Virginia Woolf once wrote, “From this I reach what I might call a philosophy; at any rate it is a constant idea of mine; that behind the cotton wool is hidden a pattern; that we—I mean all human beings—are connected with this; that the whole world is a work of art; that we are parts of the work of art.”
My artist’s books reflect the world in which we live, and shine a light on my specific place in that world. I seek out and re-purpose unusual boxes, and combine them with a variety of materials and personal artifacts. Some of my work includes monoprints. As with my collages and assemblage, an essential feature of my books is the use of poetics, literary quotes, and textural fragments. Reflecting my professional life in, and celebration of libraries, my works includes a specific card catalog which titles and describes each piece. I am continually inspired by the work of book artists Julie Chen, Yukimi Annand, Charles Hobson, Yani Pecanins, and Elisabetta Gut.
Artist’s Books
811.54
7.5” x 3” Biblio-object/artist’s books. Materials: repurposed white/black box, seven mini accordion books with quotes from favorite poets; and a poem “Nothing is Adrift for Very Long” by the artist.
Banned and Burned
14.5” x 24”. Biblio-object/artist’s books. Materials: Repurposed black box containing three 6” x 9.5 artists books: an annotated bibliography of the 30 most banned books in the U.S since 1885; an annotated list of 10 famous libraries throughout history that were intentionally set on fire and destroyed; a book that includes the poem Wildflowers. The piece also includes two small locked cabinets containing 17 mini books, and one open cabinet containing 6 small books of quotes about censorship and book bans.
GRACE
18” x 6.5” x 18” Accordion-fold artist’s book. Materials: Found box, ceramic dish, beads, gelli prints, Cranson and decorative papers. Includes the poem Grace by artist.
Complicit Triptych
16'“ x 12.5” x 10” Artist’s Biblio-Object and book. Materials: Repurposed black box containing photos and artifacts relating to the history of 20th century race relations in the United States: artist’s baby shoes and dress; old photographs; and pamphlet stitch book containing three poems on the subject by the artist.
Aerialist
20” x 9.5” Panorama book. Materials: repurposed black box, decorative papers, thread, dowel, black ribbon, and poem Aerialist by the artist.
3 American Reds
20” x 11” Five artist’s books celebrating the lives and accomplishments of three American social activists and self declared Reds: Angela Davis, Malvina Reynolds, and Eleanor Flexner. Materials: Repurposed boxes, found objects, and decorative papers made by the artist.
Caroline Herschel Project
This artist book project celebrates the life and accomplishments of the late-eighteenth, early-nineteenth century astronomer Caroline Herschel.
9.5” x 11” Large format repurposed file box and found photograph.
File box opened reveals five distinct books.
Book I Caroline Herschel in Her Own Words, pamphlet stitch; Book II Biographical Sketch, panorama book; Book III Planetarium: Thinking of Caroline Herschel (1750-1848) by Adrienne Rich, pamphlet stitch; Book IV Caroline Herschel at the Dinner Party, star book; Book V Caroline Herschel: Selected Bibliography, pamphlet stitch.
Book II Biographical Sketch
Book IV Caroline Herschel at the Dinner Party
Book IV in star form
And so too….the women of Ukraine
5” x 11” Artist book. Materials: Repurposed box, text fragments from the play The Trojan Women by Euripides.
East Bay Neighbors
19” x 7" Accordion-fold flag artist book. Materials: Decorative papers and collected ephemera. Includes poem East Bay Neighbors by the artist.
It’s Not All Black and White
7” x 9” Artist’s books. Materials: repurposed white box, small black leather pamphlet stitch book, ink on paper, antique key, photo and poem Always Silenced by the artist. Have You Been Silenced 6” x 8” multiple signature book provides an opportunity for viewers to share their experiences of being silenced.
The Waves
This 2021 large format artist’s book project honors Virginia Woolf’s highly acclaimed experimental sixth novel The Waves, first published in 1931.
The 9. 5 x 11.5 repurposed and decoratively covered file box contains seven distinctive artist’s books with respective soliloquies, representing each of the novel’s characters: Bernard, Susan, Neville, Louis, Jinny, Rhoda, and Percival. An eighth book—-the Sun—-recalls its movement over the course of a day from sunrise to sunset.
Rhoda’s Book—-an accordion flag—- includes a brief quote from one of her many soliloquies. The character of Rhoda is based on various aspects of Woolf herself.
African American Muses
16” x 8.5” Biblio-object/artist’s books. Materials: metal repurposed box, decorative papers and biographical sketches by the artist. Celebrates the lives of nine African American women: Agusta Savage, Katherine Dunham, Pauli Murray, Ntozake Shange, Georgia Douglas Johnson, Florence Price, Alice Dunbar-Nelson, Prathia Hall, and Mary Eliza Mahoney.
Short Stories
5” x 5.5” Artist’s biblio-object. Materials: Repurposed box, found pen and letterpress wooden type, thread, text fragments from three Virginia Woolf short stories.
Frida Kahlo: Quatro Libros
22” x 11.5” x 14” Biblio-object and artist’s books. Repurposed cigar box includes small shrine and four mini artists’ books.
Frida Kahlo inspires by her courage and perseverance in making her art despite living in almost constant pain for thirty years. This artists’ book celebrates Frida Kahlo’s determination and spirit.
Accordion fold book with spine images and Kahlo quotes; retablo fold book with quotes by Adrienne Rich and Virginia Woolf; accordion fold book with gelli prints and Kahlo quotes; Casa Azul accordion fold book.
Emmy Noether’s Theorem
11”x 4.5” x 5” Artist book. Materials: repurposed box, decorative panels, brief biographical sketch on the German mathematician Emmy Noether.
The Lion on the Path
20” x 6” x 14” Biblio-object/accordion-fold artist’s book. Materials: Found M’berra, repurposed box, handmade papers, Zimbabwe folk tale.
Red Scarf Girl
4.5” x 4.5” pocket accordion-fold artist book. Materials: decorated paper and poem Red Scarf Girl by the artist.
Yin Xiuzhen
6.5” x 5” x 10” Biblio-object. Materials: repurposed box, decorative papers, brief biographical sketch of the Chinese artist Yin Xiuzhen.
Christine Comyn
5” x 5” x 18” Accordion-fold artist book. Materials: repurposed box, decorative papers, jewelry piece, and quote by the Belgian artist Christine Comyn.
Cathartes aura
9.5” x 11.5” artist book. Materials: Black and white Canson papers, vellum; monoprint and poem Cathartes aura by the artist.
Remedios Varo, Surrealist
38” 7.5” x 7.5” Spinning accordion-fold artist’s book in a repurposed box. Materials: Canson and decorative gel printed papers.
Indicator Species
66" x 6" x 6" accordion-fold artist book. Materials: Black and white Canson papers, silhouettes of nine endangered birds, relevant poems, and species information.
A Rough Eloquence
5.5” x 8” x 16” panorama artist book. Materials: vintage cigar box, decorative papers, the poem A Rough Eloquence by the artist.
Emily Dickinson: Quartet
A collection of four distinct artist’s books celebrate the work of American poet Emily Dickinson. Housed in a gray repurposed box the quartet includes: I Dwell in Possibility, a panorma book; There is No Frigate Like a Book, a cascading-fold book; Emily: Some Poems, an accordion-fold book; and Emily Dickinson A Trilogy, a multiple signature pamphlet stitch book.
November 2017
12.5” x 16.5” artist’s book. Materials: colored papers, monoprint and a poem by the artist.
Traveler’s in Rome
3.75” x 15” cascading-fold artist book. Materials: black, grey and purple Canson paper; embroidery thread; reversed watch face; and poem by the artist.
Simone Weil
38” x 5” x 5” Concertina artist book. Includes repurposed found box, photograph of and quote by the French philosopher Simone Weil.
Rough Edges: Fifteen Women Artists
112” x 7.5” accordion-fold artist book. Materials: Rives and decorative papers, quotes, copper wire, Gelli prints.
A Grandmother’s Legacy
10” x 10” x 10” Biblio-object/artist’s books. Materials: Repurposed Cressida Bell box and three small repurposed boxes. Each small box contains a book: mini accordionfold hinge, pamphlet stitch, and cascading accordion-fold. Within each book is a poem by the artist reflecting on three paintings by Vanessa Bell.
One Art
16” x 12” artist book. Materials: Poem One Art by Elizabeth Bishop and monoprint by the artist.
Dirait-on
13.5” x 17” large format artist book. Materials: Rives and colored papers, Rainer Maria Rilke poem fragment in French and English translation, monoprint by the artist.
Waiting
6” x 9” pamphlet stitch artist book. Materials: Poem Waiting by the artist, vegetable stamp, decorative papers.
Circle Game
46” x 7” x 6” Accordion-fold artist book. Materials: decorative papers, acrylic Gelli prints, thread, washi tape, words by Joni Mitchell.
Reference
6” x 8” coptic stitch artist book. Materials: decorative papers, thread, and poem Reference by the artist.
Move
14” x 5” Double pocket accordion-fold artist book. Materials: Chinese Joss paper, decorative paper, thread, Zen parable.
Mary Anning
15” x 11” x 14” Set of four small artist’s books in a repurposed box celebrating the life and work of British pioneering fossil collector Mary Anning. Materials: ammonites, shells, decorative papers, thread and small found objects.