M4 Ch7 Book Art

Here are the artists I researched and my thoughts.

• Su Blackwell.  Her work is mostly inspired by fairy tales.  She cuts images from old books to display in wooden boxes, others she cuts from newspaper.  I loved 'Wild Flowers' (2006) so delicate as is most of her work.  The cut out dolls as in '12 Dancing Princesses' is an idea I felt I could copy, simplified of course.  And, how does she make the butterflies stay up?
• Frances Pickering.  Going into her website I was immediately distracted by her workshops, I felt her work was on more familiar ground and she calls herself a textile artist.  She makes fabric books, where I liked the cut edges, as in the large sunflowers, and the idea of brown paper and calico, my kind of materials.  Two ideas struck me in particular, in 'Butterflies will come' she uses beads hanging down and generally she uses stitch as a highlight.  Two books to look out for at the Festival of stitch are 'Page after Page' and 'Under the Cover.'
• Paul Johnson.  Wish I'd known about him 20 years ago, a man after my own heart who uses his skills to develop literacy, 'making books to raise writing standards' and 'motivating boys.'  His own work looks very complicated, vibrant and colourful, full of life.  His little books reminded me of a couple of books I bought nearly 30 years ago for my son so I looked up those authors. Martin Baynton is described as just a children's illustrator and Patricia Casey (although looking the right age) as a life artist and sculptor.
• Beatrice Coron has produced stunning results using simple materials. She makes black papercuts of eg New York, and by sticking them on translucent paper the reverse looks like shadows.
• Mia Leijonstedt books are painted, sewn and pierced.
• Laura Davidson makes books in boxes and miniature books.  Her 'Book of Hours' is in a box and holds clock parts and poetry.
• Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord uses neutral colours and incorporates books into sculptures, eg the Spirit Book Series.  She sews beads into her pages.
• Cara Borer and Melissa Jay Craig both fold hand made books to make sculptures.  I was first attracted by Cara's 'Sea Nettle' which is a folded hardback.  I also love her butterfly.  She  photographs her own work to sell.
• Brian Dettmer and Guy Laramee use lots of books to make large sculptures.  Guy makes landscapes and similar easy on the eye work, Brian's work I found rather disturbing and almost scary, reminiscent of large insects and nightmares.