Sunday, January 25, 2015

The Nurses...next versions

My book The Nurses returned home last week from the Pieces for Peace exhibition in Ieper. It is actually headed off on the road again to another exhibition Personal Histories at the Redland Art Gallery in March, so I'm pleased it is home safely and will be available to send on.

In a strange quirk of fate, I was speaking to another gallery just before we went to Ieper last year and they asked if they could also show the work.  I checked dates and unfortunately they clashed. Susan, Barry, Helen and I are all sending out Piece for Peace books to Redland, but Caloundra Gallery was very keen to have them or something similar, so we all agreed we could produce variations for the Caloundra show.

Which is why I was extra pleased the original made it home, so I could double check everything I had done! I had kept quite reasonable notes, but it was so good to examine lots of little things in detail.

So, over the weekend I made two more books - the first is an Edition Variant - pretty much the same book, but with variations in paper and embossing. The second book is simply a variant on the theme. The same materials and imagery and words, but a completely different format.

I am setting myself a bit of a goal this year; having learned a lot from Helen, that rather than just simply make one book, I could/should try to make more than one at the time, so that I always have one ready to send off somewhere.

Perhaps it is also part of my artistic development; I am occasionally finding now that people do want to see, use or buy more than the one book, so it makes sense to have more than one available.

Here are the three books together.


And here are the first two side by side - same same but different.



Clearly you can never replicate the rusted pages...



The words used throughout are the same and in the same order.  I kept the number of lines of de-bossed barbwire the same on comparable pages in each book - but the actual barbed wire pattern used was different.


They look companionable I think, yet individual too.


The last pages in each book.


And here's the third book - similar, but quite different!  Perhaps if the first ones were non-identical twins, this one is simply a sister. Clearly related but not the same.

I often just love the details - the stitching, the deckle edge, the embossing...



The rusted braille paper with hand stitched words of peace - long and thin this time.


More pages of de-bossed barb-wire imagery with words about the nurses (black) and by the nurses (red).




I feel good about having completed these works. Details of each exhibition can be found at my "Works on Show" page at the top of my blog (or just click here).

The story of these young women who travelled so far to face such horror and to do so much to help and care, continues to amaze me and make me feel proud.

19 comments:

  1. All three are beautiful but I think the long format of the third enhances the appearance of the barbed wire words

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    1. Thanks Jac - I felt that too, and once I wasn't constrained by the 14cm(h) x 18cm(w) format it's where I headed - I do like the long lengths of wire....

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    1. Thanks so much Christine - I'm glad you enjoyed looking at the details; combining them all like this felt right. Go well

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  3. Wishing I could sit and turn each page......

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    1. It is quite a slow process Annie - the brown paper is quite old and feels fragile, and the words are quite small, and then rusted pages need to be revealed...it takes time, but then I think sometimes we should take the time it takes...I'm really pleased you feel as if you want to read it, thanks!

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  4. The books look wonderful Fiona, and I also like the longer format of the barbed wire words. It is so worthwhile and quicker, after you've spent time coming up with a great idea and worked through it, to make a few, especially as you say, we often seem to need more than one.

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    1. Helen I owe you a lot for making me think about this - it is so sensible and and I am relaly pleased I have started to put it into practice! The long thin form does suit the barbed wire so much better - even tho its actually shorter than the spread in the 14-18 book - and I am please I have one of these books in this form now.

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    1. Thanks Sharmon - I do like this book and what it represents, go well.

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  6. A wonderful achievement, Fiona! I like both forms but I do feel I want to pick up the long version and read every barbed word.

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    1. Thanks Carol - every barbed word is a magnificent description! The books do have a slightly different feel to them, so in more ways than one, it has been a great thing to explore and make more...

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    2. These are thought-provoking and beautiful - there is nothing more I can say!

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    3. Thanks Charlton - they tell a story and I think it's one worth telling. I'm glad you enjoyed them!

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  7. How good to be reminded again of the original book and then see the "non-identical twin" & their "sister"...they are each so rich in detail and texture. That shot of the spine is especially wonderful - but then so is each page spread! I've always thought that content that merits a book has the potential for multiple expressions, and you've certainly proved that. Thank you for the inspiration!

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    1. It has been a bit of an enlightenment for me Lisa - and I wonder why I never thought to do it before - but things arrive at the right time I guess. I could photograph the spine times over and I often get distracted, so glad you like it!

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  8. Your work is so beautiful. Thank you for so generously sharing your thoughts and processes.

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    1. Thanks for your kind words Lotta - it's lovely to hear from you. I always appreciate when others share their worlds and hope that I am reciprocating in part. Go well.

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  9. Beautiful details. I love the stitching in particular

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I appreciate your thoughts and comments; thanks for taking the time.