10pt and was inkjet printed on newsprint paper, then cut and glued into the pages. 

The book measures 6 x 48cm.

'Slipping through the Net' title page

'Slipping through the Net' inside

The poem inside reads:

when did it start

this slipping

a shift

quiet in its carelessness

a lapse

a miscalculation

an oversight

of my own omission

or theirs

and anonymity named me

as the net gently

tracelessly

let me through

World Book Night 2023

I'm delighted to be a contributor to World Book Night this year, held at UWE, Bower Ashton, Bristol. 

The theme is 'We Remember'; a collection of shared memories, building a whole new mood of collective remembering.

My two handmade artist books 'Shadow Locations I' and 'Shadow Locations II' have been added to the collection and, after the exhibitions, will be in the permanent library archive at Bower Ashton.

Each book briefly describes a memory I have of a place I visited as a child, but the memory is vague, with sketchy details. There is no-one alive who is able to confirm the accuracy of my memory. I find this fragility of mind an interesting concept.

There have been 112 entries from twenty five different countries.

The exhibition opens on Friday 21st April, in time for World Book Night on Sunday 23rd April, and will run until Friday 30th June. It will then transfer to the Hong Kong Design Institute from July 30th - 30th September.

The books can be viewed via Instagram or UWE:

https://www.instagram.com/lsp_books/

https://www.bookarts.uwe.ac.uk/news/#WBN2023

'Shadow Locations I & II'

Inside 'Shadow Locations I & II'

The Museum of Loss: The Life Story of Winifred Fifield

I've had another browse through all the files, scrolls and paperwork that my mother produced through her family history research and I came across this story about Winifred Fifield who was born in 1891.

It's an interesting story, not least because Winifred was a 'Bernardo's Child' and was sent to Canada to begin a new life. The reason's behind her departure, at the age of five, and the continuing story of her life are fascinating.

The story makes a fifth addition to the series 'The Museum of Loss', which is all about my family history.

The Life Story of Winifred Fifield

A 'Bernardo's' Child

2023

Cover: A6 inkjet printed on 175gsm Artcard in Real Grey

Inside: Inkjet printed on newsprint