52 Weeks of Printmaking on Textile: Week 26

Every book needs a Cover

One of the trickiest parts of making this 12 volume series of unique books has been the design of the covers.

I knew from the beginning that I wanted the covers to be created from wood. The inspiration for my designs were the beauty of antique violins and guitars. Wood, a material that comes from our soil and has a previous life, also offers symbolic connotations.

Each piece of wood is unique, even if it is cut from the same tree. I chose the woods that have lots of life and character. I wanted to tap into the temperament of their grain, luster, and imperfections.

Like the unique pieces of vintage and rare African textiles, the unique grain of each piece of wood has guided my creative process and inspired my linoleum block designs.

Each mixed media fiber art book is unique, with its own poem, set of images, and textile designs. However, the covers have the same width, depth, and overall construction. Perhaps one day they will be exhibited together . . .

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Surviving my Teen Years with Shakespeare

I became passionate about poetry in high school when I desperately needed guidance. When I needed something to make sense of the chaos others called life. There was no IG, no FB, no Internet, no cell phones, no "reach out and touch" when life quickly crumbled, leaving you alone with just the clothes on your back. Earlier this year I revisited all 154 Shakespeare Sonnets and began making textile books inspired by them. Here is Sonnet One -- Don't Get Twisted by the Bling of Youth.

Born of Love, Shakespeare's Sonnet 151

Over the summer I worked on new artwork, Born of Love , inspired by Shakespeare's Sonnet 151. The book offers a translation of the sonnet to the language of textiles and embroidery. Working on this book allowed me to explore the beauty of textiles from four continents. Its construction is inspired by the poetic structure within the sonnet. This book, along with two other of my art pieces, will be on exhibit at the Folger Shakespeare Library from 16 Sept 2024 - 9 Feb 2025.

Evidence: The Art of Candy Jernigan

Art is Life I was introduced to Candy Jernigan's art and book when I was going through cancer treatment more than a decade ago. Her meticulously arranged collages, paintings, and drawings have had a profound impact on the way I view art, life, and visual storytelling. Before reading her book, I had never seen how powerful art journaling could be -- that it could also be an artistic tool for social commentary. Candy Jernigan (b. 1952- 1991) attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. Soon after graduating she became a painter, set and costume designer in Provincetown, MA. In Evidence , Stokes Howell wrote, " By the time she returned to New York in 1980 she was starting to develop the themes and methods she would work with the rest of her life." Candy described the transformative process of taking found objects, "trash," and discarded materials from life and turning them into art: "In 1980, as I set out on my first trip to Europe, I decided...

Baltimore Sonnets

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