LESSON BOOK: ARTIST'S BOOK (available)
ABOUT “LESSON BOOK”
In 2014 I started a series of small works called LESSON BOOK. On used and discarded theatrical muslin, using India Inks and acrylics, I drew and painted a series of certain iconic images that reappear all the time in my art. The muslin, waste from a scenic backdrop for a Seattle Opera production, had been cut away to be tossed and was spattered and stained with leftover paints, footprints, spilled beverages and various ill-usage. I saved it from the dumpster. The salvaged muslin served as the palimpsest for a symbolic visual vocabulary I’ve been developing for several years to describe the quintessentially American “archeological site” that is our landscape and history, especially the vast and tumultuous Middle West. I lined and punched the muslin to suggest mundane notebook papers. When I first showed these at a gallery there were 24 images and I hung them in grid formation both in my studio and in the gallery exhibition. The series has grown to 36 images.
So many people expressed the thought that it would be a shame to break up the set and that they’d like to own the whole series – but either couldn’t afford it or didn’t have the space – that I decided it was a good idea to make a book that offers all 36 images for the price of one of the originals.
The samples above show the book’s cover and spiral binding and 20 of the pages inside, including 17 of the images.
The cover’s textured color was scanned from an old spiral-bound notebook I’ve had for years. Each image is reproduced in its original size (8.75”w X 10.75”h) with the shreddy edges of the muslin showing. The sections of the book are separated by translucent vellum sheets. The printing is digital CMYK ink on acid free 130 weight paper and the backing board is acid free illustration board. The book measures 11”w x 14.5”h x 1”d. To date I have printed a first edition of 22 books, several of which remain available at this time.
Each book is signed by the artist.
Inquiries: laurieleclairart@gmail.com
$250.