Artist Carousel

A selection of my altered books will be on display at the Holy Trinity Church on Boar Lane, Leeds, from June 9 to 17 as part of the Artist Carousel exhibition. Please call in and have a look if you're passing!

Lethargy ... zzzzz

I am feelng SOOOOOO lethargic. It even took an effort to write that.

Utterly unmotivated, no energy. Tired and miserable.

Maybe it's 'the change'; maybe it's because I'm going through one of those self-flagellating stages we artists go through from time to time: just as writers face blocks, we face chopping blocks.

Lately I have created a book art almanac for the Home from Home show at 153 Woodhouse Lane; finished three bead embroideries; plastered a variety of junk in patterned polymer clay; and finally finished one unfinished (started 4 years ago) altered art piece.

But now I sit in my art room and look around me and just

think.

On the Shelf

Some weeks ago I applied and was selected to take part in an art installation to co-incide with the Leeds Artist Book Fair.
A large Victorian House is to be converted as a backdrop for Home from Home, with traditional book works, sculpture, narrative, audio, video and furniture represented.
My initial idea was to alter old books using the Victorian era as a theme, and having finally finished my piece I am reasonably pleased with the result.
Two of the books had been stashed away in a drawer; early attempts at book altering from about three years ago. They were salvagable and not too embarrassing, so with a few tweaks they have been rescussitated into my creation. The largest book just grew as it went along, with shadow boxes and old Victorian postcards inserted; a doilly; buttons; miscellaneous ephemera and so on. Oh, and some ink and text and pastel and paint and varnish too!
Here are a few pictures taken today. Hope you enjoy them!

www.leedsartbookfair.com
Parkinson Building, University of Leeds
Friday 11 March to Sat 12 March

www.abcarchive.blogspot.com

By the Book

Forty pupils descended on a pile of books at Guiseley School today - and several hours later had transformed them into works of art! The session started at 9am with an introduction and presentation on my altered books and then the pupils submerged themselves into the task, using glue of various varieties; magazines; ribbons; cardboard; beads; photographs and any bits and pieces they could find. One girl used mod rock to create a polar bear's nose poking through the front cover! The results were fantastic - more pictures will be appearing soon on my website www.uniquearts.co.uk

Oh Blogger

Considering I used to be a page designer and sub-editor, I am struggling with this blog design lark! Never mind, I will get there eventually.
I am most grateful to my first (and currently only) follower Paula, who has really helped me to get my act together with my blog. We are currently working on linking Unique Arts to feature work made by all the wonderfully creative people in our local area. Suggestions for a name are coming in thick and fast - the front runner at the moment is Craft Soup!
Meanwhile, I have been preparing for my second Artist Carousel altered book workshop to take place on January 28 (tomorrow!) at Guiseley School in Leeds. I had thought I would be presenting my workshop to 15 to 20 pupils but apparently there will be 40 of them ... I'm looking forward to it though; I love passing on my knowledge (limited though it is) on the wonderful world of altered books.

Cover story

Hooray! The commercial circus of 'christmas' is over again for another year and I can finally get down to some book altering. I received a fabulous book -

Re-Bound: Creating Handmade Books from Recycled and Repurposed Materials by Jeanine Stein, which has been silently waiting for the moment in which I can sit at my art desk and have a go at creating something magical. (Or not!)

I have been altering books in various ways for a couple of years now. I don't stick to any particular style or rules, generally making it up as I go along as well as picking and choosing ideas from my many books on altered art.