DAY ONE
At 6:30 in the evening I was making butternut squash pizza for dinner, while Ammon asked ‘how do you make them square?’
2012
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Daily Glimpse with Ammon
December 9, 2012 by Erin Fletcher
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Bookbinder of the Month: Jan Sobota
December 9, 2012 by Erin Fletcher
Over the course of 10 years, Jan Sobota participated in four Helen Warren DeGolyer Triennial Competitions. Every three years the Bridwell Library on Southern Methodist University’s campus chooses a book from their collection to be rebound by an individual binder. Each participant offers a proposal binding for the chosen title in addition to an example of their work. The winner of the Helen Warren DeGolyer Award receives a commission to bind the selected book according to their design proposal. Two other prizes are awarded for excellence in fine binding and design.
The first time Sobota entered this competition was in 2003, creating a proposal for Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. His design was given the Judge’s Distinction of Interpretation award:
An example of his work submitted for the 2003 competition:
This binding of Les Chansons de Bilitis by Pierre Loüys is translated from Greek and includes illustrations by G. Barbier engraved on wood by François Schmied. This edition was printed in Paris in 1922. A triple cover board binding structure bound in brown Harmatan goatskin for the top layer, gold leather for the middle and dark blue goatskin for the doublures with blue suede leather flyleaves. The same gold leather was used to create wrapped headbands, the top edge was gilt.
For the Fourth Helen Warren DeGolyer Exhibition in 2006, Sobota presented his proposal for Jorge Luis Borges’ Ficciones:
Sobota proposed a triple cover board binding structure, to be covered in dark blue paper made of leather-maché, light blue French box calf (title in relief outlined in gold tooling) and batik suede pigskin. A brass plate on the spine engraved with the author’s name along with a brass clasp along the foredge engraved with the author’s portrait. The middle board would be covered with gold leather and doublures of batik suede pigskin. The flyleaves would be light blue paper of leather-maché. Double core leather-tooled headbands and silver multi-metallic gilt top edge.
“The design depicts the ‘fictitious’ soul of the text and the illustrations, which the author also suggests in the title of the book”. The 1987 edition of Ficciones includes illustrations by Gabriela Aberastury, Julio Pagnao, Mirta Ripoll, Raúl Russo and Alicia Scavino.
An example of Sobota’s work included in the 2006 submission was a binding of Jules Verne’s Le Tour Du Monde En Quatre-Vingts Jours:
John Grave’s Goodbye to a River: A Narrative was chosen for the Fifth Helen Warren DeGolyer Competition in 2009. Here is Sobota’s proposal submission:
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Daily Glimpse with Laura
December 8, 2012 by Erin Fletcher
DAY THIRTY
At 12:05 in the afternoon I was about to go for a ride in a Mini Cooper, while Laura was on the bus going home from work.
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Happy Caturday!
December 8, 2012 by Erin Fletcher
iPhone and camera cases from Tokyo Inspired
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Daily Glimpse with Laura
December 7, 2012 by Erin Fletcher
DAY TWENTY-NINE
At 10:10 in the evening I was filling up a card for the North End Holiday Stroll with Jeanne, while Laura was…
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Moving Images: Bubbles in Space
December 7, 2012 by Erin Fletcher
Over a 100 high school students were recruited to draw over 3,000 frames for the video of Michael Andrews’ new single ‘Bubbles in Space’. Don’t miss the flying dolphin and barrage of Hello Kitty heads.
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Daily Glimpse with Laura
December 6, 2012 by Erin Fletcher
DAY TWENTY-EIGHT
At 8:25 in the evening I was eating roasted veggies over mixed greens for dinner, while Laura was putting on her boots and getting ready to bike home from work.
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Artist: Julien Pacaud
December 6, 2012 by Erin Fletcher
A former astrophysician and hypnotist turned artist, Julien Pacaud, creates prints lost in reverie. Each imaginative scene appears as a daydream, combining vintage imagery with muted tones and scant bursts of vibrancy. Pacaud’s work is available through several galleries and at his shop.
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Artist: Michelle Blade
December 6, 2012 by Erin Fletcher
I understand the dedication that goes into a 365 project, artist Michelle Blade is currently working on such a project that will finish at the end of this year. In her project 366 days (2012 is a leap year), Blade explores the apocalyptic prophecies imposing on the year 2012. Her paintings are ethereal, emitting a range of emotions from despondency to togetherness.
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Daily Glimpse with Laura
December 5, 2012 by Erin Fletcher
DAY TWENTY-SEVEN
At 11:30 in the morning I had just picked up lunch from Flour Bakery, heading back to the bindery, while Laura was having oatmeal for breakfast and then heading to the art museum!
