Over the past few months, Barry and I have been beavering away on a commission, creating the 11 awards given to the category winners in the 2013 Queensland Literary Awards.
The ceremony was held at the State Library in Brisbane last Wednesday night, and we were thrilled to attend and share the joy of reading and writing with others; and to see our awards on display and being handed to the winners.
We designed them together and they took the form of books.
Each book was made of recycled metal covers (front and back), encased in perspex and an internal page of paper again encased in perspex.
Barry found, cut, beat and polished the EPNS metal used for the covers. Each book was unique, and Barry hand-beat a different pattern onto each cover to make them individual. We had the QLA logo etched onto the metal front covers, and my calligraphy was also etched onto the back cover.
Inside, on one page I embossed pages with marks that matched Barry's hammering marks, then printed the award, de-bossed similar marks and wrote the winner's name by hand on another page. These pages went back to back inside the perspex casing.
Barry and I drilled all the holes thru the three layers of perspex that made up each page or cover; and then hand-rivted the page or cover together. After all that, I hand-stitched them with a modified single page binding in fabulous orange, the signature colour of the Awards.
They were really well received - and were happy to see them go to new homes. Here we are at the party afterwards - Barry, me, my sister-in-law Lorraine and my brother Al. Phew!
The ceremony was held at the State Library in Brisbane last Wednesday night, and we were thrilled to attend and share the joy of reading and writing with others; and to see our awards on display and being handed to the winners.
We designed them together and they took the form of books.
Each book was made of recycled metal covers (front and back), encased in perspex and an internal page of paper again encased in perspex.
Barry found, cut, beat and polished the EPNS metal used for the covers. Each book was unique, and Barry hand-beat a different pattern onto each cover to make them individual. We had the QLA logo etched onto the metal front covers, and my calligraphy was also etched onto the back cover.
Inside, on one page I embossed pages with marks that matched Barry's hammering marks, then printed the award, de-bossed similar marks and wrote the winner's name by hand on another page. These pages went back to back inside the perspex casing.
Barry and I drilled all the holes thru the three layers of perspex that made up each page or cover; and then hand-rivted the page or cover together. After all that, I hand-stitched them with a modified single page binding in fabulous orange, the signature colour of the Awards.
They were really well received - and were happy to see them go to new homes. Here we are at the party afterwards - Barry, me, my sister-in-law Lorraine and my brother Al. Phew!
We are off and out of touch now for a week or so things will be quieter here; altho Thursday Thoughts will still pop up!
now THAT'S what I call a collaboration --- bravo! (I hereby present you with the ronnie bloggy award for creative dual thinking xxx)
ReplyDeleteooo and I just noticed your scarf matched the binding thread colour ---- too good!
Thanks Ronnie - it was a good collaboration for sure. And yes; the scarf was chosen on purpose (I do love orange...)
DeleteHow great is that!! They look gorgeous. I imagine the prize winners were absolutely thrilled to take one of your books home. Wonderful that your work can be part of such a great event. Congratulations!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Annie - it felt very special to be a part of it, and people did seem to like their prizes.
DeleteWow and WOW! What an incredible amount of intricate work and they are just amazingly unique and beautiful! And so personal, to each winner. What a wonderful project to partake in. You two are an inspiration. x
ReplyDeleteThanks Louise - I love a good WoW! It was good to work together and create something that was a little bit of both of us...
DeleteSo now we know what those previous photos were a tease for! What a wonderful award to receive. Can definitely see those recipients giving it pride of place. Enjoy your peace and solitude break.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lesley - the embossing does have a real home to go to! It was a great opportunity to be involved in something like this, and we did enjoy our break as well.
DeleteReally beautiful Fiona and a wonderfully appropriate award to receive and treasure. I know someone who had an entry in the awards, but alas they did not get to take home one of your gorgeous pieces.
ReplyDeleteThanks Helen - I'm sorry your person didn't win one I would have loved to have been involved in that! It was a great opportunity and we loved sharing the creating...
DeleteFABULOUS BEAUTY!
ReplyDeleteThanks Wanda! Glad you think so...
Deletea grand edition. er, almost edition! very fine work.
ReplyDeleteThanks V - perhaps Edition Variants? They looked good all together and felt good in the hand.
DeleteFabulous! Guess you must be Barry's award...wrapped as you are n orange threads.
ReplyDeleteIndeed Jo - prize-winning artist perhaps!?!?
DeleteI can certainly see why everyone was thrilled to receive one, they're simply stunning, FaB! Congratulations!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks K - it was a long haul and sometimes stress, but really worth it in the end, and great to be there at the ceremony too.
DeleteThey look amazing...How on earth did you think this up?? Way better than an Oscar :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Jude! Glad you think they are better than an Oscar - maybe we can take over the Logies as well! We worked it out from another book I had made with metal inside perspex...but it was a great team effort.
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