begin again

I have returned slowly but surely.

It has been quite a year, to say the least. All sorts of changes, mostly for the good, have whirled me and my activities in every which way, but the linen thread and binders board and all forms of inspirational scraps have found their way to my studio table. I am now situated in a little town on a river in eastern Washington. I have been cultivating a small garden plot all summer and now that the tomatoes are starting to ripen, I am feeling settled and heading back to the quiet comforts of bookbinding.

Featured Tangible Journal #1

Library Style Journal:
Approx. 200 pages, powder blue Buckram cover with original etching, circa 2004-5?

This fall has flown by. October is almost over, my gosh. Speaking of flying, I am so excited to feature one of the books I made ever so long ago (pictured above).
I made this book 3 or 4 years ago, covered in a bright blue buckram cloth with one of my etchings from Ann Arbor for my lovely step-sister.
I have to admit that seeing this etching from so long ago is rather embarrassing, and I can see so many flaws with my binding technique, but I am excited to see that the book has held up despite the worn edges. Buckram is often used for "library bindings" because of its durability. Around the time that this book was put together I was really into buckram...I loved the bold colors and the texture, plus I was still working in the conservation lab at a rare book library, so everything I made revolved around my obsession with the library aesthetic.

Thank you so much Cheri for sending these photos...and for the lovely note. It makes me want to dig out the good ole buckram for some new journals!

I hope to feature another tangible journal from the past sometime next month---please send images if you have any to share: hannaclark@gmail.com

Rainy Days and Mondays

I have been running around lately like a crazy person, but I finally found a quick moment to explore the etsy world and post a new creation. Last spring I made a bunch of handmade paper...Here is one of the resulting notebooks...complete with polka-dot fabric and leather along the spine.

unwind

The time has come to head back to reality....leaving rural Pennsylvania tomorrow for Detroit and then Spokane. I am finishing my last few drawings tonight while I finish watching Blade Runner...(in the mood for 80's sci-fi...who knows why?) and I have put a sneak preview on flickr.

A fawn lives under the porch here...I think that he was raised by the goats nearby? Anyway, incredibly tame which is likely not a good thing for surviving the winter, but I will try to avoid worrying about that for now.

Last night I went for one of my last runs on these country roads and I kept noticing how loud it actually was. Everyone claims to head to the woods for peace and quiet, but I could barely think over the crickets and wind in the trees and the river. I will miss these sounds.

Back to the bookbinding studio though. I will try to have some new journals up within the next few weeks...just in time for the fall.