What the Plants Say

I have been working on this little book Root, Leaf, & Flower for a quite a while. The boco printing was done a year ago, but the letterpress just added. I haven't sewn one together yet, but all the pages are ready now.

I had some different thoughts about it when I first started the boco printing process from the plants. And it took me a while to realize those ideas were a dead end for me.

It started with the idea of a sampler – each plant isolated on its own page. But the result for me is much more than a sampler, it is a song. Each print is unique, the gesture of the plants expressive with hidden images and colors revealed.

I have worked out the stitching on sample papers, but I am not ready to reveal that one yet. And for those of you that have it, this book: Root, Leaf, & Flower will be akin to Plant Dyes from the Kitchen. (below) Plant Dyes from the Kitchen was also published in the fabulous book Thread Loves Paper by Emily Marks.

On My Very Own Silk Road

From my first attempt botanical contact printing on silk.

Not sure how far down the road I'll go with bo-co printing on silk, but I am having fairly good success so far and feeling more encouraged as I go.

Today, rain. But the vat is calling me back.

Mothing Around

So many stacks of blocks to get to! 

Easy Peazy & Hard As Chard

In the studio with Rebeca, having loads of fun while printing for GRuB (Garden Raised Bounty) for their fundraiser. You'll have to be quick to get one of these awesome potholders.

  

Co designing with Rebeca was the most fun I've had collaborating, ever.

 In the studio by myself today, thinking we should have printed "Hard As Chard" instead. Registering dozens of pieces of seam binding is challenging. Phew, finally finished!

It won't say so on this colophon, but this is another Inking Up! for Social & Environmental Justice publications from May Day Press. Had to keep this colophon short as possible to suit our "easy peasy" approach.

Stayed tuned for the finished product. We will be having a sewing bee on Sunday! 

And Comics!

I missed one very important publication this year - and it was for Grab Back Comics. Erma Blood invited me to contribute, and against my better judgement (I don't do comics, after all),  I created a contribution that developed from my embroidered piece for Re-fashioning Identity. Grab Back Comics just came out – and I was mentioned in a very good way, more than once – in the review!

If you want to read the review: it's here: These Comics Grab Back.

Poetry and Prose

I am excited to report that I have had a poem and a piece of short prose published this year. The poem, called Ozette, was published in WA 129, edited by Tod Marshall, our state's poet laureate.

The short prose was published online by 3Elements Literary Review - their Summer issue #15. As much as I love printing, I love writing more!

Stay tuned for news of a new May Day Press publication - out very soon! With cover paper printed from avocado pits!

Abundant Blessings!

May Day Press is celebrating 

25 years of letterpress printing artists' books 

and other misc. this year. 

Big thanks and much gratitude to my sweet friend Pam Elardo 

who has been a blessing in my life in many ways and supporter of 

May Day Press since it was born. It's the love and support of 

friends like Pam that keep me and May Day Press going.

Grab Back Comics – Re-Refashioning Identity

I submitted a piece to Grab Back Comics, a comics anthology on sexual assault, harassment, rape culture, and advocacy by Erma Blood of Seattle, WA. Erma had seen the piece I made for Re-Fashioning Identity and encouraged me to keep working it.

Refashioning Identity was a stitching project guided by 

artist Diana Weymar for the University of Puget Sound, 

Tacoma community. Each contributor was given one 

cotton-lined page upon which to stitch their concept. My 

page was inspired by paper dolls and the messages that 

are projected onto our clothing choices, as well as the 

messages we tell ourselves when we wear them.

My piece for Grab Back Comics is a conflation of thoughts that bombard me each morning while getting dressed: the what to wear vs. should wear, fun vs. fear, and what makes the culture feel safe, even if it makes me feel fake.

Erma will be presenting Grab Back Comics at a Comics & Medicine conference in Seattle mid-June. I'm excited my piece was included!

My week in Los Angeles

Arrived on Monday, April 17th, as a guest in a beautiful Mission style house built in 1926. 

Hand crafted details throughout.

Tuesday, April 18th I taught 5th graders about color, emotion, and the senses 

through rubbings we made using shapes and crayons.

After class I headed to the Craft & Folk Art Museum. 

They are hosting a great book arts show as well as a gallery of Iranian artists. 

Wednesday I spent much of the day at the Getty Museum. 

Loved that concrete poetry exhibit! 

(I only took pictures of flowers.)

And then the Fowler Museum which has an excellent group of shows at the present.

Thursday it was back to school, to make rubbings with crayon and ink

as well as printing from wood and metal type. 

We designed faces and landscapes (for the most part).

Friday I spent at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

This is from Monsoon: Indian paintings of the Rainy Season.

I also saw Diego Rivera and Pablo Picasso, 

The Inner Eye: Vision and transcendence in African Arts

and Abdulnasser Gharem: Pause.

This last was remarkably powerful. 

The evening wrapped up with the Craft in America "Nature" 

episode premier on PBS.

I was on Cloud 10 when I went to bed. 

Saturday was a print action for Earth Day at the 

Craft in America Center.

Here I am with Katherine Ng and Gaye West.

Anyone that wanted could come in and print on two 

presses I drove down to L.A. in my trunk. 

It was a very fun time meeting so many lovely people.

The next morning it was time to head home. 

Re-Fashioning Identity

Thanks to the University of Puget Sound community I am taking part in this project introduced to us by Diana Weymar who creates inspiring collaborative community stitch projects.

This is due the end of next week, so I must get stitchin' to finish. (Binder paper lines provided, the rest is up to me.)

Speechless

Craft in America has posted a one minute promo video - catch it here! I don't know what to say. Bill and I feel very overwhelmed by this grace all over again. The episode airs April 21st on PBS!

To the Nightland

To the Nightland is my newest artist book and will be one of the pieces I talk about in my presentation on Saturday, January 14th, at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (3pm) in the auditorium.  

I am appreciating the slowness of sewing book texts, adding bits of lace and beads, finding ways to use all the pieces I've been hoarding for decades, as well as new ways to present a story. I am deeply indebted to Melissa Frykman-Thieme for making the heart around which inspired the design of To the Nightland.