By the Skin of My Teeth

Well, I did it. It wasn't easy, but yesterday I got Erotica Botanica delivered to the gallery with one day to spare. I am not sure I had one day to spare, as I am exhausted.

This is the wrapper with the book inside. I should say the deluxe book, although the trade edition will also have a wrapper.

There are two blue flaps inside that hold the book in at the top and bottom.

I only printed a few butterflies (they pop-up) and a few blue flaps. My press started making a new noise, and I couldn't oil it away. It doesn't sound good. So I just wanted to print the minimum I needed to until I could stop and get Bill's help to work on the press. Actually, Bill suggested I leave out the butterfly so I could stop printing, he thought the book was beautiful enough. But I couldn't leave it out now. I was in do or die mode.

My favorite of the poems:
"Bandy-legged bumble bee
your furry belted belly
tickles me"

A week before the deadline I printed the poems on one half of the book and realized the next morning I had mis-registered them. I had to begin printing that half of the book over. This happened the day before my mother-in-law arrived. So I emailed the gallery and they were able to give me a few extra days. Phew! I thought I could still print and socialize and get the book done with plenty of time to spare.

I began printing on the second half of the book and printed the colophon on the wrong page. So now I also had to re-print the second half of the book as well as the first. I gave up on the idea of printing with my company in the house. My attention was too diverted. I was getting sloppy. The good news was that I could change a few things that were bothering me.

All the imagery for the book was printed from stencils I designed and cut. Except this flower which Billy made. I think this is the only stencil that was cut once. All the other stencils for the book were cut at least twice, and some (including the leaf pages) three times! There are four different flowers and they pop-up from the folds.

I have a huge pile of models from designing the book, a pile of used and unused stencils, and many proofs of the stencils in multiple colors. What to do with all this leafy color!

For now, I will focus on binding, finishing printing the trade edition and getting that out, and getting back into a routine that includes exercise, nature, and friends.

Come see the show!
23 Sandy Gallery, Portland Oregon
September 22 - October 30, 2010
Pop-Up Now! A Juried Exhibition of Movable Books