13/52 'stone stories' .....

This wee book started as a 'book of small drawings' but before I knew it, I had  done six or seven little conte drawings and a similar number with pen and ink rounded down as stones and as they all seemed to hang well together I adapted a few of the drawings and turned this into a book titled 'stone stories'.   For many years I worked towards a body of imagery to do with 'the art of language' so it is not surprising to me that my doodles ended this way.  Do stones speak ..... they do to me.  As do trees.  Of course not in any linguistic reality but I often think there is more than just a connection which can pass between us and the natural world,  that somehow there is conversation of a sort.

There are eight pages in this book and I drew on both sides.  As such there is no cover which is something I quite like about artists' books.  I find that my books often lack a formal binding or cover but just start straight into the story.  Most often these were then housed in a perspex box and though I no longer make my perspex boxes, I am pretty certain this book will be made some protective cover or envelope.  I have sprayed with fixative but it is thickly layered with charcoal/french conte and it keeps shedding!

 As these pages were individual and not folded I sewed the book with a single page coptic binding wit black linen thread.

The year is marching by - thirteen weeks already and now Easter is upon us ..... so soon after New Year.  Or so it seems when we have such an early Easter.  I hope you all enjoy your break and keep safe if travelling or camping.