The Shape of Things I

 I mentioned this wee book recently and its role in my book exchange with Annwyn Dean (annwyndean.co.uk) and now it's time to tell its story here.

Because we had committed to sending our books to each other in the first week of January, I knew I would have to work on it in Scotland.

Supplies and other such things such as space are scarce in the cottage so I added the additional challenge of working with limited materials to my quest.

I had Annwyn's papers with me but I was terribly unsure of my direction. Until one of those awake in the  middle of the night realisations and I was fine to go, with a few steps forwards, back and sideways along the way.

I started pottering here. And by the time I left  had pretty much completed my pages.

Working with what paper I had on hand - an A4 pad of Fabriano Unica 250gsm - each A4 page was trimmed down to create 16 pages. Each page is pretty small in the end - 7.5cm (w) x 5.3cm (h)

I went with my weak inky water, brushed on and then daubed away with tissue in places.  I thought this created a misty, hazy feel in line with my own sense of fogginess and not being able to see the way forward; commit to the future or be confident about any commitments.

One of my thoughts was that the way markers had disappeared, so I introduced the embossing (very me) in the form of a fence line which we could see out of our back bedroom window at the cottage. They were there, but not straight, and rather meander-y, and you coudl kind of sort of see them in the right light.

I had taken Letraset with me as I thought it would be the simplest way of achieving lettering, it was light and did not take-up too much space in my bag. Also it wouldn't leak!

So I selected pages with similar way marker alignments, and started to do two of each phrase. One for me and one for Annwyn.

My work space, work in progress.

I began to add elements to the design - square and rectangular shapes cut out from some of Annwyn's beautiful papers.

And when I had completed the full set for one book, I began on the second.  I often consider my wall works and my book works siblings; and that is how I describe these books as well. The two books are not identical (no two people experience exactly the same thing) and yet they are inherently related.

So the positioning of the embossing and the lettering was similar on each page for the two books, and then I began to add the papers.

In the second book I worked off principle rather than replication - there was a long piece touching the bottom; the word firm was covered; a piece ran from the top edge to the bottom edge and so on.

This can be the title. Or the final word. The beginning of a line. Or the end of a line.

This most probably, is usually the end. The full stop.

And here is one iteration of the words, presented in the same manner for each book.

The pages tumble out of the linen pouch as if they were a puzzle to be solved. They don't initially look at all book-like. But there are words to play with. Thoughts to express, and stories to be told.

Here is how I described it in my accompanying note to Annwyn:

The first books exchanged

 When I returned from Sydney I was greeted by a parcel from the UK in which I discovered Annwyn's first book of our exchange.

The first intrigue was on the back of the parcel where our Border Force people had requested Australia Post to open it! What subversive materials or contents lay within I wondered? What on earth would make this parcel suspicious?  I'd suggest nothing; and that perhaps, like the explosives residue test at airports, it was just a random selection.

So I'll show our two books together here, and soon I will take you through the ins and outs of creating mine.

I was delighted to discover that in fact the book was not dangerous.

So beautifully wrapped and presented. I love the anticipation when one is faced with an item that has been cared for in this way - when somebody has taken the time to pack and wrap beautifully. The whisper of 'preciousness' wafts before me.

Annwyn titled her book Shape defines Purpose and you can read some more of her thinking on her blog here. 

We had sent each other papers to work with - outside our usual comfort zones and I was so happy to see how she had worked with some braille paper I had sent her, on the covers. So muted, and the dots felt part of the pattern, not an obvious addition.

The printed plate references a piece of lace from her collection (her blog post with photos of it here) but the way it displayed caught my attention from the get go. Looking at it this way and that.

So we have each done something outside of ourselves, yet also really true to ourselves.

My book is an unbound book. I love unbound books for all sorts of reasons; most of all because they allow people to create and re-create the story as they interact with them. The sequence and narrative is not defined.

Mine is called The Shape of Things I - and refers to my uncertainty about not being able to see the shape of the year; the shape of the months ahead, and no longer feeling certain where the way markers are; or if they will stay there.

The book comes in a linen pouch which you followed my angst about here! Hand stitching part of it saved me.

The multiple, unbound pages (16 of them) tumble out like puzzle pieces.

You get to try and make a poem, or to make sense of them.

Placing them this way and that...

I have so many thoughts about this book...will do a post on them soon.

It is great that we have managed to exchange our first books - and there are more underway!

Thursday Thoughts...

"Think before you speak. Read before you think". 

Fran Lebowitz

I oftentimes think of the first part of this quote - but I really liked the addition! I guess in terms of thinking Ms Lebowitz is suggesting we should have done some reading first - we should have sought advice and information from people before we think.  That good information and analysis and critique will shape our thinking such that when we speak we make sense and what we say is based on solid ground.

I imagine she is trying to work through the idea of not just verbalising opinions; where our thinking has been swift and probably shallow, gleaned from observations, desires or preferences.

I know the older I get the more I find listening to the opposite view is important.  I try to not just assert my belief or opinion without having considered the alternative.  Still working on that!

I wonder what year she said/wrote this?  I wonder if it was pre Fake News; pre an avalanche of conspiracy theories available to all and sundry; pre the multiplicity of rabbit holes we can all go down to gather information that supports our views?

In a way, it has an almost olde-world feel to it when books and the written word were almost universally agreed to be a strong record of fact and research. Now the cry of "I do my own research" has somewhat tainted that notion.

Still if your source material is good; this quote holds true and helps us all do better.

Detail of  Books by Li Chao, 2011. White Rabbit Gallery 2023.

Nature in the city

 During our visit to Sydney, we were staying at Coogee - a beachside suburb.  We were fortunate to walk every day, sometimes hot and sunny; at other times brooding and grim. 

On our walks we watched the water and the trees, the flowers and the sandstone cliffs, and enjoyed the difference between our country town here, and the city there.

Despite having seen acres and hours of fabulous art; here is some of the natural beauty of the city.

Jagged clifftops

Fabulous banksias

Sandstone marking on the cliff at the end of our road

Some of my favourite flowers ever - flannel flowers.

The different light

The eucalypts budding and blooming

The baths covered by big swells on different days

The shimmering sea

A trip to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains to see our friend Caren.

And finally, the cat we sat!

Her name is Jaffa.

Green Square Library

 Wherever I go, I love stopping by a Library. I still say nearly every single time (and poor Barry can attest to this) "I LOVE Libraries! They are just the BEST!" with all the enthusiasm and excitement those bold letters and exclamation marks conjure up.

And so it was once again when our friend Karen introduced us to her local library here in Sydney - at Green Square.  It is a relatively newly built building and part of a very green re-development that is still evolving.

I was a touch underwhelmed the first time I saw it - as we passed by on a bus. I thought that it seemed quite small really, and wouldn't have much variety or things on offer. Silly me. The building is mostly underground; and the small pyramid-like shape I could see was just the tip of it, so to speak.

On looking, you can see the circular light wells in the paved area that help illuminate below. The area is also a shared pedestrian, bike, car zone.

The circle you can see in the paved are above is an open air garden in the middle of the Library where you can sit and eat, drink a coffee, stare at the sky in between other things.

The tower has six floors of all sorts of things - meeting room, music room, anything room...

I can't recall the name of this room - but it should be the rainbow room! I think it was the reading room.

Karen and I among the rainbows...

The tower also has this sculpture - a real plane with all sorts of lands and dioramas upon it...books can take you anywhere.

At this end of the underground library you look out to an amphitheatre. You can see where the screen drops down from inside and everybody can be seated outside watching a film or an event or... inside they can arrange the furniture for more intimate showings.

But then the books. The children's area has all sorts of great nooks (in which I have seen many children curled up reading), low shelves and tables and chairs.

This may not be news to some, but I ended up in the Parents Room to use the toilet and found a tiny toilet to the right; and a regular toilet to the left - how cool to be able to take your little one in with you, and keep an eye on them.

And of course there were amazing things to borrow, and simple and sleek systems and loads of books and computers and tables and chair and rooms. Up in the pyramid there is also a coffee shop and heaps of magazines.

But also recycling centres for batteries, phones, lightbulbs and so on.

And of course, you can loan a phone charger. Brilliant!

I could go on and on and on but I won't. It is a remarkable piece of urban design, welcoming the community into and around it; making great use of space and caring for the environment in big way.

I think if I lived here I might never go anywhere else...

Except to the fabulous art galleries of course...