Daily Wants: Dominoes, Kalamazoo Book Arts

The Illustrated Accordion Book Show
Kalamazoo Book Arts Center May 6th to May 27th 2011



This is my favorite book ! It includes a brief description of the history of dominoes as described in the Dictionary of Daily Wants 1858. I had a lot of fun making this. I collaged photographs of the dominoes in my collections and colored prismacolor pencils were used for illustrations. The small pop outs of dominoes add a unique dimension. I am very pleased with the inside front cover - this lion is my favorite domino....well one of them anyway.

I also made rubber stamps....cutting pink erasers... of dominoes falling.

The paper used was given to me by my dear friends, artist Pat Sahertian and her husband artist Jake Sahertian on their return from Paris where they purchased this paper for me to make something beautiful. I think I did.

The cover is a colored reproduction of an Asian patterned cloth - the domino is made of leather with white leather "pip" (dots) inserts (cut from old white leather gloves).

Some unusual designs on wooden dominoes. I rubbed gold over them to highlight the images.

The beginning... planning stage.

See all books entered into the 2011 Kalamazoo show here.

A Book About Death - Memento

A Book About Death - Memento
Willo North Gallery, Phoenix, AZ opening May 6th


My first entry (postcard) graphite on tracing paper.

I actually witnessed a crow trying to fly with a chicken bone on the front lawn of my son's house. It scared me... so I drew it... it always reminds me of death. (feather memento)

My second entry, (postcard) copy of a lithograph

I made this several years ago in response to a Walt Whitman poem "A Clear Midnight" (my favorite) it's a little more gentle but again dealing with death "away from books... the day done... night, sleep, death, the stars..." (Whitman poem memento)

Phoenix based artist Patricia Sahertian has organized an A Book About Death - Memento (ABAD) exhibit for May 2011. Following the tradition that started with the original ABAD show at the Emily Harvey Gallery in NYC 2009. The Phoenix show asks for a small memento to be sent along with the postcard art giving the exhibit a unique twist on the original format.

I have contributed to the ABAD shows at MOMA Wales, Long Island and now Phoenix. Go to the website for the current entries in the Phoenix ABAD show. And for information about shows past, present and upcoming you can look at the ABAD archives.

Artists from around the world contribute original art in postcard form to be displayed and then kept together permanently as an unbound artist book. Everything is documented and exhibited online as well as in a gallery. VERY INTERESTING TO SEE HOW ARTISTS SEE OR FEEL DEATH. All shows have an open call for all artists. This concept, expanding internationally, has taken place in many locations in the USA: South Carolina, Texas, Omaha and Long Island, as well as Brazil, Italy and Wales.

A.R.T. Picture This Gallery 2011

Concrete Illusion, detail


Hosta


Concrete Illusion #4, detail

Art Recycled from Trash. A.R.T.

Picture This Gallery on Hilton Head in SC is hosting its second annual juried exhibit featuring items recycled into art. It was a huge success last year and has been expanded this year. It includes every imaginable form of art and media and is open to everyone. I decided to enter piece #4 from my "Concrete Illusions" series. These pieces are made of marine Styrofoam that washed up on a Long Island Beach, cast recycled paper, re bar also found on the beach and found objects acquired while digging for old bottles ! (boy, do I ever miss digging).


Untitled Concrete Illusion # 6

My paper was formulated to look like concrete... recycled paper with added hosta fibers (from my garden) for a gray color and undercooked daylilly leaves for texture along with torn pieces of black and white paper. The handmade paper while still damp is heavily glued to the Styrofoam with white glue and placed in strong sunlight... quick drying brings some of the glue to the surface adding to the overall look of worn cement. Results are always a surprise !

Untitled Concrete Illusion #4

This series is a comment on our constant destruction, wars, and poor stewards of the earth... a warning of the desolation we can create. Sort of dismal but always with a little hope (tree able to grow in concrete).