100 BOOK

100book: A personal histories international artists' book exhibition highlights the dynamic world of contemporary artists' book practice, with contributing artists from over 16 countries. 
The exhibition has just opened at the Redland Art Gallery, Cleveland and runs until 10th May.
I have been lucky enough to have two books chosen for this wonderful exhibition curated by Robyn Foster - "blind spots" and "Yesterday"

"blind spots" is a small book that  tries to make some of the the everyday, awful medical procedures into something beautiful. It refers to surgery and the treatment of melanomas and skin cancers which can occur anywhere on our body often catching us unaware.

Images are incised, waxed and scratched and filled with pigment to create layered translucent pages. Marks, scratches and symbols become codes associated with medical charts and personal experiences.

It is a 16 page single signature book of 90gsm waxed pastel paper in a 180gsm Fabriano, Tiziano embossed  cover which in turn is wrapped in waxed Japanese paper . Overall size - 210 mm x 145 mm.

The book is a bit like a surgeon's notebook with a record of  sketches and plans of work that has been completed. The waxed paper has a soft feel like skin. For a more detailed look at the images, we'd love to see you at the exhibition but if that's not possible you will find the book on my website in the artist book folder.

My other artists' book in the exhibition is "Yesterday". It is a collection of imaginary postcards housed in an oysterclam box. Since they are small, two-sided cards that need to be handled to view, I have put the images onto a digital slide show for the exhibition as well so that each card can be viewed without touching. A little less personal but not so much since the postcards don't have a special "feel" anyway.

 images referring to the passing of time line the inside of the box.

These 20 imaginary cards are based on actual events but the names and addresses have been changed. For the complete set of images please check out my website.

"drawings for a doctor"

I have been working for some time on a series of drawings based on surgery and wounds. It is a series that I turn to in between books or when I'm in a new place while I decide on a new theme or interest to explore. They are the sort of drawing that is cumulative and not done in one sitting. Sometimes the different processes such as waxing or staining have to dry before going to another stage. They were done in an A5 visual diary which is very portable and easy to take with me on planes and trains or keep handy on my desk at all times. 
They are a continuation of earlier work "Cut" and "Blind Spots".

These new drawings are not as raw or juicy but meant to be more like an instruction manual or notebook a doctor use. They are of course totally imaginary although the cover is made from an old X-Ray of mine. I have only used 15 pages for this book and hope to explore different bindings for some of the remaining works in this series.

The drawings are on both side of each page and the open wounds and mesh allow you to look through to the next operation or back to the previous.

The materials used in these drawings include pigment, turmeric, wax, dressmaking patterns, shellac, thread, mesh, dressings,  inks and letter stamps.

The little book has 30 pages of images and directions and very fine ink or pencil drawings. They are more fun if you can enlarge the images as the detail is so small. If you right mouse click on the image and select 'open in another tab' you can enlarge the image and have a good poke around.Enjoy!