#Areyoubookenough Challenge: monthly book making

I came across this great community last year, but only managed a coupled of contributions. This year, as I step further into self-directed work, I am determined to do something for every theme. Joining the challenge has three simple rules:

1. Post the banner for the month’s theme as well as work in progress on your Instagram feed, this helps the community know you are participating
2. Create and post something related to the theme
3. Select nine of your favourite pieces each month from across the community and post them on your Instagram

The first six themes for the year were:

1. Folklorico
2. Lines
3. Food
4. Rhythm and Rhyme
5. Sprout
6. Weave

I have found that the process for each theme varies, some I respond to intuitively, some I need to do wider research before I can find a way in. Some emerge immediately and others take time to evolve. Each has presented a unique challenge but I have really enjoyed them all. The one that presented the most challenges in the early stages was sprout, the theme I have enjoyed the most so far I think was Folklorico. I loved having the opportunity for a burst of colour and movement and finding a form that was most appropriate. That said I have enjoyed them all, they have encouraged me to learn different book forms, to find a supportive community and incorporate other aspects of my practice.

Here are some quick observations on each of the book objects:

1. Folklorico: ‘Baile Folklorico’ is a collective term for a beautiful dance form that draws on folk dance and ballet. The costumes worn by the female dancers are brightly coloured with very full skirts. I immediately knew the form I wanted the book to take and was very pleased with how it developed.
2. Lines: Whereas Folklorico was quite defined, lines offered so many options it was almost overwhelming. I decided to have a play first and just focus on mark-making. I also did some research and found a wonderful poem by Emily Bronte. This led me to focus on the way we use lines to construct words in order to communicate. I decided to make the ‘lines’ the focus and while it was really fiddly I felt it was worth the effort. I also used an elaborate stab binding to highlight the theme.
3. Food: This was a very welcome theme as it has been a focus of my photography over the years. I ended up making two books – one that focused on the form of the food and had an illustration feel, the other was a new format that I used to feature some of my favourite food photographs.
4. Rhythm and Rhyme: This one completely threw me and it took a long time to come up with anything I was interested in making. I tried some brainstorming – beat, tempo, repetition, sound, music, instrument, etc, etc… Others seem to be heading down the music route but I knew that wasn’t going to work for me. In the end it was back to poetry and thank goodness I found Silverstein’s The Poet Tree, it was perfect and the form just fell into place from there. I wasn’t sure the structure would work but managed to get close to what I was aiming for.
5. Sprout: This was another one that I found a bit challenging, all I could think of was approaches that seemed obvious and they weren’t inspiring me. I chose to go with a developmental metaphor – from sprout to taking root. I used transparent ‘pages’ so the viewer could see through to each of the stages. I didn’t really have the papers I wanted easily to hand and the textured washi I used for the accordion was not really strong enough to support the pages, they flop about too much if the book is handled. Ironically, the book did photograph beautifully as the summer light streamed through the transparencies. It is a form I think I’ll try again using different papers.
6. Weave: I really enjoyed this one. I knew I wanted to pick up the technology and textiles connection, probably prompted by being in the middle of reading ‘Jacquards Loom’ by x. I wanted to physically weave the paper so started with a really simple woven piece, just plain paper, being interlaced in different patterns. Another form that took on a new life in the sunlight. It was a great reminder that simplicity can be beautiful and that I don’t need to overthink things.
   
   The second book is an accordion form where each signature is woven into the next to create complete pages. I was really delighted by the random nature of the completed pages and that I couldn’t easily determine how they would look until the weaving was finished. It reminded me of my work using machine learning. I would like to turn this one into a small edition.

I am learning so much through being involved with AYBE, it is a great opportunity to learn about different book structures and to be inspired by other artist bookmakers. It is a very supportive community where people offer support and encourage each other. It has given me an opportunity to think about different forms for my main body of work, as well as being able to be playful and have fun. I don’t have to worry about a producing something perfectly formed or having an outcome to work towards, I can just enjoy making.

If you had said to me some years ago that this is a direction my work would take I would probably have been surprised and a bit bemused, but I really get a lot out of working in book form.

Six months to go and more challenges to come. Whatever happens I am determined to complete all twelve!