Studio Sunday-Spirit Books review

I will be having an exhibition of the Spirit Books at the McCoy Gallery at Merrimack College in January 2018. I expect to make at least six new Spirit Books and hope to make more. They take a lot of time and I am committed to their growing organically. I often need to spend time with the cradle and the paper before I am ready to start stitching the pages.

Last week I decided to get out all the Spirit Books in my possession, except the ones that are in my personal collection. The last time I looked at them as a group was in 2014 when I was photographing them for the catalog I published. When I do this, I often make changes. I want the harmony I seek in the individual pieces to extend to the entire body of work.

Here's what's happening this time: Spirit Book #8 is getting the cradle of Spirit Book #77 which is being taken apart and possibly reused. The cradle of Spirit Book #8 and its base are being permanently retired. Spirit Book #20 and #49 are switching bases and some new paper is being added to #49. Spirit Book #28 is either getting a new base or a second layer is being added. Lately I've been making more cradles of two pieces of wood. The cradle of Spirit Book #57 is getting a second layer—logistics will be handled by my husband. I will be on the lookout for a new cradle for Spirit Book #52. I'll share some before and after pictures as I make the changes.