web

a web, 

if i were to spin one

the way ms. spider does,

it would include friends and book arts folks

from all around.

catherine michaelis and her husband bill moody

are friends i met through this world web.

they are artists, 

from washington,

on the other ocean.

my first stay on the pacific

was with these two lovely folks.

catheine has operated may day press for many years, 

and is now,

like my lovely friend carol j blinn 

(warwick press) 

making more one of a kind books, 

delving deeper into the world of artists' books

making more special small editions and unique books.

below you see catherine's most recent book, 

Beyond Blue

here's another shot

and

 what she wrote about it:

 The box is salmon leather that Bill made and I beaded it together. That was the whole reason to make that piece - for the salmon leather box! It is for a "box" show. The text is embroidered and wrapped around a seal knuckle bone. There is a "map" embroidered and beaded onto indigo dyed cotton and the box is also lined with the indigo dyed cotton, courtesy of your workshop!!!! Thanks for being excited about it! I want to just make salmon leather boxes now. . . 

Catherine wrote this little bit about the book for the show. 

Every box holds a story. That story may be known or yet to happen. The story for my box became known during its making, and began with a piece of salmon leather. Salmon are adaptable creatures; they are born in fresh water, but adjourn to the salty seas. Nearing the end of their life, they swim against the current back to where they were born to reproduce and die. The salmon from which this leather was made might have been on its return to the river, or on a runaway adventure into unknown depths and perils with the desire to embody the fierceness of Moby Dick, the TV fame of Flipper, or the allure of an Aegean mermaid. The story this box holds is none and all of these. It is told one stitch at a time, and strung into a semblance of meaning making. The point of the story is that whatever was once known was taken by the unceasing stealth of the Pacific tide, broken, and left for scavenging. There’s a map, for those wishing to find, but not be found.

the poem i haven't quoted here, but it is a 

very 

good 

poem.

~~~

catherine is serious about the embroidered book/box path that she is on,

she says that she will gladly accept commission work, 

along these lines, 

please contact her for a conversation.

~~~

therese swift-hahn sent this photo of me

from sandra brownlee's workshop this summer.

therese says it's the only photo she took in our workshop

it was great to share the table with therese

and great to look out the window

and see her spiraled by paper

as she worked in the meadow.

~~~

shanna leino sent me a new weight

 the woman knows how to make you want to enjoy

each step of the opening.

 i have two already

and always need one more.

now i have one more,

and it's yellow!

shanna will be at the guild of bookworkers 

annual meeting 

and selling tools, i believe.