I am still, and probably will be forever, on the quest of re-using older materials and works that I have in storage in my studio. I have been on a cleaning-out and tossing rampage throughout the house too- must be spring in the air. It feels good to clear out, recycle, donate, or just toss out things that are taking up space and adding to the clutter.
Imprinted
6×6 inch blank handbound mixed media journal
sold
Several years ago I took a monotype print workshop with Seattle artist Doris Mosler. I still have all the prints I made, including the ghost prints. If I remember correctly, I believe this is the ghost print. It’s been so long since I’ve done monotype printing, that I could be mistaken! Whichever it is, it was created on handmade lokta paper. This time around I dipped the print in encaustic medium, which causes the paper to become transparent where there was no ink/paint. So I layered it atop paper and added more layers on top- bark paper, sewn piece of torn ribbon.
I bound it up as a journal cover this past weekend and put it up for sale at amanobooks.com along with another journal that I just made. Both sold within the hour! So now my shelves with available works are bare again. Between painting and other projects I have been working on, plus chasing after my little monkeys, my journals usually end up taking the backburner on my to-do lists. But I always enjoy making them. I have created so many since I first started making and selling journals (since 2002) that it always feels like “coming home” in a way. Back to making more journals…
Lovely journal! I need to start checking amanobooks.com more regularly.
I love your journals Bridgette. You always do the best stuff and if someone would want a journal, what is better than having a totally original one. Some people don’t have the artistic ability that you do for making covers even if they do have the ability to write and to journal every day. This gives them the opportunity to really have a work of art inside and outside. Keep making them!
Wow, this is beautifully done.
I love everything you do Bridgette. I bet even the things you have tossed away are beautiful
Carolyn x
Very neat. Can I ask how you learned to bind and make journals? This is one thing I have been really interested in learning to do.
Thanks so much you all for your encouragement and kind words!
Sarah- I already wrote you back, but thought I’d post part of my answer here if anyone else had the same question. I was fortunate to have a book artist as a ceramics teacher in high school. She took me under her wing and planted the seeds for me at an early age. But 2 of my favorite making-books books are BookWorks by Sue Dogget and Cover To Cover by Shereen LaPlantz.