headbands

So I have never sewn a headband – today I learned how. Don’t judge!

intense

So much is happening here at PBI it is a bit hard to process. Everything is intense. Bookbinding in the mornings and making paper in the afternoon. Hardly time to think, so much to learn. I am not sure I will ever be a great paper maker – but I have enjoyed learning and trying, but the sewing – oh the sewing. I am in love.

All the models in the binding class are (loosely) based on historic examples from the manuscript collection at the Uppsala University Library. The originals have held up well over the last 600 years. It has been amazing to see the images of the collection. I hope one day I’ll be able to see the books in person!

Tuesday we learned this binding – a long stitch with weaving.

here’s the spine..

and the cover

Wednesday night we were working late into the night in the studio when Adam Larsson showed me this image from the collection at the library at Uppsala. Well, that was it, I had to figure out how that long forgotten anonymous seamstress had mended that book, and yep, I had to fix the hole in my parchment too. I am so happy. Here’s the result.

a close up of my attempt

One of the images we saw had a split spine, so I decided I wanted to try that as well, so here’s the whole book. It has some issues, but as a trial it is not so bad.

and the whole book

Session 1 is over, and today everyone is catching up on laundry, and I imagine like me scribbling down ideas and dreaming about the work they will do when they get home to their own studios. It has been an incredible experience so far – how lucky I am to be here! Can’t wait to dive into the next session…

PBI – day two

It is so much intense fun here at PBI I didn’t post yesterday – but fell into a heap. I am close to heap-like collapse again tonight – but here is a picture of the binding I learned today – a link stitch. I have tried to teach myself this – but the directions are confusing, but once I saw it demonstrated it made absolute sense!  Adam Larsson is a great instructor – and I am meeting so many amazing people here. So here’s the quick pic. Goodnight!!

link binding, vellum cover/leather spine

“This program is made possible in part by support from the United Arts Appeal of Chautauqua County Projects Pool Grant Program.”

love for sale

spring cleaning

If you hang out on Instagram you may already have seen the pictures of the chaos in my summer studio. After the children all flew the nest this year I decided instead of heating a whole extra floor all winter to occupy one of their bedrooms.  I have been working in Chelsea’s old bedroom, which I converted to an “office” but as winter progressed I found myself running up to the attic studio, hauling out something I wanted and running back to the office with it.

in case you thought I was exaggerating!

I left stuff strewn all over the place up here and consequently I have been cleaning up for days. And there’s no fun in cleaning if you don’t reorganise a bit – so I have been relocating things right and left too. The really fun part is rediscovering all the wonderful things you forgot you had, that were hidden in bins and drawers and cupboards. I decided to try and label what was “hidden” in the hopes I will remember to use it this summer.

wow! look the floor!!

There are only two weeks left of this term – which means it is only two weeks until I get to experience my first Paper Book Intensive. I am so excited I can barely sleep at night! (and a bit anxious about crossing everything that needs to be done off of my list before I go…) I am looking forward to getting fired up for a really creative hard working studio summer. Now back to the organising and labelling!!

animation update

story book heroine!

I’ve really been slacking off in my animation class – I am probably at least two weeks behind with only 3 weeks of the term left to go! Not exactly setting a great example for the other students. Partly it is because I have been so snowed under – but partly I was really stuck. We had to draw our character in poses – but my little mousy rag doll, seemed so quiet and bookish I couldn’t image what she would do, except sit. But today I was goofing around and I had a break through. I thought, what if she was imagining or pretending… then she could do all kinds of crazy things!! So above is what I finally came up with – again – I don’t think animators have to worry I am going to steal their job any time soon – but I was smiling the whole time, really, I was having so much fun! I also managed to shoot my head turnaround, so you can check that out here. Again, animators can sleep safely in their beds tonight! But I am OK with that, I am back to having fun. Woot!!

silent sunday

tried a different stitch on this one… hmmm not sure?