Leaf Cycle - trio of metal booklets

 

My second artists' book for the upcoming Narratives Constellation of Stories exhibition at The Little Red Cottage is titled Leaf Cycle. 

The book is in fact an installation of 3 small (10cmx6.5cm) patinated copper booklets. Each has one of the three stanzas my original poem stamped in it. 

The opening photo gives a sneak peek of the installation.

The following photos are some process-progress stages - particularly the stamping of the covers, the middle page and initials on the back page (first photo). 

The booklets are made from naturally patinated copper plate cut from an antique gifted laundry boiler. After stamping the pages they are riveted down the spine with tiny brass rivets. Once trimmed and grinding sharp edges off the booklets are opened. The leaf form in the opening photo has the title of the poem stamped on it.

As you can see from the last photo the metal cut from the boiler has not been hammered straight - this gives the pages a paper like quality - at least that is what I think. 

I'm pleased how Leaf Cycle has come to fruition. Over the next couple of months the stamped ares should become more integrated-softened. I might leave them out in the weather to re-patina!!!

Moon - glorious

 

Fiona and I were extremely fortunate to see the eclipse of the moon last night - from start to finish. We saw much of it in a clear sky - at times cloud drifted across - but even that made for some interesting light. The opening photo highlights the full beauty of the stars and eclipsed red moon.

The iPhone is not the best camera for taking moon photos but the images taken do show the progress of the eclipse and hint at the beauty of the red moon at the end. The sequence starts with the rising moon through the trees.

Looking up and out last night reminded us of the beauty that still can surround us even in these crazy war times.

Olive and other tiny ladles

 

I have had requests for more olive ladles - so over the last couple of days I have spent time in the workshop to make seven ladles - 3 olives, 3 tiny and 1 unique tiny one. The opening photo is of the seven on a black piece of ply on the workshop bench.

I often share some process photos - so some follow. Couple of the marked up metal silver-plated placemat; couple of the formed ladle bowls; and a few odds and ends.

To round things off there are a few more photos of the finished ladles on the black ply.

The olive and tiny ladles will make there way into the Culinary Metal category in my online shop.

Mindful Metal books

 

I tend to categorise the above small silver-plated metal books in both my Mindful Metal and Artists' Books online shop categories because they have both function and form.

From a function perspective, because each small book (about 4.5cm high, 3.7cm wide and 2.5cm across page opening) has a word stamped on the centre page, each is meant to encourage contemplation on or holding onto that word of the action it invokes. Each book could be used as part of meditation; or sit beside one's bed or computer to encourage a gentle focus on the word. Because each book is unique and hand made from silver-plate from salvaged placemats I also see then as small 3D artists' books - small sculptural pieces.

A few process photos follow. I usually tape the three book leaves together to hold them firm when I drill and rivet the book leaves together.

A couple more photos of four of the completed books follow.

At least one of each of the books (shine, love, hope and dream) can be found in my online shop. 

Dahlias, bee and other wildlife

 

This morning was grey and a bit mizzly hence the droplets on the flowers  - I even needed an umbrella. I thought there would not be a great amount of colour but then a garden of humble dahlias shone. Such beauty to soak up as you can see from the opening and following photos.

On my Monday walk the sun broke through and highlighted some roadside camellias. As I got up close to take a macro photo a bee came into frame and decided to enjoy the sunlight and pollen - such fleeting serendipity.

On our Sunday walk we did manage to get a fleeting glimpse of a platypus; and yesterday afternoon we saw a very shy and skittish butterfly.

Just to round the blog off - a couple of orchids in Graham's orchid house.

Walking can often offer some beautiful and uplifting rewards.

When a metal worker makes a book

 

I have started making a couple of artists' books for the upcoming Narratives exhibition at the little Red Cottage in Maleny. Unfortunately we will be in Scotland when the exhibition opens so we need to get our pieces done well before heading overseas.

One of my books is based on my prose poem on the important and multiple roles of river trees. A you can see from the opening photo the book will be unbound and each book leaf will be in the form of a metal leaf.

A few images of font tests on the flat metal and stamping the pages follow.

Once the book leaves were ground and polished they were annealed and then formed into the curved leaves.

The back of the formed leaves were then hammered on a metal stake to take and wrinkles out of the metal and give the leaves a faceted look.

The leaf forms need to be be given another grind and polish and the curves tweaked.My artists' book Mighty River Trees will then be ready for photographing and for the exhibition.