Journeys End

Another concertina book!

The idea for a piece of work based on the shipping forecast has been brewing in my mind for a few years! Sometimes the actual format and design takes a while to work out and I was keen to make sure that I didn't go down a route that was too obvious, with waves and shades of blue.

I wrote a short descriptive piece about my memories of listening to the shipping forecast as a child. Then I spent quite a long time figuring out the book design! 

I decided to work on a large drawing using a linear process that when repeated, offers an image of gradient lines. I kept this to my usual black ink on white paper. I washed the reverse of the paper with a blue/grey ink and then, using another favoured process, I repeatedly wrote out the shipping forecast, creating undulating pencil lines of text over the wash.

Finally, I cut up the drawing to make 12 books and glued strips of the text onto the concertina folded books.

Finished drawing of cover

A1 270g paper

Journeys End 2019

5 x 7.8cm

Inside Journeys End 2019

5 x 7.8cm, inkjet on newsprint

Delighted to say that I will be having a table at the Bristol Arts Book Event (BABE) at the Arnolfini Gallery on 30 - 31st March this year!

It's a great book arts event, drawing in many visitors and displaying a huge variety in styles of handmade artist books.

So my life at the moment is all MAKE, MAKE, MAKE!

Hope to see you there!

BABE 2017

www.arnolfini.org.uk

Gifts from the Crows

Another concertina book! The current wave of ideas that I have seem to be lending themselves well to the concertina style.

I read a news article about a child in Seattle who fed crows with crumbs she accidentally dropped outside her house. When she realised that the crows were coming for the crumbs, she began feeding them regularly and enjoyed watching their behaviour. She started to realise that the crows were leaving odd items near the feeding tray; something she interpreted as grateful gifts.

The relationship between the girl and the crows continued and the girl kept the 'gifts',(lego, buttons, clips, silver etc)and amassed a collection of interesting objects.

I extracted text from the article by Katy Sewall ('The girl who gets gifts from the crows' www.bbc.co.uk)and formed seven short poems/phrases which gives a sense of a relationship between the girl and the crows. There is also a feeling of deeper understanding of the crows behaviour.

I drew and ink washed a large sheet of 270gsm printing paper with feathers for the cover of the books. The drawing looked very effective by itself, but I had to cut it up, making 9 books in total. 

The ink wash drawing before cutting up to make the covers.

'Gifts from the Crows' 2019

6 x 9.5cm 

Ink wash on 270gsm paper and inkjet on newsprint

Craving

Craving is a small concertina book with nine pages and eight folds.

The text is a simple paragraph of prose around the theme of longing for someone.

The design on the paper was made by suspending a large sheet of cartridge paper and dripping ink from the top edge. The ink then ran down the paper creating the drip marks, which to me, offer a sense of waiting for an ending.....a little like a craving.

Craving 2018

6 x 54cm

Cover: Ink on cartridge paper

Craving 2018

6 x 54cm

Inkjet printed on newsprint

Counter Plymouth 2018

I was pleased to be selected for this years Counter Plymouth Book Fair at Ocean Studios, Royal William Yard, Plymouth.

Thankfully, although the buildings are very old, they were warm on the snowy cold day.

The fair was well attended and many good 'bookish' conversations were had all day! I sold 18 of my books, mainly the small multiples, but also one of my unique one-off books '15'.

Counter Plymouth 2018

Shadow Locations

I was inspired by discussions on twitter (@ClareRogersArt)about remembered and imagined places and their overlap in my memory. I began to think about two places that I am certain I have visited, but have been unable to locate when revisiting.

From these thoughts, I wrote a short description of each place, forming the basis for two hand-made books: Shadow Locations I and II.

I had thought about making a concertina book for a while, and this was an opportunity to make my first.

Since viewing an exhibition of work by graphic designer Ivan Chermayeff, I have grown increasingly interested in collage. Similar to my interest in printmaking, collage compliments my hand-made book work.

Shadow Locations I 2018

Concertina book 7.5 x 7.5 x 29.7cm

Inkjet printed on newsprint with assorted collage papers.

Shadow Locations II

A cottage, low and surrounded

by bare trees and mist. Steps

down, past winter vegetables

in the front garden. Through

the front door, a small

square room, crowded with

dark furniture. Guy quiet.

Panya smiling. A wood fire,

the smell of damp and a tin

of buttons.

Kitty Jay

The book Kitty Jay was inspired by the local Dartmoor legend of Kitty Jay.

Orphaned and given the name Jay, Kitty Jay found work in the kitchen and fields on a farm on Dartmoor. Despite being poor, she attracted the attentions of a local man, who, after she became pregnant, abandoned her. Fearing a life in the workhouse, Kitty took her own life and, because of her suicide, was buried at a crossroads on the edge of the moor. Her restless spirit is said to haunt the area and legend states that her grave is never without fresh flowers.

I extracted text from TS 'Legendary Dartmoor' to form short seven short poems. Then I wrote a canticle to sit along side each poem. Having spent a lovely afternoon on the moor photographing the grave, I used the photos to illustrate my text.

The cover is one of those sheets of paper I have had in the drawer for many years, knowing one day it would find a use!

Inside Cover Kitty Jay 2018

10.5 x 15cm