Before It Is Bound: The Progress and Many Layers of the Baby Book

It started with an image for an invitation, turned into a collage, and an attempt at screen-printing...

The baby shower was fun, but my lack of organization as far as theme and lesson plan didn't turn out any prints.




In the process of learning image transfer methods, I decided to use my research and experiments, (in the vein of science), as the backdrops to the story. I started with one experimental page, and when it worked, went on to do the rest all at once.
I layered in the same manner. One experiment page, then the rest all at once. The transfers were made in the same fashion as the planner post, but there are three layers. All made on fabric, the first layer is an environment, and the transfer is made with gesso. The next two layers, starting with an animal, ending with a plant(hybrid/collage from A Flower Book For the Pocket and flowers from a children's gardening book), both made with Gel Gloss Medium (as pictured in the planner post). And a final layer of gel gloss medium to seal the page.


The final pieces to the book production were the cover and the text. I worked on the cover in and out of making transfers. The shell for the cover comes from a magical book I found a few years ago in Asheville, North Carolina, and held onto. I think I always pictured it for a child, because of its whimsy, but it had to contain a story, and the story had to correlate with the cover, without trying too hard.


The title and spine letters are partly from the insides of the original book and the rest of the letters from a typewriter. The title (Organisms in Their Environments) is inspired by an evolutionist, Richard Lewontin, who Richard Dawkins quotes in his book The God Delusion. In turn, I quote him, coming to many conclusions for myself, and hopefully giving some insight, open to much interpretation, by any individual who comes across it. Broadly, it comes to mean where you are when you read it. In the right place, at the right time, we are receptive to the most magic, with the most meaning.

On the final day, I sat down with the cover and pages, to write the text. The story is for August William Doe, as my advice on existing, inspired by the books I've recently read, and my own experience in being.

Ghost Images: Making Plans and Impressions

Image Transfer and Planner Making

The things you'll need:
Gel Medium (gesso or mod podge also works; gloss or matte), a palette knife (spoon, stick, bone folder, letter opener, or paint brush); papers, envelopes, exacto knife, paper clips, labels (if you want your image transfer to be a planner); an image (xerox or photo copy); a place on which to transfer (fabric, wood, paper, etc.; this will be the planner covers); not pictured: bowl of water and brush (wide sponge brush works best)


The Steps to Take
1) Coat image with medium, using palette knife, turn over and place on transfer surface, brandish with palette knife handle (or bone folder eq.), and allow to dry thoroughly (overnight is safest, but hair dryers work, or heat)







2) Once the image is completely dry, wet with sponge brush and water, and carefully peel paper off. You can use the brush to remove most of the paper, and can roll the remaining debris with fingers.







3)Once the paper is mostly removed, coat with gel medium, and allow to dry



4)To begin making the planner, measure holes evenly along either the top or side edges of the front and back of the planner. Use an awl, or a nail, and smooth with sandpaper. Poke the holes from the face to the inside.
5) Cut planner papers, hole punch evenly with holes on the front and back covers. Use two pages as end pages, and with a thin paste, glue them to the inside covers.
6) In order to connect it all, use binder rings (found at any practical office supply store); size to needs.



The End

You can label tabs with a typewriter, to section off your parts.

Mourning the Loss of a Treasure: Cowboy Dances

When mourning the loss of a treasure, I highly recommend making a new one.


this is an old record book found at the bins. If you are familiar with the bins, then you are lucky. It became a cd book, as a birthday gift.







Because our sorrow is useful energy. And rarely do we let ourselves benefit from its power.



the cds in the book are mixes, inspired by titles of old contra dances.








You may decide to give this thing away; you may not be able to love it in your current state.


called such things as 'dive for the oyster', 'cheat and swing', 'don't you touch her', 'rattlesnake twist', etc.






But that's okay. Because surely, someone else can. In his or her current state.

the word is...chair: the 10,000 project

10,000 people project

There's the weapon you hold, there's the thing you hold it to, and the thing you hold dear

If you send me something, even if it's a photocopy from a book, I will love to include it in this current events/history book. My address: 4928 NE 36th Ave Portland OR 97211. The pages are predominantly blank, at the moment, but I do have some work from some friends. I said I was done with books, but I'm not, quite.

Florida is my Power Animal

"The path [to home] runs straight as a plum line, worn smooth by feet and baked brick-hard by July..."

The Damsel Is Done

This is the final anthropomorphism in the series, but it didn't make it in the sketchbook. Sometimes we're not done, when the deadline arrives, and passes. Deadlines aren't reasons for conclusions. Now this project feels done, and is remotely concluded. It was a sketchbook project, after all, which I take as exercise; strength building for the thing we do truly. I have some projects that I needed to get started on, is what I am saying. The quilt is coming... expect more embroideries, a larger scale, more detail, sequence, and a canvas with intersecting lives, family history. Families as we know them: unlikely juxtapositions, that are rational in the Dawson's Creek sense of the word.