Recently I wrote a blog concerning the theme of endless possibilities. During the opening reception of the current Puget Sound Book Artists exhibition in Collins Library at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, I had the opportunity to experience the concept firsthand while studying the books which make up the exhibition. Call it an obsessive compulsive whim if you will, but I decided the best way to write them was to create a list of just what makes up if not the soul, at least the materials, mediums, and book binding techniques that make up the nearly 60 handmade books by over 30 artists on display. In a nutshell and in no particular order:
copper – wood – paper – cattail – leather – pewter – thread – branch – oil paint – silk – postage stamps – clay – cotton – ribbon – feathers – beads – hand carved stamps – grocery bags – acrylic – papyrus – mulberry paper – yarn – ball bearings – burlap – tree bark – string – lace – lockets – clamshells – metal leaf – human hair – jute – handmade paper – play stubs – thermography powder – birch bark – maps – bamboo – porcelain – chalk – glass – felt – backgammon boards – flash cards – botanical prints – marbled paper – leaves – buttons – tissue – vintage photos – cherry bark – hemp – recipes – elastic cord – book cloth – wool felt – polymer – gold thread – pearl buttons – goat skin – illustration – calligraphy – collage – photography – mono prints – gelatin plate – watercolor – poetry – die cut – stenciling – India ink – colored pencil – graphite – conte – letterpress – linoleum block – ponchoir – oil pastel – gel pens – flutter style accordion – flag book – post & screw structure – concertina fold – altered book – accordion fold – Japanese stab bound – tunnel style – Coptic bound – codex sewn – double binding – unbound – boxed – acrylic cubed – chain stitching – tag book – window shape – portfolio – cube book – millimeter rebinding – tacket binding – pamphlet – hard cover – long stitch – twig stab binding – sphere – flexagon structure – and last but not least, unbound. Of course, one could substitute any of the above materials or techniques with ones of their own selection or invention.
Endless possibilities indeed…………
Mark Hoppmann, PSBA