Thursday 19 April 2007

BABE - Bristol Book Fair at the Arnolfini


is where I will be at the weekend; I look forward to catching up with old friends.

I've finished two more Hunting the Wren's - picture of them above. Still plenty more to do.
More news after the Fair. Log onto the Arnolfini website to get all the details about opening times.

Thursday 5 April 2007

Hunting the Wren at Pallant House


These are the first 'neo-Romantic' books I made to be shown to accompany the exhibition at Pallant House, on display in the bookshop. Its a fabulous bookshop with new and second hand art books and a selection of Artists Books and prints - hours of happy browsing.

At the top of the display is the print that comes with the 'specials' - a poem not included in the books; this can also be bought separately without buying the book.
It goes well with the small lithographically printed edition of all the poems and images ( edition of 500 ) also available in the shop.
See back ( or rather scroll down a few posts ) to see 3 b&w images from the book.



On top is the first of the 'specials' - a solander box that opens out to display both books; there is a close-up below.
Below on the left in this photo is the first slip-case, covered with hand-painted paper, with an inset window containing found objects. The two books are half pulled out to show their spines and part of the covers ( Himalayan hand-made papers ); Hunting the Wren has a bone coloured leather leather spine of irregular shape and a pinky brown mottled paper; Love Poems and Curses has a grey leather spine and a dramatic curdled brown paper.
The two books to the right are reading/handling copies, similarly bound, showing the full covers.





This is the solander box of grey book cloth open with both books inside; the borders are twigs and dried grape stalks, set on hand painted paper; these spines are biscuit coloured and pale blue leathers.



Here the books are removed; the boxes are lined with pale blue straw strewn paper.
Below is a close up of the objects in the slip-case window, wood and shell.


The exhibition - Poets in the Landscape - the Romantic Spirit in British Art, beautifully curated by Simon Martin, is definitely worth a visit.
The first 18th century room makes interesting links between Blake, Hayley, Romney and Wright of Derby with Chichester.
The second room is full of etchings from Samuel Palmer to Sutherland, Drury and Griggs.
The third room is wonderful - Sutherland, Paul Nash, Ayrton, Lesley Hurry,Piper, Ceri Richards, Julian Trevelyan, Cecil Collins, an early Freud, Keith Vaughan, David Jones, Minton and Craxton , including some less well known pieces from private collections. I particularly liked the Vaughan set of illustrations to Rimbaud.
It is on until the 10th June. There's a nice catalogue too.











Monday 2 April 2007

First copies of 'Hunting the Wren'

First copies of 'Hunting the Wren' were finished at midnight on thursday last for the new exhibition at Pallant House - 'Poets in the Landscape' which opened on friday night.
Photos of the books on display in the bookshop will be posted up on this blog very soon ( I'm just off to see if I am having my tooth removed today ).........