Type books re-made

 Re-organising continues apace here and the paper inventory and the type inventory are both now complete.

I have documents in the computer and printed out of where things can be found; and I have re-made the books that acts as samples and guides. Very chuffed.

I hd noted a few papers I was missing samples of, so it was time to find them and cut them and pop them in the books.

And there they are, happily ensconced in the right place in the two copies of the book I made - one for B and one for me. The paper sample books are simply sequenced by paper weight, starting with 100gsm and ending with 300gsm samples.

And so it was time to move onto the type. We already had several type sample books, but given we have reduced our holdings significantly it was time to make sure the books reflected those we had.

I have made the type books in three ways; alphabetically; by size; and by style. I figure that these three approaches allow to find a typeface I want to use depending on what I need up front - does it have to be small? Am I looking for fancy? Am I wondering what size I have Colonna in?

Alphabetically we start with Announce Grotesque. I often think I should investigate what it is in the type world that grotesque refers to? In general terms it's not a word that describes something lovely; yet with type they aren't ugly typefaces so I am left wondering. One day I shall investigate.

And then by size - sometime you want to make a statement so you only want to look for large typeface sizes. Or sometimes you are printing a book and need to select only from your smallest type. So this makes that part easier.

And then I often items thinkI want to use a sans serif font or a fancy one for a statement of sorts and it's easy to go in this way.

Always satisfying to be able to find what you might want, amongst what you might have.

 

And here's a document that I leave on top of the drawers to grab and look at where I will actually find the the in the type cabinets.

And the prepping and brain space organising goes on as well... now we have pink post it notes too!

All of it alongside one of those sunsets you wouldn't believe was real if somebody painted it because of those rays of light...

And late afternoon sun on a port wine magnolia..

Teaching and Presenting

 I am excited to be presenting at a Conference in NZ in September - "Bind25". Hosted by ABCNZ it brings together fine binders and artists book makers and all associated variations in between.  Whilst they have prepared an extensive week-long program I will only be dashing over for a long weekend kind of thing...life.

I am presenting on my work and thinking about how to build narrative in artists' books. The presentation is coming along and taking shape as I ponder and meander and crystallise and clarify.

Before I head off I have also been offered the opportunity to run a workshop on Building Narrative - an opportunity for folk to take their artists' book making deeper; to think their way through story telling via the medium of artists' books and to take the reader on a full and satisfying journey.

Through the week I knuckled down and grabbed hold of a heap of artists' books from my collection to start finessing and updating the course.

I brought them home and spread them out.

And sorted through the opportunity moments in the workshop where participants will sit down together and discuss what different stories different styles of artists' book tell...

And I reached a point where I knew which books would work with which books, and in which groupings and why.

Sometimes I joke that there might be two things written on my gravestone:

1. She had neat handwriting; and 

2. She was organised.

The organised thing is always a bit amusing as I am the only person who ever really experiences my head space. My head is filled with thoughts that need connecting or jotting down; or which create new jumping off points for other ideas and... it can be quite the jumble. My sense has always been that my organisational side is just about trying to make sense of all this bubbling excitement!

And so as I kept having a multitude of thoughts and ideas about where to take the workshop and presentation next; I decided each thought could go on a sticky note and get stuck down. That way I wouldn't lose it, and I could watch them all come together.

It got pretty wild by the end of the morning!

Yet the sense of satisfaction as enormous. Despite how it might look here, I knew where to head next, and what needed doing. So good!

And then just to some lovely colourful, jewel-like details of an artwork we recently purchased from our friend Ken Munsie. These delightful moments make me smile each time I pass by, or glimpse over at it...

Paper, paper, everywhere...

 Life is full and fast at the moment, and I am feeling like I am constantly running to keep up; but never quite getting everything done that I need to get done. Sigh

But flowers help make everything better...

We are moving some things on from the studio space and are having a BIG garage sale on the weekend.  B has been busy moving paper from the studio to the office/studio at home and once here, it has been my job to sort it. 

Yesterday a friend and I spent a couple of hours cutting and tearing paper and this is the lovely pile we made.

And this is the box of paper I just ordered!  We need some of our favourite grey for book covers that we both have planned, and we only have two sheets left. It felt odd to be opening packets of new paper as I was trying to sort out which papers went where, and if in fact I could move some of them on!

There was paper all over the sewing room/studio space.

But some excellent new paper drawers to put it all in!

After two hours of sorting, B came home and found me like this!

There is method of sorts in my madness - there are piles for sale; scraps for sale, papers free to a good home and some good papers to sell in their packs. It really was one of those jobs best done by oneself - I had a vague plan and understanding of what differentiated this paper from that paper and why, and it all worked out OK in the end.

All I have to do now is do some labels for the new drawers - numbers and descriptors of what they hold -then that job is done. Phew.

And here is a lovely photo of eucalyptus leaves in the sunlight on our kitchen bench, which we have purloined to be the backdrop for some promotion of our Studio Garage Sale.

I made a book...

 It's not often I land where I have, which is I have made a book and I don't know what it is. I guess that reflects my time at the cottage a bit - I am less purposeful and more explorative; more open to trying a bit of this or that simply because I don't have a full set up or I have fewer commitments or goals to hit.

So I started painting marks with an acrylic ink onto some lovely kraft card squares I had brought with me. Payne's Grey and White.

Not knowing where I was going, I turned them over and kept going.

And then I cut them down and put them together and they were a BIG book - heavy and hard to handle, so B suggested maybe make two books. So I looked for some paper or card to make extra pages and found some beautiful Vintage Paper Company paper which I could use; as well as a test page where I had laid out all the stitching mark for my peg piece - as well as some test  stitching. 

I embossed some lines I had previously cut for my first book in my exchange The Shape of Things with Annwyn way back in 2022 into some black paper/card I had here, and then stitched them using some thread that a friend had passed along to me after her mother died. All together a compilation of things that I found along the way.

Here they each are standing - quite firm paper means they stand well!

And a selection of openings.

So my question is are they done? There is already so much in them it seems to me that it could be hard to add to them. I have pondered writing in tiny writing around some of the marks, between some of the marks and maybe begin to tell a bit of a story of sorts?

Is there any way the marks could guide me to a narrative or story? Could they support and enhance a storyline?

I have pondered are they just lovely things to look at?

Or are they book-like journals with pages begun and space for new ideas to be jotted down, sketched in? Something to be added to?

It's quite the confusement for me. I am usually far clearer in my intention before I begin; these wee ones evolved and became something, but I remain uncertain as to how best to use and appreciate them. 

Thoughts welcomed and gratefully received!

And in a weird sideline; as I was connecting my phone to transfer these photos across, I opened to this photo. 10 years ago I made these books with Susan Bowers, and I was struck by how similar they are to the shapes, tones and marks of the ones I have completed here. Very graphic in their sensibility. In these wee ones we deliberately left the pages unbound so the story could be told and re-told in whatever way one chose. My new ones are firmly bound.

Interesting.

Pouches and Packets

 It is one thing to design, make and finish a book; it is another thing to consider its container. That is the point I got to through the week, when I had to knuckle down and make some pouches for the books I have recently made.

Given we are headed off again shortly, I knew I would not have time to get Perspex containers made, so I turned to stitching pouches or packets...

First up I made the pouches for the three Red Card books.  I had chosen my threads back here, and had pretty much done the measurements, so it was down to cutting, piercing and stitching. And here they are complete.

Three pouches with one book showing. These pouches have a turn-over at the top edge and are hand-stitched down both sides.

One pouch with its book popping out.

As ever, I love the edges...

One book open on top of a pouch.

I am really happy with the simplicity of them, as well as the functionality of them. They protect the book, but look sombre.

I also knew I would have to make pouches for the Simply Being books which I have actually finished, but not yet blogged about, and I managed to get them done on the same day. A satisfying day's work.

These are simpler in a few ways. There is no turn-over at the top; but I made sure to cut the paper so that the feathery deckled edge was a feature. And they are machine-stitched down each side.

I left the threads dangling a bit; and here again, I love the interaction between those edges and threads.

One book on top of its packet/pouch. I think these might be packets because of the no turn-over? I really don't know but they could also easily be pouches.

The title page of the book, on top of its pouch/packet.

Had I had more time, I may have done something different for the containers; but I actually really like these and think they serve the books well.

Not much, but something

 I still haven't spent any time making down at the studio, but I did pop in the other day to collect some cards. I was pleasantly surprised see that before I got sick I had re-arranged a few things and that this little display was now the welcome at the front door. I had completely forgotten I had done this.

I did manage to sit and stitch three more fragments of fabric with resist. Yippee. Major milestone. I felt some of the stitching may not have been clear/legible so added the words and some inked morse code for clarification. Red is still clearly having a moment with me.

And that was pretty much that. As we emerge from under a blanket of blah we managed to walk to town and have a coffee this morning. Another milestone. As a reward, our companion was this young water dragon.

And for context, this is how close they were sitting for most of the time - my chair, my shorts and my shoe. They are quiet and gentle companions and it feels like a privilege to have 'wild' animals spend time so close to you really.

And keeping us company through the week have been flowers and twinkles - cheering us up on the miserablest days. Strelitzias from a neighbour and one of Dad's orchids.

Onwards.