There used to be a fabulous artist book event in Ireland, no idea if it still happens. It was held in a small town well south of Dublin. Wexford maybe. I wonder if it is now held in Dublin. This is an art form I really love, once you are out of art school though a lot of your print options disappear in less you have a lot of resource, space and money mainly. Loved this artists approach, and process. I love the little etchings especially, outside of the books the plates themselves are so beautiful in their wrappings and with the aquatint work. Beautiful processes.
Thank you for producing this great video about R.L. Gardiner's work. It was not only fascinating, but the "Trilogy" will be phenomenal when completed. It's also very refreshing to see "Book Art" discussed in a professional light. I hope the following question will not be perceived as presumptive, but as I watched the video, I couldn't help but wonder what the desired outcome was for the "Trilogy" (if anything at all). Will it remain in Gardiner's private collection, or is there an anticipation to sell it as an overview of her work? Anyway, again thank you for a wonderful insight into the work of a wonderful book artist.
Reply from Rebekah: Wow! Thank you for your interest in the work Trilogy and at the moment, I do not have plans for it yet since it still is so close and personal. I appreciate all the kind words everyone has said. With some time, I would love to see it go to a library’s book arts collection or a private collector.
Thank you both so much for that video. I am from Dublin and know the work of the grafic studio very vell. I did book binding for years but havent done it in a while. The combination of screen printing and Aqua tint is a great idea and looks fanomanal! I hope you had a good time in Dublin and visited our book of Kells. Please make a longer video about your process. All the best. S.
I love book making if I ever get to the point of getting my masters I want to do it in book making. With my health I’m not sure if I can do it but who know I might get lucky
I won't be able to go back to school, but I do my book binding and mixed media work from my bed. I have to lay flat 99% of the time. I can grab my supplies quickly, but then I'm confined to laying flat with limited lighting, and limited arm movement/hand dexterity. Nevertheless, I love all of the media that goes into it, and make due. I'm very jealous of the large binding hardware & vintage machinery, but we can easily find substitutes. In a dying artform, where digital is taking over, it seems many of us are falling in love with reviving the experience of handheld books.
@bodyofhope yes, the experience of a book made by the hands of a skilled bookmaker is such a visceral intimate interaction. Holding the physical manifestation from another is a connection to something more than just data and words on pages, but to another who left a part of themselves in that creation, another who appreciates the weight and feel and movement, and smell and textures and sounds. Every handmade book has its own personality and character. Unlike most art, a book is one of the only types of art that is meant to be touched and held in order to interact with it. ✨️ It always reminds me of a quote I love... "My thumbprint on this 1000 year old pot matches hers." ❤️
