Sunday, November 20, 2011

A venture into book arts

For the past several years I have been exploring the intersection of my nature art and the book form, as a way of containing and collecting in some small object some of my images and musings about nature and conservation. Two months ago I was invited by Morton Arboretum to teach some simple movable book forms that have the ability to expand an artist's repertoire of materials, methods and creative expression. This book, which was an hommage to John James Audubon, and was part of a Chicago Hand Bookbinders' exhibit at Northwestern University and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago Library a few years ago, was my first venture into this form!

Kew Gardens

The 'Losing Paradise' finished its five-month run at Kew Gardens, London, as part of a larger exhibit titled 'Plants in Peril'. My son Ian and I were appreciative of the opportunity to see LP at its previous venue at the Smithsonian natural history museum in Washington. Kudos to Carol Woodin of the American Society of Botanical Artists for coordinating this groundbreaking collaboration between scientists and artists, in the service of conservation of endangered species! Their next major conservation-oriented exhibit will be featured by the historic home and gardens of 18th century Philadelphia botanist John Bartram, who helped ignite the love of botany worldwide.