Thursday 14 March 2024

The Telephone Call at the Crafts Council.

My biblionautic chums and friends.
 
The Telephone Call.
 
I am delighted to say that a recent complete or artists' book of mine has been included in the Covered • Discovered (selling) exhibition at the Crafts Council Gallery, 44a Pentonville Rd London N1 9BY. Free to visit 13th of March - 13th April. 
 
Some 30 years ago the Society of Scribes and Illuninators and Designer Bookbinders held a joint exhibition ‘Fine Words Fine Books’, which showcased the work of the two groups. Following hot on the heels of that exhibition the two societies have, once again, joined forces for a new exhibition of wonderful work.

With 50 plus works of contemporary bookbinding, book arts, calligraphy and lettering being shown in the Crafts Councils Gallery in central London. In addition, there is a fully illustrated catalogue for sale either at the most affordable price of £15.00 from the gallery and from both societies.

 https://calligraphyonline.org/shop/ 

https://designerbookbinders.org.uk/product-category/catalogues/ 

The gallery space will be open from Wednesday through to Saturday though it is closed over the easter period, hours being 11am – 5pm each day. Visitors will be pleased to note that the exhibition is invigilated by members of both Designer Bookbinders and the Society of Illuminators and Scribes. 
 
Please note.... there are other studios/binderies/ doing stuff, spelling and grammar. Please further note, the opinion of the author may change at any moment. This is due to having an open mind of sorts.
 
THE TELEPHONE CALL.
 
Binding. A Minimalist Flat Tight Back with goat skin to the spine and palimpsest parchment to front and back boards. Lino print to front board. In-set laminated board attachment.
A two section, secondary sewn text block to linen. Leather jointed made end papers to edge to edge doublures. Binder’s/Artist’s stamp to bottom right back doublure.
 
Hahnemuhle Burga Butten paper with multiple hand cut and printed Lino Cuts. Hand set and printed title page and colophon. Spray/stencil work.

(H x W x D)  298mm x 276mm x 11mm
 
Recurring images and confusion, telephone calls jumble from page to page in a manifestation of the subconscious of the half heard and half remembered. Colours, lines, shapes and forms become shadows as they are covered by the darkness of the forgotten only to be rediscovered in a different place and time. What and how do we remember? 
 

 The binding, Minimalist Flat Tight Back with goat skin to the spine and palimpsest parchment to front and back boards.
 

 Front doubler and end paper.
 

 Title page.
 

 1st spread.
 

 2nd spread.
 

 3rd spread.
 

 4th spread.
 

 5th spread.
 

 6th spread.
 

 7th spread.
 

8th spread.
 

 9th spread.
 

10th spread.
 

11th spread.
 

 12th spread.
 

 13th spread.
 

14th spread.
 

 15th spread.
 

 Colophon.
 

 Colophon detail.
 

 Back end paper and doubler.
 
 
 

Monday 11 March 2024

OBLIQUEa Prints for sale.

 

My biblionautic chums and friends.
OBLIQUEa. 
 
After the final pressing, numbering, titling and signing ,the first set of loose prints are now for sale.
 
I suppose that I like to look at life at an angle, to see what is on the other side or to experience from different perspectives. I have always wanted to combine the visual texture of bygone glass negative with the stylistic nature of illustrations from Victorian publications. 
 
 The 14 prints offer us a distorted, sometimes grotesque oblique view. The print area is 12cm x 12cm on approx 29.5cm x 21cm, 145gsm Liber Charta acid free paper. With the nature of the printing technique employed, Soft Plate Off Set, each print is unique. 
 
A limited edition of 20 sets, with the first 5 sets being modestly priced at just £250.00 plus p&p
 
Please email for more information studio5bookarts@aol.co.uk 
 
Please note.... there are other studios/binderies/ doing stuff, spelling and grammar. Please further note, the opinion of the author may change at any moment. This is due to having an open mind of sorts.
 

 













Sunday 10 March 2024

The Chelsea Arts Club annual fund raising auction.

 

My biblionautic chums and friends.
Ever wanted a Maggi Hambling for the living room? A Jamie McCarthy for the study, perhaps a Matt Ambown for the outside lavatory or a Mark Cockram for the library?
Now is your chance... The Chelsea Arts Club annual fund raising auction. Monies raised go to the Artists' General Benevolent Institution (AGBI) and the Chelsea Arts Club Trust.
If you are wondering .... my small offering is Lot number 208.
Please follow the link to the Jumblebee online auction thing!
Please note.... there are other studios/binderies/ doing stuff, spelling and grammar. Please further note, the opinion of the author may change at any moment. This is due to having an open mind of sorts.

 

Tuesday 5 March 2024

OBLIQUEa. The first set of loose prints finished.

 

My biblionautic chums and friends.
 
OBLIQUEa. The first set of loose prints finished!
 
A little of the back story etc.
 
Please excuse the sound quality, my connection sucks! 
 
Please note.... there are other studios/binderies/ doing stuff, spelling and grammar. Please further note, the opinion of the author may change at any moment. This is due to having an open mind of sorts.

 

Wednesday 28 February 2024

Back in the Day....

 

My biblionautic chums and friends.
Back in the day!
(Designer Binding.) A handmade "Art Binding" by designer bookbinder Mark Cockram, 'Reliquary No1'
Please note.... there are other studios/binderies/ doing stuff, spelling and grammar. Please further note, the opinion of the author may change at any moment. This is due to having an open mind of sorts.

 

Sunday 28 January 2024

OBLIQUE a

OBLIQUE a. For the last week or so I have been working on a new complete book. What, you may ask, is a complete book? Well, in short it is a book that has the art work, printing and making/binding by one person. Perhaps one could call it an Artist's Book.

I am fascinated with many things, artists and designers. I have a modest collection of Victorian/Edwardian glass negatives. The medium is always delights me. The way that light and chemicals capture light-a moment in time- is.... with no pun intended... timeless. In addition the way in which a few of my plates have degraded over time to leave a patina of sorts has, for me at least, created further depth and layers of imagery.


Using my trusty light box we can see more and......


...... with a little bit of computer magic we get the full picture. I just love this sort of thing.

Along with glass negatives I am in awe of the artisans of a bygone age. In particular the artist and crafts people that produced the wood cuts and engravings that pepper a small collection of the Illustrated London News, again Victorian, I have tucked away on the shelves of Studio 5. 

It would appear that I am not the only fan of course, with perhaps one of the most iconic designers of the 20th century, I refer to Piero Fornasetti... of course. In the 1950s, Fornasetti used the face of Lina Cavalieri for his series Tema e Variazioni, which over time became one of the icons of the Fornasetti style.

It has to be said, that I am, along with many others a fan of Fornasetti.


 It has been said, of my work, that it can be rather dark at times. I have to agree, life is dark at times and my work, with books, reflects the contents. I tend not to do books that are happy and gay, flowers and the sort. Having said that, I would bind a book of Emil Nolde's flowers...


I digress.

Back to OBLIQUE a. I suppose that I like to look at life at an angle, to see what is on the other side or to experience from different perspectives. I have always wanted to combine the visual texture of the negative with the stylistic nature of illustrations from Victorian publications. So after a little bit of experimentation, manipulation, distortion and grotesque (comically or repulsively ugly or distorted). 14 prints for a limited edition of 5 books. Each print is 12cm x 12cm and, with the nature of the print technique, each print is unique.



















The prints are proof copies only, the real print job will start next week, which will be fun. Inspiration can be found anywhere!