My work as a calligrapher, painter and book artist involves a lot of paper. Some of it makes its way into finished work, but there are always some leftovers—trials that didn't turn out, scraps trimmed away and commercial papers that haven't found a home. These pile up, but recently I've been using them to make a series of Detritus Books. These have given me a chance to make real books, rather than blank books, from some of the many workshops I've taken and books I have read, most notably in Hedi Kyle's The Art of the Fold. They are small versions of some of my bigger books, and allow collectors to see some original work up close. Interested? Many are available on my Etsy page, or you can inquire about them here on the Contact Us page. There have been over 40 little books in this series, and I still have about half of them. Enjoy.

 

Detritus Books Puzzle Books
A collection of puzzle books. These contain trial pages of various styles of lettering, which have been cut up and inserted into pockets. You can take the pieces out and put them together into pages of text, examining my letterforms along the way.
Detritus Books Puzzle Book Open
Two styles in the black letter family, one is a Rotunda, the other a Gothicized Italic.

In the little pockets here you will find samples of Neuland and a very early pen Roman. PB17

Detritus Books Painting
Three photos of a pamphlet stitched book made from abstract mark making, with an alphabet collaged onto them. WC26
Detritus Books Painting Stitched Book
This pamphlet stitched book made from abstract mark making, with an alphabet collaged onto them. WC26
Detritus Books Painting Spread
Each spread is a bit smaller than the preceding one, making the variations in color on the pages all combine into another layer of abstraction. WC26
Detritus Books Panorama Book
A Hedi Kyle panorama book, watercolor abstraction on 140# paper
Detritus Books Panorama Book Open
The accordion unfolds, with windows cut into the pages to show the contrasting colors on the reverse side of the pages.
Detritus Books Green Leaves Walnut
Leaf paintings, exploring various pigments, with some walnut ink caps collaged on top. LF16

The structure of this book, Words I am Learning, is a slipcase holding a blizzard book, designed by Hedi Kyle, which holds the pages in the triangular pockets. PB28

Detritus Books Water is Life
As I worked on the book, Water is Life, also shown on the Book Arts page, I learned a few basic kanji characters. This book is made up of my practice pages. PB28
Detritus Books Rules For Living
Abstract marks of ink washes, with Roman letters, slipped into a pocket book. PB41