Artist's books from the 1990's

   A SELECTION OF MY ARTISTS BOOKS FROM THE 1990'S

A Roman Alphabet 1993
Concertina book of Arches paper, sumi ink, paper box.
8 x 11 x 10 cm. in box.
Exhibited in Illuminating Words, State Library Qld 1993
Held in the Collection of the State Library of Qld, Brisbane

Stone carvers strive to give the illusion that the  classical Roman letters are raised above the surface rather than lying below it.  This inspired the idea of using the letters in a combination of cutting and hand embossing to create visual interest, a play of light and shadow and to accentuate the form.
Watercolour paper was painted with diluted Sumi ink to suggest a subtle marble effect.
Each letter of the alphabet was linked to a Latin work which has a derivative in current English.

Photographs by Reina Irma, State Library of Qld, Brisbane.






In the Beginning Far Off in the Dreamtime 1993
Icosahedron of calfskin vellum, gouache and gold leaf,
 Japanese paper box with collapsible sides.
12 x 12 x 12 cm.
Exhibited in Illuminating Words, State Library of Qld 1993
Held in the Collection of the State Library of Qld, Brisbane

This book addresses belief systems, spirituality, Aboriginal/Australian cultural issues and reconciliation.  The form of the book is an icosahedron, a crystal shape created in nature.
Excerpts from two creation texts have been used - In the Beginning from Genesis in the bible and Far Off in the Dreamtime tels the story of The Rainbow Serpent.  The texts are juxtaposed resulting in  intertextuality and meaning.







Was it Needless Death 1993
Vertical ConcertinaBook
Canson papers, gouache, gold leaf.
51 x 12 cm. closed, 155 cm. opened out.
Exhibited in Illuminating Words, State Library Qld in 1993

Calligraphic book about the Australians at Gallipoli in World War 1 juxtaposes three texts.






Out of Grandmother's boxes 1993
Piano hinge binding threaded with ribbon, 
written in gouache, Japanese paper cover.
Written during demonstrations in the State Library of Qld 
during the  Illuminating Words exhibition in 1993
curated by Helen Malone, Bill Gray and Olive Bull.
Held in State Library of Qld.

Many of the pages are folded to reproduce the experience of unfolding and reading letters.
The text of the book comprises excerpts from My Australian Girlhood (1904) about the early settlement of the Moreton Bay region of Brisbane.







 Le Vierge Le Vivace et le Bel Aujourd'hui 1991
Double spine, alternately interleaved pages of Fabriano paper, gouache, 
silver thread, crystals, paper box.
36 x 12 cm.
Artists own collection

Poem by Stephane Mallarme written in 1885.  The left hand  side carried the French text and the right side the English translation,  The heavy roughly textured torn paper has the appearance of a snowy landscape in keeping with the imagery of the poem about a swan whose wings are trapped in the ice and snow and the choice to struggle and break free or stay trapped and die.  Seen as a metaphor for artistic inspiration and the struggle to achieve excellence and not give in to mediocrity.






Beauty and Brains 1994
Concertina Book
Collage on charcoal rubbings.
28.5 x 18 cm.
Private collection, Brisbane

Fragments of found images of medieval women and calligraphy from medieval manuscripts are juxtaposed with found contemporary newspaper and magazine texts.






How the Sun was made 1995
Quarter circle book with circular folded pages
Canson and Japanese papers, gouache
8 x 8 cm.
Private Collection, Brisbane

Calligraphic book relating to the Aboriginal legend with text written around the page in a circle.





As I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death 1996
Concertina book with reversed text strip
Calfskin vellum, vellum cover, ink drawing, ribbon
10 x 6 cm.
Collection of Bodleian Library, Oxford, UK 

Text line taken from song Gangsta's Paradise  by Coolio.






The Seasons 1996
Codex with decorative spine binding
Ink and gouache on Arches paper
20 x 13 cm
Private Collection

Interpretations of the four seasons.






Advent Calendar 1997
Concertina Book of Canson paper mounted into box of board and Japanese paper.
Drawings, prints, paintings in Gouache, ink, assorted papers and cottons.
24 x 15 x 10 cm. in box, 3 metres opened out.
Held in Private Collection.

Each of the 24 pages of the advent calendar contains opening doors with an underlying pop-up, pull tab or fold out image, drawings, mini concertina books and collages.





A Book is like a Garden in the Pocket 1997
Fold out book
Calfskin vellum pages mounted on card with Japanese paper, 
ink and gouache drawings, ribbon, paper box. 
12 x 12 cm.
Artist's own collection

Fragments of botanical drawings and parterre garden patterns.
Book structure suggestive of parterre garden pattern.








Carpe Diem  1998
Plan fold book with fold around cover.
Arches paper and gouache
12.5 x 8 cm.
Held in Private Collection

Carpe Diem combined with Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans
by John Lennon.