Recycled, Re-made

While in graduate school at the University of Iowa, I had the great fortune of learning two wonderful techniques to supplement my printmaking: papermaking and book arts. Years ago I had taken old proof prints and made them into new paper by tearing them up and tossing them into a hollander beater. I then re-printed a series of woodcut monoprints.





Now years later these prints are taking on yet another life as artist books. I have taken them and cut them in to strips.





Then attached the strips together and folded the whole thing into an accordian page book.







There's an old copy of "Cry the Beloved Country" by Alan Paton that I have in my studio and for many years I have been using the pages of text in my collages. Now there's not much left of the book except a few cut up pages and the book cover. I used this old book cover for my new accordian book.







Another book, however, did not turn out so well. It was just an experiment to start, to see how long a book filled with polyurethane would take to dry. It's been a week and so far it's just dry on the surface. When I touch it, it's squishy underneath. Kinda cool, but not what I was aiming for.





Next I'll try epoxy...