Tree: A New Artist Book from never mind the press

The pieces are put together. A few copies are bound. Those linocuts you saw in this post have a home in a new book called Tree. It is is bound in midnight blue Japanese book cloth with a wraparound magnetic hard cover and inset cropped image.

Seven trees are planted in this book that references an ancient Jewish custom of planting a tree when a child is born and the more modern tradition of planting trees in memory or honor of a loved one. 

Each signature is created from a folded glassine page that opens to reveal a silhouetted, multiple-color linoleum print of a tree branch with a personal significance: Magnolia, Camphor, Silver Dollar Gum Eucalyptus, Hawthorn, Liquidambar, and Live Oak. Short creative nonfiction pieces are letterpress printed from handset type on the glassine. A pause or moment of meditation occurs as the reader engages with each of the separate sections.

Colophon includes an abstract print made from the remnants of the final linoleum blocks. Front endpaper is wood veneer paper. 

Also included is a narrow booklet with a fictional modern folktale and a seventh reduction print of a Russian Olive tree. Dedicated in memory of the tenth year of their absence: Ezra (1997-2003) and Dorothy Singer Simon (1911-2003).

Size: 10 1/2" x 51/2", opens to 23 1/2" x 51/2"

Materials: Frankfurt paper, Cherry Paperwood (veneer) paper, glassine, book cloth, Davey board, magnets; letterpress printed from handset Caslon Oldstyle 471 type and reduction linocuts

Edition: 24 copies

ON EXHIBIT

May 1-31 at Seager Gray Gallery, Mill Valley, California; Eighth Annual Art of the Book Exhibition (catalogue available through Seager Gray)

May 4-26 at Odd Fellows, Mendocino Village, California; Bound & Unbound: Exploring the Art of letter, word & book; FLOCKworks: Open Door Arts; I will be giving a talk on May 19 at 4:30pm.

Tree will be for sale for 475.00 through Vamp & Tramp Booksellers 

as well as at the venues listed above.