Sketchbooks

Unfolding my accordion book "Choices" - (photo by J. Zoellner)

I was in NYC last weekend for the Sketchbook Library exhibit. The Sketchbook Library is a project sponsored and curated by the Arthouse Co-op. The exhibit, in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn at 303 Grand St., was the second stop on a nationwide tour of artist sketchbooks. After another stop in Brooklyn the sketchbooks move on to Boston, Los Angeles, Saint Louis, and Chicago. The books return this summer to their final location at the Brooklyn Art Library at 201 Richards St. These sketchbooks are bar coded such that they can be accessed by the name of the artists. Visitors to the exhibits are issued temporary library cards and can view the original work of the artists contained in the books.

Karen Evertson and Jennifer Zoellner viewing Jennifer's work

For this opening well over 1000 artists sketchbooks were represented. We met up with our friend and fellow artist Jennifer Zoellner to look over the books. While we barely scratched the surface, we did manage to find a couple of mutual friends.

Books by Mara Thompson and Melissa McCarthy

Shane Zucker and Stephen Peterman of Arthouse (along with a few volunteer librarians) were able to keep the lines moving all evening long. Our friends Mara Thompson and Melissa McCarthy had terrific works in the exhibit that we had a chance to view. The only regret of the evening was our search for our Brazilian artist friend, Angela Ferrara kept coming up short. ("sorry, it's out")

Jennifer with Alice and friends

The next day we visited the Met, Met Alice, roamed Strawberry Fields and had a visit with Bill Wilson. Bill was generous with his time and it was a wonderful opportunity to see many works by his mother May Wilson. Great weekend.

Bill Evertson and Bill Wilson - Bill Wilson pointing to works by May Wilson

(photo by J. Zoellner)

Rosetta's Gravel

Rosetta's Gravel - Artist Book - First page to left - cover to right - evertson©20010

_I just finished a second accordion book to submit to the Creative Art Workshop’s artist book exhibition. I was reminded how much they function as maps. The folded style is suited to that sort of need for compactness and yet have the ability to stretch out to see the whole journey if necessary.

Rosetta's Gravel - Artist Book - last page toward center - evertson©2010

_My new piece, Rosetta’s Gravel, while not as easily defined as a map, seemed to have other qualities that lent itself to that folding pattern. I was thinking of a dictionary as I began building up the images used for the book. The images are based on the handstamps I’ve been working through placed in grids and assigned “meaning” or associations. The stamp symbols are personal yet many of them have universal aspects to them. They have not been conceived of in a particular order, but are carved as they come; mostly unconsciously.

_I’ve laid them out that way in the book as well. Composed perhaps; as they are not in an alphabetic or thematic order and appear quite jumbled, much the way the desire to make a particular image manifests.

_I began the book by calling it an Apocrypha. Hidden things from the Greek, but also with a subtext of uncertain authority. The last page come from the realization that this collection, in this format is acting more like a musical composition than dictionary.

_The show is juried by renowned book artist Heidi Kyle, whose work I've admired long before I tried my hand at artist books. Keeping fingers crossed on the selection process.

Crude - Multimedia, copper mesh, metal toys and hubcap - evertson©2010

_Another piece, a multi media sculpture, that I began last year finally came to completion. The Landfill Arts hubcap sat on workbench for several months while other projects came and went. Some thoughts on it coalesced last week and I finished it and shipped it to Ken Marquis who curates the project. Other posts on this piece.

_Ken has a wonderful site set up for viewing the submissions to this project. This link takes you to the beginning of the slides. Mine is on page 11.

Video from MuBE

_This is impressive! The A Book About Death, MuBE edition video is fantastic. The Um Livro Sobre a Morte video produced by Dacio Bicuda stars my friend Angela Ferrara introducing the project. Even if you don’t speak Portuguese you can sense the excitement from Dacio's camera work. Congratulations to Matthew Rose for the initial vision and to those like Angela who work to bring our group of international artists to venues worldwide.

! Brazil !

Livro Sobre a Morte - Installation in progress at MuBE

_I cyberwatch as Angela Ferrara works to install the latest edition of A Book About Death. Um Livro Sobre a Morte opens February 3rd at MuBE, the Museu Brasileiro Da Escultura in São Paulo, Brazil.

_The idea I’m most taken with after seeing pictures of the installation in progress is the uncanny resemblance to a war memorial. The installation shots are very austere; very orderly; and very respectful. While individual pieces may express a range of visual expression from regret and loss to hilarious and wry observation, the overall impact is a collective one. For me, they evoke the orderliness of the Vietnam memorial or Arlington cemetery where the fallen soldier resides.

_This memorial is different. It is not, in particular, for those who have served in battles or war. This memorial is for the ordinary; our common fate, common bond and those highly charged personal battles that we experience as humans. A memorial not of or for a particular group but an exhibit that has come to symbolize the continually growing and evolving creative energy of artists world wide.

Angela Ferrara Introduces Brasil to Um Livro Sobre a Morte

_Many words have been spoken at memorials, great and small over centuries and yet the poignantly simple act of being one of many, visually confronting this subject speaks volumes. It is so easy to miss an individual contribution: the effect is a powerful feeling of numbers… so many images. In most pieces it is difficult to find a signature to identify the artist; yet behind each work is an individual with a compelling story.

_Common subject... common people... heroic struggles.

My original ABAD piece installed at MuBE

__The story continues to expand. A further edition of A Book About Death will be exhibited at MOMA Wales and curated by Sonja Benskin Mesher. This exhibit will feature the original ABAD as well as new “pages”. Gratitude to Matthew Rose whose vision and guidance ha made these exhibitions possible.

‘A BOOK ABOUT DEATH ‘

International art project

THE TABERNACLE

MOMA WALES,

MACHYLLETH

27 APRIL – 8 MAY 2010

CALL FOR WORK ON PAPER

ONE. POSTCARD SIZE

4 X 6 INCHES

BASED ON THE THEME OF DEATH.

ALL WORK IS SUBJECT TO SELECTION.

SEND SMALL JPEGS TO sonja@ sonja-benskin-mesher.com

Deadline for jpegs is 16 March

Successful applicants will be expected to have their cards sent to Sonja by 13 April 2010

Work sent will not be r returned, as it will become part of the ‘Book About Death’ collection held @ MOMA, Wales