BOOKS
The books shown here fall into three groups: those inspired by Paolo Uccello's fifteenth-century painting The Battle of San Romano, those inspired by research at the Royal Astronomical Society Library, London, and those that relate to other narratives.
The Royal Astronomical Society Library, London.
In 2018 Creativity & Curiosity asked me to join them, by invitation of the Royal Astronomical Society, in visiting the Society's library. I was then funded by the Arts Council to carry out research at the library and explore the outcome through the book arts. In 2019 I made three small books, each in an edition of twenty. Copies of these are now in private and public collections. I then invited Dr Sian Prosser, archivist and librarian at the RAS to collaborate with me on a book work which would reflect the library and its historic collection. Measuring the Heavens, 2020, is the result of this collaboration.
In 2018 Creativity & Curiosity asked me to join them, by invitation of the Royal Astronomical Society, in visiting the Society's library. I was then funded by the Arts Council to carry out research at the library and explore the outcome through the book arts. In 2019 I made three small books, each in an edition of twenty. Copies of these are now in private and public collections. I then invited Dr Sian Prosser, archivist and librarian at the RAS to collaborate with me on a book work which would reflect the library and its historic collection. Measuring the Heavens, 2020, is the result of this collaboration.
The above books are the result of research carried out at the Royal Astronomical Society, 2018-19, funded by the Arts Council.
Measuring the Heavens, 2020.
An edition of two consisting of box, folio, hinged paper book and sources folio.
Leather, bookcloth, screen print on Somerset paper.
In collaboration with Dr Sian Prosser, librarian and archivist at the Royal Astronomical Society, London.
The book opens in a variety of ways revealing the complete image only when extended. Each facet is distinct but contributes to the whole. This reflects the contribution of individual books to collective astronomical knowledge as evidenced in the library's collection.
Directly inspired by Johann Bayer's Uranometria, 1603, and its engraving of the constellation Serpens by Alexander Mair, (ca 1562-1617. The literal translation of Uranometria is Measuring the Heavens.The hinges of the book reveal imagery from other sources at the RAS library, including works by: Euclid; Tycho Brahe; Johannes Kepler and Caroline Herschel. Details of these can be found on the image below. The lens-like circle in the folio was inspired by the nineteenth-century glass slides of Warren De La Rue, and the raised silhouette of the sextant on the box by William Cary's 1790's sextant.
An edition of two consisting of box, folio, hinged paper book and sources folio.
Leather, bookcloth, screen print on Somerset paper.
In collaboration with Dr Sian Prosser, librarian and archivist at the Royal Astronomical Society, London.
The book opens in a variety of ways revealing the complete image only when extended. Each facet is distinct but contributes to the whole. This reflects the contribution of individual books to collective astronomical knowledge as evidenced in the library's collection.
Directly inspired by Johann Bayer's Uranometria, 1603, and its engraving of the constellation Serpens by Alexander Mair, (ca 1562-1617. The literal translation of Uranometria is Measuring the Heavens.The hinges of the book reveal imagery from other sources at the RAS library, including works by: Euclid; Tycho Brahe; Johannes Kepler and Caroline Herschel. Details of these can be found on the image below. The lens-like circle in the folio was inspired by the nineteenth-century glass slides of Warren De La Rue, and the raised silhouette of the sextant on the box by William Cary's 1790's sextant.
Box with inset leather label and raised silhouette of sextant, sphere of screen printed printed text within. Folio with lens-like leather-bound circular opening and screen print. Hinged paper book, three panels visible.
Box 36 x 25 x4.5cm Folio 33.5 x 23.5cm Hinged book 32 x 23cm closed, 32 x 112 cm fully open.
Box 36 x 25 x4.5cm Folio 33.5 x 23.5cm Hinged book 32 x 23cm closed, 32 x 112 cm fully open.
Book open, revealing Serpens and rear of hinges visible in silver. Book with end panels in silver, folded to fit image of Serpens.
Folded paper folio, Sources, 32 x 22cm. Screenprint on Somerset Satin.
Folio and book, both closed and within the open box. Folded book revealing three of its four hinges within the box.
Interior of folio. Exterior of folio.
Exterior of box with leather label and silhouette of sextant. Interior of box with printed text sphere.
Printer of Stars, 2019
The images inspired by Peter Apian's lavish 16th century book Astronomicum Caesareum. Dedicated to Emperor Charles V the book has moving parts, volvelles, and elaborate woodcuts which each took up to a month to produce. In Printer of Stars images are examined, separated & crumpled up to become the Sun, Moon and Earth. A celebration of the role of printing in astronomical debates and discoveries.
Screenprint & hand coloured, edition of 20. 10.8 x 12cm
Screenprint & hand coloured, edition of 20. 10.8 x 12cm
The Typographical Planet, 2019
The Typographical Planet, 2019.
A celebration of astronomers sharing information in print; here concerning Saturn.The typographical depiction of Saturn in the crow’s beak is based on Galileo’s first telescopic observation of the planet, printed in 1613.The crow is derived from an engraving of the constellation Corvus in Bayers’ star atlas, Uranometria 1603The chart of the many ways that Saturn was described by early astronomers is from Chritiaan Huygen's book Systema Saturnium, 1659. .The book folds out from the centre with comets racing across the back pages.
Screenprint, edition of 20. 14.5 x 13.5cm
A celebration of astronomers sharing information in print; here concerning Saturn.The typographical depiction of Saturn in the crow’s beak is based on Galileo’s first telescopic observation of the planet, printed in 1613.The crow is derived from an engraving of the constellation Corvus in Bayers’ star atlas, Uranometria 1603The chart of the many ways that Saturn was described by early astronomers is from Chritiaan Huygen's book Systema Saturnium, 1659. .The book folds out from the centre with comets racing across the back pages.
Screenprint, edition of 20. 14.5 x 13.5cm
The Infinite M, 2019
The Infinite M, 2019.
Inspired by a 17th century image, of tiny star-like shapes with the letter M for Mundi (Earth), printed beside one of them.
This referred to Giodarno Bruno's idea, that the Earth was not at the centre of the Universe, but one planet of many, a radical review of the previous position. Giodarno was a Dominican friar, and his ideas challenged the authority of the Church, leading to his death at the stake for heresy in 1600.
Screenprint, edition of 20. 14.5 x 10cm
Inspired by a 17th century image, of tiny star-like shapes with the letter M for Mundi (Earth), printed beside one of them.
This referred to Giodarno Bruno's idea, that the Earth was not at the centre of the Universe, but one planet of many, a radical review of the previous position. Giodarno was a Dominican friar, and his ideas challenged the authority of the Church, leading to his death at the stake for heresy in 1600.
Screenprint, edition of 20. 14.5 x 10cm
Paolo Uccello and other narratives
Pomegranate, 2018
Pomegranate. Inspired by Uccello's use of pomegranates within The Battle of San Romano to both create and decorate a plane at the front of the image. this book is an exploration of spatial incongruity and of narrative assumptions. Space within an image is implied by line and by plane. A pomegranate, an image of a pomegranate, sits on a solid surface, or maybe not.
Screenprint, bound in flexible cover with leather spine. One unique book & edition of three sets of prints.
Screenprint, bound in flexible cover with leather spine. One unique book & edition of three sets of prints.
The Light of My Life, 2018
The Light of My Life, a screenprinted concertina, follows the stages of life in the form of lights. From the match strike of conception, the birthday candle of infancy, to the teenage light of an iphone, the multi-armed candelabra of middle age, to the flame of a night light in old age and the final extinguished match. Edition of 20, raised covers in either red or ochre.
My Dear Frankenstein, 2018
My Dear Frankenstein This flag book explores the tensions in Shelley's Frankenstein between the monstrous Frankenstein, who creates without responsibility, and the created monster. The images and colours evoke the landscape of the novel's setting. Created for Frankenstein, 2018 Book Art Exhibition in Liverpool and Knowsley. A unique book with leather labels is now in a private collection in the Netherlands, there is also a small edition of 7 with bookcloth binding.Digital and screen print.
Love and Toothache, 2017
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Love and Toothache is a first aid kit for the Wife of Bath. A medieval cure for toothache and a love poem are given a contemporary twist with screen printed images and text. In a soft leather binding with inlaid Middle English and lines that reference the manuscript guide lines used by scribes. The unique vellum case is screen printed with an image of the Wife's Prologue taken from a1561 Chaucer. The whole fits into a box with a raised image of the Wife of Bath.
This book was made in response to the Bodleian Library competition, Redesigning The Medieval Book and was on display at the Bodleian's Weston Library until March 2018 and then at UWE's Library until June 2018. In addition to the book pictured here there is an edition of 7 books without slipcase and box. In private collections, UWE Library, Josie Reed Contemporary books.
This book was made in response to the Bodleian Library competition, Redesigning The Medieval Book and was on display at the Bodleian's Weston Library until March 2018 and then at UWE's Library until June 2018. In addition to the book pictured here there is an edition of 7 books without slipcase and box. In private collections, UWE Library, Josie Reed Contemporary books.
Confined to the Library, 2017
Confined to the Library, presented to the Vice Chancellor of Bristol University, was commissioned by academics from Bristol University to celebrate libraries and the physicality of the book. The embossed box with screen printed leather label suggests books both absent and present. The book has two folios bound on either side of a central column of raised flags, each of which is printed with the name of a library. The image on the folded column and base of the flags is the exposed spine of the text block of a 16th century book, the pages of which have been cut out. The folios suggest the practice of having several books open simultaneously while researching. Coloured shapes within the folios suggest book spines, the text on these spines was provided by the academics who commissioned the work.
The Sphere, 2017.
The Sphere –a playful exploration of the relationship between the mathematical definition of a sphere, a round object or surface on which every point is equidistant from its centre, and a loose narrative of equality created from the letters within the word sphere.
Edition of 16, each in slipcase with glassine screenprinted front, and red or grey bookcloth over raised circle on rear.
Screenprint on Somerset Satin.15 x 14.5cm
Edition of 16, each in slipcase with glassine screenprinted front, and red or grey bookcloth over raised circle on rear.
Screenprint on Somerset Satin.15 x 14.5cm
The Painter's Daughter, 2017.
Prompted by Vasari's description of Uccello's anonymous daughter, who could paint and draw, and the practice of referring to daughters as 1d in Who's Who, this screnprinted book is an exploration in image and text of the power of the daughter. Screen print on Somerset Satin, 13.5 x 14.cm Edition of 10.
Uccello, 2017.
An insight into the narrative of The Battle of San Romano, capturing imagery from key points of the painting and relating them to texts from relevant sources. 18 x 12cm. Screen print on Simili Japon. Standard binding card, unique bindings bookcloth and leather. Edition of 15
Uccello's Formula, 2016. Three unique screen printed books which engage with, and pay homage to, Uccello's methodology.
Uccello's Formula (II), 2016.
Folio for Uccello's Formula (II) , book cloth and leather.
Uccello's Formula (I), 2016. Screen print and collage.
Uccello's Formula, Siena (III), 2016.
Two Sides to Every Story, 2016.
Uccello's Beautiful Battle, 2016.
Beautiful Battle reflects the dichotomy between Uccello’s lavish, decorative and bloodless painting and the reality of battle. Modernist abstract shapes echo the progress of the soldiers in the painting.
Screenprint on Simili Japon , 2 unique books bound in bookcloth. 32 x 24cm
Beautiful Battle reflects the dichotomy between Uccello’s lavish, decorative and bloodless painting and the reality of battle. Modernist abstract shapes echo the progress of the soldiers in the painting.
Screenprint on Simili Japon , 2 unique books bound in bookcloth. 32 x 24cm
Uccello's Woman, 2015/16
The Great Fire of London, 1666. 2016
Hand cut relief prints bound with wood and leather, embossed title. Images follow a narrative from 17th-century London and old St Paul’s to Wren’s St Paul’s and the skyline of London today. Large 34 x 27cm Small 22 x 17cm
Hand cut relief prints bound with wood and leather, embossed title. Images follow a narrative from 17th-century London and old St Paul’s to Wren’s St Paul’s and the skyline of London today. Large 34 x 27cm Small 22 x 17cm
Smaller scale The Great Fire of London, 1666. 2017. One of three simplified versions, each a unique hand cut book.
Winter for David, 2014/5.
Made in honour of David Large, university lecturer, ceramicist and friend.
Made in honour of David Large, university lecturer, ceramicist and friend.