Well, three months into 2015, and I finally have some art to show you.
The first book arts/text-based art edition is my Tempe Festival of the Arts Spring award ribbons. 17 in edition: 16 category winners (16″ x 4″) and 1 Best of Show (20″ x 5″)
I have a more in-depth blog post here.
Whisper: 1″ x 1.75″ x 1.25″ closed. Carved and etched glass covers, coptic bound with brown polyester cord and clear/frosted glass bead accents, finished with fore-edge tassels, ties, and necklace cord. Twelve double pages bear hand-inked text and colophon; applique rectangles on reverse.
Materials: glass rectangle blanks, glass beads, commercially-printed cotton, sheer nylon repurposed from tea bags, rust linen, green polyester grosgrain ribbon, waxed polyester cord, polyester sewing thread, acrylic ink.
Text: ‘Leave the loud world for a moment, learn to think again.’
Collection Baylor University.
‘Night Flight’: Dimensions approx 9.5″ h x 4.25″ w x 2″d closed.
I have a fascination with cities, in case you can’t tell.
Construction: combination accordion-fold with five pages, and one fold-out stylized cityscape. Semi-soft fabric covers anchored by leather and fabric loops with handmade beaded buttons. Machine and hand-stitched fabric applique using commercial cotton batik, silk, linen, opalized leather, and polyester fabrics. Hidden stiffening support structures of stainless steel wire, plastic canvas, and heavy polyester interfacing. Glass-beaded bronze spars keep open the landscape vignette, and lock in place with rose-gold-plated magnets. Accented with glass beads and polyester cord tassels.
Text: ‘Earth rolls east from sunset. Below this hill, the city embarks nightward, trailing jewels and fire.’
Colophon: ‘Night Flight 2015, Marian Crane. Cotton, linen, silk, polyester, plastic canvas, Beacon Fabri-Tac glue, glass beads & buttons, acrylic paint.’
Inspiration: night-time views of cities including Denver, CO and Phoenix, AZ. Available from Vamp & Tramp Booksellers.
‘Dryland Codex’: open dimensions 5.5″ x 51″, closed 5.5″ x 4.5″ x 2″.
Materials: linen, cotton, digitally printed fabric, waxed polyester cord, commercial rayon/polyester ribbons, porcelain, glass, acrylic ink, Beacon Fabri-Tac Glue.
12 accordion-fold pages show a handpainted High Desert landscape in back, and collages of vintage Southwest US road maps, paintings, accent fabric, and beadwork in front.
The landscape paintings are reduced-size versions of my original SW paintings and micro-mosaics, digitally printed on cotton and machine appliqued in place. Strips of constructed fabric add support and composition to both sides, as well as the covers and hinges. Finished with straps and ties, and all page edges strung with beaded tassels in the main accent colors of seafoam, tan, turquoise, blue, and scarlet.
Covers: fabric applique, embroidery, beads, and rolled edges of woven ribbon.
Inspiration: a new hinge-form I wanted to attempt, plus a collection of digital-print images from another experiment. It may still be a work in progress, since I haven’t made the storage box or bag for it yet, and there will probably be more beadwork around the covers.
Here are the in-progress posts I showed previously:
http://www.cranehanabooks.com/2015/04/13/dryland-codex-in-progress/
http://www.cranehanabooks.com/2015/04/23/dryland-codex-in-progress-post-2/
http://www.cranehanabooks.com/2015/05/30/dryland-codex-in-progress-post-3/
Private collection.
Tempe Festival of the Arts Fall 2015 award ribbons.
17 in edition: 16 category winners (16″ x 4″) and 1 Best of Show (20″ x 5″)
Fabric applique, embroidery, and beadwork featuring designs inspired by Featured Festival Artist Geoffrey Aaron Harris. That means stars, moons, flying saucers, rocketships, and a giant flying robot.
I have a more in-depth blog post here.