New Books in Progress

I've been making paper for several book projects in a range of hues from white to indigo, using abaca, denim, and flax. I am focused on allowing the physical qualities of the materials to trigger memories and associations that will guide further experimentation. The colors, sounds, and textures of the paper are conjuring images of the sky and the sea, and I've been contemplating tidal cycles and the moon's influence on various biological systems.

I discovered shagreen - stingray skin - at a recent book arts conference and I'm excited to try using it for the cover of one of the books. It has a lovely pattern of small, closely set, calcified circles (pictured at the bottom of the first photo below, click on the image for a closer look).

My Lee Scott McDonald mould and deckle arrived over six months after placing my order, and I can certainly understand the long wait. It is a thing of beauty, a paragon of fine craftsmanship! Many thanks to the College Book Art Association for the grant that allowed me to purchase my first major piece of papermaking equipment.