Wednesday, February 17, 2010

why handmade paper?









i have a special  book i'm working on... i've been dreaming about it. the process reminds me of the book above, actius luna. 

the luna book happened out of a story and some weirdly crisp daylily paper i made. it was built around a beaded moth barrette i purchased in maine. the barrette has definite problems, but the design was lovely. so i trimmed it up, removed the clasp, and had a lovely piece of art. i had taken a stack of the daylily paper, folded it twice. creating several surfaces from each sheet. these i gave a haphazard wash of gouache, and left to dry. somehow, i saw the moth and the pages become a book, and the story of the time i found two lunas just outside my back door one june morning, spent after their breeding, almost dying. i later learned they would soon die, having spent a short night or so together. these two are the only lunas i have found here. actius luna has a paper case cover, with a limp stationer's binding, with tackets and stitching in waxed linen. i wrote the story on the gouached pages. and i made the funny button out of paper, too. i make paper, and books into stories that sometimes, if i am very lucky, almost tell themselves. 

oh, and the good news...i've sourced some silk from a friend to work on with eucalyptus!

5 comments:

  1. unbelievably beautiful paper and book. I search for handmade paper wherever I travel and after following your blog, I will try to make my own. thank you for the inspiration and sharing the story of your "actius luna" book, very special indeed. Ohhh, I missed leaving a comment on your "green shifu" what a fabulous color, love it - can't wait to see the book you will make with it : )
    Blessings, Sandra in AZ

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  2. the book is even better in person!^^

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  3. Delicious paper and book. (And I love the furry deer face from the last post, but wasn't able to leave a comment that day).

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  4. What wonderful colours the pages of the book are. The Actius luna book is fantstic for all the details - that stitching and the handmade paper button - simply awesome. I must try and make some paper sometime soon.

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  5. I read this post last night, as I was catching up. I was exhausted and ready for bed... I was going to comment and go onto another blog, but this post left me feeling really good. So, I went on to bed with a smile on my face... Your book is gorgeous and the paper looks so rich and organic. I love handmade paper and hope to add it to my creative endeavors soon.

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