Artists’ Books

White Mountain National Forest

Artists' book with ink, watercolor, plant pressings, sediment, papers made from White Mountain National Forest plant fibers, 5.75 x 4.5 x 1.5 in., 2019

I spent a month as the artist in residence at the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire and western Maine. As I wandered through trails and took cold dips into various swimming holes, I gathered sketches, plant fiber, and materials. Plant fiber processing and art-making were my afternoon rituals, and research into the ecology, hydrology, and geology of the Forest consumed my evenings. Public programming included a pop-up papermill and removal of problematic plants, giving participants a chance to learn about the papermaking process in a region historically tied to industrial papermaking.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Artists' book, ink, paper made from west Texas plant fibers, 6.5 x 5 x 2 in., 2018

Guadalupe Mountains National Park is located around 2 hours east of El Paso, Texas and 1 hour south of Carlsbad, New Mexico. During my artist residency there, I wandered, sketched, and removed wooly mullein and horehound from the National Park. Roadsides are right-of-way, so I drove out of the park to collect soaptree yucca, rock specimens, rusty wire, and various grasses. I also had the pleasure of sharing papermaking with the park employees and volunteers, local residents, and wildland firefighters. The day I arrived, the July rains came, and so I only used roof rainwater to make paper during the residency.

Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness

Artists' book with Montana flora, natural dyes, ink, sediment, handmade paper from plant fibers, 9.25 in. x 6.25 in. x 1 in., 2017

Based on the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness area, located in western Montana in the United States. During a immersive artist residency, I drew the landscape, identified plant species, and made handmade paper and natural colors on site from responsibly collected materials.

The front cover features oxeye daisy paper and goldenrod dye. The inside pages have sketches, plant and lichen pressings, as well as papers made from willow, thistle, aquatic plants, creek sediment, and fireweed.

Waterways Forgotten

Inspired by observations, sketches, and materials found in South Louisiana. Mississippi River mud is added to the vat of pulp and water to create mud handmade papers for this artist book.

Waterways Forgotten, Artists’ Book with String, Silkscreen, Graphite, Handmade Paper from River Mud, Cast Iron Plant, 11” x 9” x ¼” closed, 21” x 9” x ⅛” open, 2012

Locating Self

Locating Self, handmade papers, silkscreen, woodcut, thread, book cloth, 12" x 9", 2010