Tavistock Group of Artists Talk

I'm delighted to be invited to meet the Tavistock Group of Artists to talk to them about my handmade artist books this month!

It's a great opportunity to give an insight into the wonderful world of handmade books, as well as share my ideas and inspirations.

My books will be on display for the evening at the Tavistock Parish Hall and I will be talking about the making of individual books and reading from some of them. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions and the purchase books.

I'm very much looking forward to meeting members of the group and sharing my book making practice. 

Silent Observation

‘Silent Observation’ is a response to ‘The Overstory’ by Richard Powers for World Book Night 2025. 

The original print cover for ‘Silent Observation’ is made from a ring of wood from the Lucombe Oak tree in Widey Woods, Plymouth UK. This magnificent maiden tree was several hundred years old and was very familiar to locals who walked in the woods. Its branches twisted and turned as it reached to great heights. In July 2024 high winds brought the tree down. 

‘Silent Pbservation’ reflects on our passive response to nature, particularly trees. Their loss, whether by man’s choosing or by natural causes, should make us pay more attention to how we view nature as a priority in preventing more damage from climate change.

A list of statements on the inside asks us to consider the vital benefits trees have on our survival as a species.

Front Cover 'Silent Observation' 2025

10.5 x 14.8cm

Inside 'Silent Observation' 2025

The text reads:

I need no fuel

I need little maintenance

I sequester carbon

I enrich soil

I cool the earth

I prevent flooding

I clean air

I drop food for free

I multiply at ease

I heal the sick

I offer a home to thousands

What am I to you?

Clevedon Litfest 2024

I'm delighted that I've been selected to take part in this year's Clevedon Litfest - Celebration of the Book!

It's a one day convention of books and book arts on the 2nd November, 10am-10pm at Princes Hall, Clevedon, BS21 7SZ.

This Celebration of the Book will bring together authors and book artists from across the southwest for a day packed full of workshops, talks, readings and exhibitions, all centred around our popular book and makers market.

If you’re passionate about words and beautifully designed books, you’ll find plenty to enjoy at Celebration of the Book.

Tickets for the various events are available from the website: 

www.clevedonlistfest.org

I'll be at the Book and Makers Market with a display of my handmade artist books to browse and buy. Entry to the market is free and there are over 40 authors and makers stands to visit.

So please pop in and say hello if you're in the area and join in the Celebration of the Book!

                        

Blessings of the Birds 2

The first edition of Blessings of the Birds has sold out, so I thought it would be good to make a second series. There are so many types of birds that I will be able to make a third and fourth series too!

I've used that same format to make the books, but with different paper. The covers are made using 270gsm Colourplan paper in Cobalt. I used a goose feather to 'paint' oil based printing ink and Indian ink loosely onto the surface. The title page is inkjet printed on tracing paper. After composing the eight blessings, I inkjet printed them onto copier paper, before cutting to fit the covers. Finally, the books were stitched using a Japanese style Ledger binding with wax coated thread.

I believe that if we think about the talents and beauty of all birds, our appreciation for them will grow and we will care to protect them in these challenging ecological times.

There are 12 copies of this book.

blessings of the birds 2

2024

14 x 3cm Inkjet printed on tracing paper 

and 90gsm copier paper

Cover: Hand painted on 270gsm Colourplan Cobalt. 

Here are three of the 8 blessings:

blessed are the red kites

for they rejoice in being saved from extinction

blessed are the pigeons

for although they were abandoned, they will be loved again

blessed are the owls

for their silent flight will carry wisdom through the night

 

Bristol Artists Book Event

It's been a week since the Bristol Artists Book Event (BABE) and I've been reflecting on the great time I had!

The event, at UWE Bower Ashton, had plenty of space for many artists and publishers to show their books and paper ephemera. There was a fantastic range of different types of book making and visitors and stall holders spent hours looking through the interesting work.

It was also a great opportunity to chat about handmade books, their concepts, processes and materials and I enjoyed catching up with a few familiar faces, as well as meeting new ones.

The event is a fantastic source of inspiration and I have come away with ideas for new handmade artists books.

I bought a small selection of books from other artists, which I have enjoyed looking through. See below:

'Uncoupled Derailed'

by Linda Parr

'Postcard No21'

 by Andrew Morrison

'The Teapot'

by Erin K Schmidt

'Pilgrimage: Communing with the Trees'

by Antoinette Moorby

Bristol Artists Book Event

The Bristol Artists Book Event (BABE) is taking place this year on Saturday & Sunday 29-30th of June and I'm delighted to be taking part!

The event will be held again at the UWE campus on Kennel Lodge Road, Bower Ashton, Bristol BS3 2JT. This superb location offers a huge space for artists to display and sell their handmade artist books and it fits in beautifully within the print department.

There is always a wonderfully eclectic mix of ideas, bindings, illustration and materials, with plenty of inspiration for artists and visitors.

This year I will be giving a short 'Show and Tell' talk about my method of extracting text and I'll be reading a sample from my book 'In This Grey Wind'. I'll have all of my handmade books on display for visitors to browse and I'll be happy to answer any questions. I will also have some of my prints, cards and badges and free bookmarks, and for the first time I will be using my press title of 'Wild Bird of the Ink!'

It's a great book fair and definitely one not to miss!

I hope to see you there!

BABE

UWE, Kennel Lodge Road, Bower Ashton, Bristol BS3 7JT

29th-30th June 2024

Wild Bird of the Ink

Isles at the Edge of the Sea

The Isles at the Edge of the Sea concertina book is a departure from my regular text based handmade artist books.

I was fortunate to visit the Outer Hebrides in May 2024; a place that had been on my bucket list for some years. I had longed to experience the wild, wind-wrapped isles, with their beautiful white sandy shores, lochans and hills.

They certainly didn't disappoint! Of the ones I visited, the most appealing were North and South Uist and, I'm sure I left a piece of my heart on Benbecula.

The inspiration for a drawings and handmade books came quickly. I did look into extracting text from online guide to the Isles, but my finished writing didn't have the flow I was looking for to describe how I felt about the place. An attempt to simply use place names also fell short of the mark, leaving the written words floating over the images. I think an audio piece would have greater impact on the beautiful Gaelic names.

The initial mark-making experiments were a joy! Using charcoal, pencils, ink pen, pastels and ink, I used my memories of the land and seascapes to quickly create scenes. 

The five finished eight page landscape concertina books are 80x8cm (each page 10x8cm) all hand drawn on white cartridge paper. Each book is a unique individual piece of art, with one side black and white and the other in colour. Having used charcoal and pastels, the books are quite fragile.

The images below are a selection from three of the books.

'Isles at the Edge of the Sea' 

2024

Concertina book 80x8cm