NOTES FROM THE DESERT

2012

This collection of work is based on the drawings, photos and memories of a journey made in February 2009 to Northern Arizona.

This book took three years and many discarded visuals before the idea was fully resolved.

As the pages began to take shape I made several proof copies trying several different formats for constructing the page sequence together. After several mock ups I decided to use a construction similar to ones I had used before, of folding at the fore edge and side stitching each page to the next by machine – resulting in a ‘pinched in’ gutter in each page, (as you might have in a Perfect Binding). This format, (because the pages are not fixed together in to the spine) does not restrict the view of each page yet when it is open horizontally, it has a particular sculptural quality which exploits the flexibility, yet strength of paper.

The pages are sewn into the cover forming a ‘collapsing star’ format. Another great advantage of this format is in that pages can be turned by placing the hand between the pages, so that only the reverse of the page is touched, rather than the printed surface – minimising damage by handling.