Archive for December, 2009

Daniel Essig’s Denver Workshop

Monday, December 14th, 2009

I had the pleasure of attending Daniel Essig’s Denver workshop last month on Coptic bindings, Ethiopian end bands, mica windows and mica pages. Here are many pictures, both of his work and the workshop.  He kindly shared many of the techniques he uses for his sculptural books, even some which weren’t covered in the workshop.

Here’s the book I made:

Cam's Coptic binding with Ethiopian end band and mica window

I was especially pleased to learn techniques for creating aged, weathered surfaces using crumpled paper and layers of milk paint which is then brutally distressed and sanded.

Here’s a box using the above technique as well as others I’ve learned along the way.  The hinges and fittings are hand-formed from copper and patina’d, the window is a domed watch-glass held in place by riveted copper pieces. The box is lined with green cave paper.

I plan on making a book that will be housed in this box – but not today.

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New Pencil Box

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

Here’s a box I made for my pencils, pens and art tools. Yes, that’s a side of beef mosaic in rusted metal, riveted with brass nails. Why? Cool shape and patterns. And, yes, I’m still vegetarian!  Quite dark when I think about it, finding beauty in an animal carcass.

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