The Lost Land in progress

I'm now in the final stretch of my big Final Project for the UICB certificate. I'm printing a short story by Lawrence Pun, a Chinese author based in Hong Kong, who was in the International Writing Program here in Iowa City last year. The story, The Lost Land, was translated into English and I'm printing it in both languages, to be bound in a dos-a-dos binding (two books that share one cover). The English version is printed from metal type from the Bixler Press & Letterfoundry, and the Chinese is printed from photopolymer plates made by Boxcar Press.
Here are some images of the printing process:




The cover will be decorated with 'paper' from a real hornet's nest!

This book will be on display at "The Printed The Bound The Finale" show at Arts Iowa City Gallery, 103 E. College St., in May. Come to the opening reception on Friday May 8th, from 6-9pm to meet the artists and touch their books!

Art, Fact, and Artifact: The Book In Time And Place

That's the title of the upcoming College Book Art Association (CBAA) Biennial Conference, to be held here in Iowa City, hosted by the University of Iowa Center for the Book. We'll have talks, artist presentations, exhibits, demos, professional development, and tours of UICB and other venues in Iowa City showing work for this conference.

January 8-10, 2009

KEYNOTES
"Fearful Asymmetry," Randall McLeod, University of Toronto
"Enfolded by Holes: a talk on book openings," Tate Shaw, Preacher’s Biscuit Books and University of Rochester

The list of confirmed participants include Book Arts superstars such as Betty Bright, Julie Chen, Inge Bruggeman, and Daniel Kelm, along with our very own superstars Julie Leonard, Emily Martin, Tim Barrett and Gary Frost. The complete list, along with more information can be found at this UICB site.

I'll be there, helping with a large-format papermaking demo with Elizabeth Munger and Kathleen Tandy, and giving an artist presentation on my work, "Unbound: Book Art Without the Book." It will include squirrels and scrolls.



As Gary Frost would say, "Be there and be square!"