BOOKMAKING

...while staying home during a pandemic...

During my years at OCAD, some of my favourite courses were 

printmaking and paper making courses.

I made lots of paper, beautiful papers, papers I stored in a box 

and that box has been sitting in a closet for too many years.

I have set myself a goal to make many many books.

I thank all those who have provided tutorials...see names with each book.

As well, I have some amazing Japanese papers from those days

purchased at ‘The Paper Place’ in Toronto, Ontario.

Following you will find a few of my recently made books...

——

‘Sewn Over Tapes’ book, coptic stitch, 

my handmade purple cotton paper for the cover

and my handmade white cotton end papers 

which were embossed with one of my linocuts.

—————

‘Past and Present’ 

I have been making masks for over a year now

and donating them to anyone who wanted one...or more.

I came to love the patterns on the fabric. 

It was this that inspired this spinner accordion book.

The spinners (masks) are painted with gouache and leaning into the 

space between...the covid virus (linocut printed in oil) 

Each spinner is held in place by a thin thread. 

For me it is the space between that I have come to value and protect.

For the cover I started with a piece of my handmade 

cotton paper. Paint and text added. 

I wrote into it historical facts from the 1918 Spanish Flu in Canada. 

As I discovered more I painted over the text in black and 

rewrote this time in white. Layered text.

 ...many similarities from 1918 to today...

I searched through my button stash (I have a lot of buttons) for a button

closure that looked to be of that era.

Then I came across a Red Cross in my button jar

and after googling it I discovered that it 

was a Red Cross button from WW1. Excited!

Interestingly it was returning WW1 solders

who brought the Spanish Flu to Canada.

I thank Ali Manning for the spinner accordion book tutorial.

—————————-

This winged according book houses my linocuts printed in oil

 and text from a favourite hymn of mine...

‘Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness’ 

composed by James K. Manley (1975)

Images are from sketches done at a yearly

artist retreat I attend, thanks to 

Mark Fletcher ‘Rancho Relaxo’, and Liz Schamehorn

Linocuts printed in oil on BFK Rives paper

Thank you Ali Manning for the winged accordion book making tutorial

—————-

Two sewn books, covers are my handmade cotton paper

with flower inclusions and decorative weaving.

Tutorial Ali Manning