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In trying to understand “where” my father is, in this stage of his life (age 94 with stage 4 kidney disease and increasing dementia), I was advised that in this current state of mind, he is only in the present, not in the past or in the future.  My interpretation was that “he was neither here nor there.”  Developing this concept has completely changed my attitude about caring for him.  It has taken me several years to reach this level of acceptance.

media: raw earth pigment from my family's home in the high desert of Oregon; graphite pencil; oakgall and walnut inks; acrylic ink; linen thread; book cloth; watercolor paper; cigar box.

dimensions: 8.5 (H) x 8.25 (W) x 2”

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Image media: raw earth pigment, old book of short stories, pine boards from Japanese food packaging, bicycle innertube, metal tacks, cigar box

dimensions: 5.5" W x 6.5" H x 3/75" D (box); 2" W x 6"H x 6.5" D (book)

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media: raw earth pigment, old book of short stories, pine boards from Japanese food packaging, bicycle innertube, metal tacks, cigar box

dimensions: 5.5" W x 6.5" H x 3/75" D (box); 2" W x 6"H x 6.5" D (book)

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media: raw earth pigment, old book of short stories, pine boards from Japanese food packaging, bicycle innertube, metal tacks, cigar box

dimensions: 5.5" W x 6.5" H x 3/75" D (box); 2" W x 6"H x 6.5" D (book)

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Growing up, my family lived on 18 acres outside the rural community of Ontario Oregon.  My parents didn’t farm, but between 8 and 12, I did, along with my four siblings (3 older).  It was challenging and not always a pleasant experience for me.  Finding an old, patched seed bag and a request for a book made from reclaimed materials inspired this piece.  The mended seed bag, raw earth pigment from our home, used teabag paper, a discarded inner tube, wire and inks pulled the concept together.

media: the pages are made from an old, mended seed bag; the spine is cut from a discarded inner tube and sewn with wire; the text is written on tinted used teabag papers.

dimensions: 6” x 18” x ½”

 

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There are attractive, creative, accomplished, intelligent and humorous people who cannot sustain a relationship with another person.  What’s missing?  Emotional depth.  They are emotionally superficial and cannot comprehend diversity in others.  The making of "Inexplicable" allowed me to try to understand and express my frustration with one such friend.

media:  cigar box; 88 pieces of linen rag paper (trimmings from a letterpress printer); raw earth pigment from Oregon's high desert; pen & ink; binding sewn with linen thread

dimensions:  12" (W) x 6.5" (H) x 2" (closed box)

 

 

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This book was designed when I was feeling confined by the grid in my work, a format that I had been using for so long.  Making the book was a chance to get it out of my system and move onto other ideas.

media: found wood cigar box, canvas, Oregon earth pigments, handmade papers, abaca cloth, worn fabrics, acrylic inks, painted & waxed linen threads, pen & ink, graphite pencil.

7 ¾” x 6 ½” x 1 ¾” (closed box)

7 ¾” x 13 1/8” x 5” (open book)

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This book was designed when I was feeling confined by the grid in my work, a format that I had been using for so long.  Making the book was a chance to get it out of my system and move onto other ideas.

media: found wood cigar box, canvas, Oregon earth pigments, handmade papers, abaca cloth, worn fabrics, acrylic inks, painted & waxed linen threads, pen & ink, graphite pencil.

7 ¾” x 6 ½” x 1 ¾” (closed box)

7 ¾” x 13 1/8” x 5” (open book)