Today is the day when the examiners look through our work for the MA.

My 3 metre piece of Yorkshire wool cloth is laid out across two tables, with books on top and my ‘commentary’ (‘a proper book’) alongside.

More later …!

The MA students and I have just exhibited some of our work at the Turn the Pages Book Fair in Norwich. Earlier in the year we were at the Leeds International Book Fair and BABE in Bristol. It was a good weekend and included an interesting symposium.

I had a very enjoyable and productive 3 days at West Dean with Cas Holmes, working with paper, textiles and other materials, to create books. It is such a beautiful place to spend a few days and it was a very good class. The gardens are beautiful at this time of year.I

I tried out a number of new techniques and made a couple of books, as prototypes for my next project:

It’s been a busy couple of months and I have made lots of new work.

One of the MA projects was to create a ‘How to make’ book. It had to contain enough instructions for anyone to be able to make the end product but could be serious or playful. I made a Special Edition of a book entitled ‘How to Make … a Silk Purse out of a sow’s ear’.

I wrote about the kind of pigs’ ears that might be suitable and how to find them.

The pack contained two pieces of silk, 1 metre of cord and a safety pin so that people could make a silk drawstring bag.

I have enjoyed making a piece of work for The Bristol Art Library.  Thank you to the Head Librarian for the invitation to contribute a book.

It’s about the day I met Henry Moore and he offered me (and my colleagues) a sculpture.

We were at his home, Hoglands, and he said ‘come and walk around the garden and choose one’!

A magical occasion.

http://thebristolartlibrary.co.uk/                                                                                   

I had an excellent day at the London Centre for Book Arts yesterday, learning about different aspects of self publishing as well as a number of useful binding techniques. It is such a wonderful facility, with very good equipment and lots of helpful, knowledgeable staff.

I have been working on a little book for the Leeds International Book Fair (March 2nd/3rd). It has a Yorkshire theme and a wool theme and – as it is Valentine’s day – a love theme too!

I have always been fascinated and amused by some of the job titles in the textile industry. My favourite is the ‘greasy percher’.

This is a book about greasy perchers and other workers in the old Yorkshire woollen mills.

It’s called Life and Love in a Yorkshire Woollen Mill.

It is a Limited Edition hand made book and is illustrated with trace mono prints.

I have been enjoying working on my beautiful piece of Yorkshire wool flannel, with ink and stitch.  Cutting into it was rather nerve racking, but I have been able to create the effect I wanted.

It is lovely to handle even though it is bulky.

I am making marks which, to me, are about time and place.