e x 13 complete

Sometimes projects take on their own momentum .... this was one of them.  When the idea was conceived I think I had quite different ideas in mind for what each envelope could/would contain.  I wrote none of this down which was remiss and I could recall none of those ideas when I tried. 

As the time came close for completion, I decided I just had to start the work and let come what may.  As I began gathering bits and pieces around the studio, papers, small copper etching plates, embossings and so forth a storyline began to emerge and once I was into the first few envelopes, the creative energy just seemed to take over.  In the end the thoughts all came rather quickly and spontaneously.

I think I will title my project  'Searching'  - a very loose title which I think encapsulates the random thoughts I had along the way, mapping part of that search knowing inside that in fact I need no longer look.  That I belong just where I am.

the thirteen envelopes

first - etching seen in last post

second - etchings, writing drawings

second - envelope and internal details

third envelope - etching, embossing and markmaking

fourth envelope - etching, embossing and marks

fifth envelope - etching, embossing and marks

details of envelope six  - embossings on leather, stained and marked papers

luminous graphite markings

seventh - etching on rusted paper, scratchings on envelope

envelope eight - leather embossing and rusted detail with marks

envelope nine - sewn together, suggestions of something inbetween layers

detail of envelope nine

envelope ten - sewn envelope, embossing and etching, markmaking

detail of envelope ten 

envelope eleven is a bound folio - thread supplied by generous Jennifer

envelope eleven - embossings on sublime fine paper, and etchings, marks

more details of envelope eleven

eleven - details

envelope twelve - etching, drawings, marks and scratchings on transparent paper

details of envelope twelve

details - envelope twelve

the twelfth  envelope has two etchings on its flap

thirteenth envelope - etchings on envelope and one page, staining, marks and writing drawings

details of envelope seven - (the search is over)

I smile often when I look back over the collaborative work Fiona and I have made in the latter part of this year.  I think I like it as much as any of the work I have ever done.  I am not sure why that is but I suggest it is something to do with such a lovely energy between us, the encouragement we give each other and the profound respect and liking we have for each other's work. It is more than this I am sure .... Fiona brings out the quieter side of my creativity I think, or at least the timing of this collaboration with the fact that I am in a happy place in my life, seems to make my work my thoughtful and quieter.

I count myself fortunate indeed :-)

bundled - not yet boxed ....

Envelopes - tick.  Such a good feeling to be finished. I am not sharing much of the design yet as Fiona's and my books have yet to meet.  Here is a peek of the bundle though .....

We are still going to house these in some manner - at this point all we know is they will be the same.  The same envelopes and packaging, our own thoughts however have interpreted this project.

finding the storyline .....

Although I felt a little like 'the doggy in the window' over the weekend at the Maleny Celebration of Books, I did find it worth while being there - especially on the Saturday when more people were out and about.  I sat outside Maleny Additions who were featuring my artist's books and journals.  The display was beautiful and I was delighted by many comments. Because most of my books in the shop were not opened up, only the covers were visible.  Even so, they still were of interest to a number of visitors which was pleasing.  It was good to be there speaking with passersby about the book as a vehicle for artists' work.  Most of the people with whom I spoke were not artists but were very interested in learning how to make journals, books, for their own purposes ... photography, design portfolios, poetry etc.  I had my new mini moo cards ready to hand out with my blog and email details so I hope to hear from some of those who professed interest.

Sheila and Diedre who own the shop were in and out, crossing over as they attended various talks and also the Big Book Club.  Many smaller book groups held discussions and then they all came together as one huge book group.  Apparently this and the talks were very, very interesting.  I am sorry I missed out and next year will be way more interested in being in attendance that sitting on the street talking about artist's books.  I do think the exposure was wonderful, not just for me but for sharing an understanding with the public about what makes an artist's book - and the potential one can reach when you are able to create a book from scratch.

In between people coming to chat, I sat there working on my latest little book and seeing if it could tell me what it wanted to say. I found a story line that suits me beautifully.  It is about the journey I have taken over the last six years, looking for and finding my home.  Somewhere to belong.  There are some images below, my favourite is the one of the hill with my 'home' on the top.  This is the last page of the story.  I am actually contemplating writing in this book seeing it is a book to keep.  I am not yet sure if I will write around the edges of the bordering white paper or if I will scratch my writing onto the transparent paper. Uncertain about being that brave - words seem so ...... revealing!  I usually like my work to be more enigmatic. 

black to white .....

Sometimes when in the studio, you just have to laugh out loud. Creative work can sometimes have a completely different result from the one you had in mind.  Over the last couple of days I have been preparing an artist's book - not complete it,  but have it there over the weekend in Maleny to show passersby the processes involved in putting together an artist's book.

I had in mind to do a black book as I had these yummy 'bits' of happenstance into which I thought I would work.  Keep it all black and white, black covers, black ink overlaying the images - dictating what they should be, or at least suggesting to the viewer a storyline.

The more I prepared this book, the more obvious it was to me that in fact it is a white book and that I would be using white ink, graphite and transparent paper into which I could scratch.  Quite a gentle book in fact.  It will be interesting to see if it stays that way!  Once again it is about my sense of place, or belonging.  I seem to have that in the forefront of many of my ideas of late and I think it is because I am now so happily settled in this new home and have been carving out of it a sense of belonging ........  

This will be familiar to those who saw my post on our land and our STEEP stairs and tracks!

Have not really decided on a direction for these images .... hope to be inspired tomorrow.

dAd - drawing a day visual diaries

It is a beautiful thing - a visual diary.  Someone's record of their day, infused with meaning that often only they understand.  I began my first in 1998 through a project coordinated by Adele Outerridge from The Studio in Brisbane which she shares with Wim de Vos.  There were eight of us, Australia wide, this first year.  Artists who committed to doing a drawing a day - not a work of art, but a visual record of what we did that day, what we felt or saw.  Maybe a suggestion of what we had been working on in our studios that day - a smear of paint, a torn up etching, an embossing ... one of my drawings was done with chocolate and wine after a lovely dinner party which left me with no desire to draw!

1998 dAd book - susan bowers

1998 dAd book and 2006 dAd bound in 12 monthly books

complex coptic binding using tabs

first foray into mark making 

I love using transparent overlays

rusting pages helped with drawing into them

my first embossing

transparent paper and ink

dabbling with monoprints

sketchings

The dAd Project is now world wide and hundreds are involved.  Adele still coordinates and she and Wim have continued to draw each day.  My discipline has been sadly lacking - it sounds so easy but it is quite a difficult thing to maintain.  In the first year we all found it very difficult initially, then addictive and absorbing.  I have begun and stopped almost every year since 1998, some years only one or two pages have been done.  I do not mind - those pages that were done are a lovely reminder of what I did, or what I thought about that day.  This year I began again, stopped some time in February and decided that this blog would take place of the drawing a day.

The blogging experience is turning out to be  like my daily drawing - difficult, now a little addictive and hopefully soon, absorbing.  Not so much so that I do not move forward with my art practice, but as an addition to it in maintaining a certain discipline, and using it as a record of my creative processes.