Creative Process: IDEATION

May 29, 2022

IDEATION

Ideate

Explore and illuminate the idea. Arrange thoughts, ready the experience, and preserve the idea. Organize photos, text, songs, sequence… for the book. Muse over the final look of the book.

This is the phase Edison was referring to when he said that creativity consists of 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.”

This is the stage where the hands-on work begins; this is the phase when the abstract takes shape to give way to the concrete. It would be nice to just idle in the inspiration phase for a while longer but now is the time to discover the solution and make it clear.

This stage is usually relatively brief and involves a strong rush of insight in a short span of time. This time, my idea to gel, seemed to take an eternity! As an artist, one uses a ton of day-to-day reality or events to express themselves and their environment… I appreciate simple moments portraying our lives, whether sensational or monotonous... When an idea strikes me for an artists’ book, it’s because the life experience is fresh and the emotions are in the now. Since our minds manipulate our feelings and the fantasy angst to be portrayed happened 50 years ago, the challenge was to recapture the emotion or experience which was retrospective. The need to relive that teenage crush from afar created moments of self-awareness. The challenge was to relive how I really felt as a teenager and what I believed I experienced back 1968.

© 2022 Louise Levergneux. Sample of photos from personal albums.

© 2022 Louise Levergneux. Sample still images from streaming Lancer episodes.

As a result, I started to arrange my thoughts by organizing photos, text (lyrics of songs) and the potential sequence of the pages from chosen photos. The fundamental design had to represent fun, innocence, a sense of closeness, sensuality, and the complicated sentiments of an adolescent girl. You're just watching TV, minding your own business, when you suddenly identify someone on the screen who scrambles your brain and makes your heart drop to your knees — how to represent this experience? The conclusion is a narration on infatuation, a time of foolish love.

I started with words that to me defined the project: infatuation, dream, fantasy, reality, passion, desire, fascination, captivation, puppy love, celebrity crush, charismatic, attractiveness, allure-ment, enchantment, enthrallment…

While streaming the Lancer TV show, I captured appropriated images, I recreated blissful fiction scenarios utilizing my tool of choice — Photoshop. I wanted to rekindle my ability to implement Photoshop features by creating a new photograph with juxtaposed photos to re-frame my own subject-position and enter into the desires that celebrity crush can evoke in a young adolescent — her dream world.

© 2022 Louise Levergneux. I needed a font that would look like hand writing, after careful search I chose Modernline.

I experimented with text which included mixed lyrics — language of the soul — accompanying the images to prompt us on how memory coexists in dreams.

Prototype

Research content versus binding. Create maquettes of binding and structure. Choosing paper and material to complete the book.

“Infatuation” corresponds to a fiction — journal — and obsessively persistent romantic fantasy of a young female with the actor James Stacy’s persona of “Johnny.” It was a subconscious struggle to determine the proper and most effective design, structure and binding to represent this fantasy world. I was looking forward for all the puzzle pieces to fall into place.

© 2022 Louise Levergneux. The many phases of designing pages.

The page layout is the first step; it usually helps define the binding structure. I wanted the book to retain an innocent sensual feel. To bring this feeling into effect, adding red organza and strands of red thread became more poignant.

The threads could easily be part of a sewn book, the strands cut long to hang below the bottom edge. Black and white photos or coloured? Maybe add a colour LUT (known as Look-Up Tables in Photoshop to bring a cohesiveness to the pages) LUT's are used in order to apply specific and distinctive effects and style to photos. What about texture?

As for the structure, the first one of interest was the Accordion Binding for its playful pagination as seen below by Annwyn Dean, Alice Simpson or as in my artists’ book Conversation below.

© 2017 Alice Simpson. DANCING ! Unique double-fold, accordion. Original hand-painted paste papers, watercolor, shagreen paper, thread and beads. Against a double layered, paste-paper background; Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham, Vaslav Nijinsky, Bo Jangles, Josephine Baker, Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Gene Kelley, and Michael Jackson dance with joyous abandon in an homage to iconic performers I have always admired on stage and screen.

© 2017 Alice Simpson. DANCING ! Unique double-fold, accordion. © 2017 Alice Simpson. DANCING ! 17”H x 11”W x 1”D x approx. 9’. 5 open

Then the Drum Leaf binding which I enjoyed when creating my artists’ book “Shadow Me” also spring to mind.

Verification

Transfer the overall idea to the substrate, test the prototype, and evaluate the project, paper, presentation, sketches, and notes. Critique and seek feedback/opinions on already planned prototype options.

I thought the fun aspect of the accordion would present the project’s subject of infatuation in a delightful and colourful way. The narration could be seen in single pages or its entirety. But, after trying a few accordion models, I was unable to settle on any page layout design.

I created a sewn book layout template using InDesign. It was overly rigid of a structure and not useful for some of the images that acquired a need to spread along two pages. The fun was eliminated!

Coming back to the Drum Leaf binding, the structure offered me the opportunity to capitalize on spreads without any visual interruption and gave access to pages for reflection.

© 2022 Louise Levergneux. I thought this little sample was interesting, I could make in a drumleaf structure with an accordion. Great!

With more reflection, I knew that a mixture of structures would pop-up in my mind’s eye. Next month I will share my Storytelling Development and Option Development. “Let ‘er buck”!

On my side, I started a book for the monthly #areyoubookenough challenge on Instagram. This month I was inspired by the "sprout" theme.

This kind of short challenge is perfect for trying new techniques. I don't have too many thoughts or readings for this book. I'm taking the opportunity to try out pop-up folding, which has intrigued me for a while now. At first I tried to figure out the folds, made some, watched some, and see how to get inspired. Beautiful exploration.

In my photos, I show you the roots I would like to print, calligraphy words and a piece of pop-up model.

I too am in the layout stage right now. Each background of the double-page spreads will be inspired by the explorers' notebooks with drawings and texts, as they used to do back then. I am just beginning the realization of the book. Next month, I will be able to present it to you because it will be finished. One month is really fast. — Guylaine Couture

Creative Process, INSPIRATION: Observation

March 31, 2022

INSPIRATION: Observation

Time and research to define an inspiration into a more concrete idea, to construct a knowledge base. My time to reflect is ordinarily achieved in the early morning hours while in a state of sleep. Then I focus on similar ideas/subjects developed by other artists to deepen my inspiration.

Sometimes, after a setback, it's difficult to simply pull ourselves back up and keep on truckin'. We feel as though our inner fire has fizzled out, producing a sense of despair and without hope that we can make "it" happen, regardless of what “it” is! We possess the capacity to release stress, anxiousness, and unresolved emotions through dreams. For me this state of sleep is where I dream ideas depending on my perspective of the world at the moment.

The subject of “a teenage crush” rekindled and helped to reawaken a sense of hope, optimism, and personal power. The vision became clearer.

To interpret and recognize how I was going to express the feeling of a teenage crush, I started reading psychology reports on the meaning of a first crush. I learned that it signified a lot more about the dreamer than the admired. While talking to other female friends and remembering our « celebrity crushes » way back in high school brought on laughter and excitement. It compelled us to feel young and alive.

During our teenage years, we don’t realize as we are awakening to new emotions how it will form our personalities or how it will define future choices. This particular, formative phase of adolescence moulds us into adulthood — without our knowledge. No matter the case, the tingling phenomenon of puppy love/celebrity crush will disappear with life changes. Through the years we tend to overlook how we have arrived to this persona we live with daily.

“First love is only a little foolishness and a lot of curiosity” — George Bernard Shaw

I tried to find out what I remembered about this intense but short-lived passion — puppy love and/or an unattainable fantasy — celebrity crush during the 60’s and what it signifies for adolescent girls now days. In the depths of the internet, I enjoyed exploring this goose bump experience and what it symbolized for me.

Above all else, our first infatuation is a statement about what fascinates us — what is aesthetically pleasing to our eye — the movement of the body, the strut, the look, the tenderness, the twinkle of the eye, the infectious smile... For some it might be the sensibility that became the foundation for nearly everything about one’s identity... romance, politics… Are these traits familiar?

As I researched more and more my idea, I experienced some resistance to the word “infatuation,” while others felt it was an appropriate title. These conversations caused doubt on using the word “infatuation” and forced me to reflect deeply on my interpretation of the word.

After reading on various aspects on my subject, I needed some visuals to bring back the feeling of being a teenager. I started watching western, documentary, drama, and beach party movies and TV series of the 60’s.

One of cinema's most successful films between 1965-1967 were the beach-movie genre. These movies symbolized an entire generation's youth and featured teens, bikinis, and a whole lot of good, clean fun. These low-budget films celebrated teen culture and were sheer fantasies since the turbulent social issues of the 1960s never invaded the story line. It was escapism for teenagers, ah! to be young again. Beach party movies are the definition of "You had to be there.” Today's teen entertainment is practically Kafkaesque, compared to beach party movies.

For me westerns provided an all around entertainment. Our family saw many western movies and TV series as they were a smash with my father. My sister and I often played pretend it was our way to discover and explore a wild west fantasy — an era we had no hope of ever experiencing in the real world. Towards the late 60's, westerns began taking on more substantial issues — social issues — with a few grown up themes.

The more I surfed the net for inspiration the more my mind captured other ideas. After my internet rabbit hole experience, I discovered a whole new project: the end of Hollywood’s Golden Age, which happened in the late 1960s. Film infiltrated my every thought and the energy made me think outside the box and my project. I envision tangents as a way of sparking creativity and thinking. This also brought me to swap between thinking about two or more different concepts simultaneously.

As for my research on similar ideas/subjects developed by other artists, I was directed to contemplate the work of Jillian McDonald whose work meditates on celebrity and North American celebrity culture. Julian mines contemporary Hollywood movies before digitally reshaping their filmic narratives. Jillian’s work corresponds to a humourous fiction and obsessively persistent romantic fantasy regarding bad-boy movie star, Billy Bob Thornton. I featured McDonald’s “Me and Billy Bob” video in my blog of December 2021.

In another video, Jillian shares an evening with Nick Offerman (American actor, writer, comedian, producer, and professional carpenter).

My Mr. Darcys, an artists’ book by Laura Davidson, came to mind as I reviewed other works on my subject of infatuation.

© 2009 Laura Davidson. **My Mr. Darcy** is a tribute to the many actors who have played the role of Mr. Darcy in *Pride & Prejudice* adaptations. It includes portrait miniatures of 6 actors along with text from each film. An edition of 500 copies.

© 2009 Laura Davidson. **My Mr. Darcy**, an inside view.

I reached out to Laura to find out more about her bookwork. Laura explained the intention of the piece; the story behind the narrative brought a wonderful personal note. In my mind, the obsession with the character still represents very much an infatuation.

It was in fact for my sister Laura — the idea came to me as Paula kept informing me when a new Austen book was being adapted on film or TV, or forwarding me DVDs. I was pretty hooked on them too because I had grown to love the Austen stories and characters. My sister’s excitement, (being an Austenite and film buff), was contagious. We compared the various portrayals of Darcy — who was her favorite character — and many people’s favorite character, especially when Colin Firth emerges from a small lake in the BBC 1995 adaption of Pride and Prejudice.

When I carried out research for this book, I had to re-watch all of the Pride and Prejudice films, taking notes about which line would work with each painted miniature of the actors who played Mr. Darcy. It was total immersion! When it came to the text on the back of my book, I knew which line from Pride and Prejudice I wanted to use, but had no idea where to find the line quickly. I phoned my older sister Paula, a devoted Austenite and the one who introduced me to Jane originally. She was driving, pulled off the road, reached into the side pocket of the passenger door to pull out her emergency copy of Pride and Prejudice and found the passage for me right away. At the time — I was amused by this. But now, of course, I carry an emergency copy of Pride and Prejudice on my phone along with Persuasion.

In summary, I have noticed that Jillian, Laura and I went through a similar INSPIRATION: Observation phase. Laura re-watched all of the Pride and Prejudice films and Jillian must have watched many films to be able to select particular clips to convey her idea. My inspiration deepened by re-watching westerns and beach movies of the 60s.

Guylaine Couture’s answer is shorter this time but made me reflect on my process no less.

You are continuing your stage of research and it is expanding, so probably the subject of your book will become clearer. Especially as you share your memories and aspects of your personal life with us.

Interestingly, unlike you, I don't push my research towards other artists' books that work on the same subject. I'm probably missing something. As my own process is started, I look at ways to make a book in a broad sense. I don't have any knowledge of bookbinding, my structures are often creations that are not in the norm and I like to keep it that way. I don't invent anything, I make my books my way with all their flaws and some qualities, I hope.

Since you are talking about visual research, I am presenting you with pictures of the process for my book "The territory of the weeds". Research photos and a print/collage that I tested afterwards. I did a lot of observation in urban textures to make prints on paper that I then used in the collage. A way of doing that I reused later in other books.

What I find interesting in this exchange is that we work a little in the same way and also not at all in the same way. I love it!

© 2022 Guylaine Couture. "The territory of the weeds" research photos .

*© 2011 Guylaine Couture. "*The territory of the weeds", a test for print/collage.

Next month, the discussion will culminate with the moment of insight when my mind identifies a potential solution to my idea/subject. As long as people recollect, dreams never die. As long as people dream, life continues.

Creative Process: INSPIRATION (Preparation)

February 28, 2022

Last February, I talked about the creative process and its distinct phases. Thanks for your interest and support. Join me as I begin describing my experience in developing each stage. Come on, rattle your dags, and let’s get going!

INSPIRATION, Preparation

Absorbing knowledge, experience, insight and context for an imaginative idea. Brainstorming and gathering raw material and data to interpret a “vision” in which an image, a sight, a sound… can be articulated in the mind.

This first stage of the creative process is where I define the need, desire, or problem, and collect generic data. It's a time for me to completely immerse myself in a particular subject — this for me is an ethereal phase!

I typically need to feel passionate about a project for the finished product to be successful. I gather and absorb as much raw material as possible to allow the information to enter my subconscious and stimulate the sentiment I want to express. This might be the reason why each artists' book demands a lengthy period of time to develop. Drawing on personal memories can be exhausting, especially going back numerous years. Though, it is enjoyable to grasp the personal growth one goes through during the progression of an art project.

I also need to discern the tools I utilize to accomplish the desired look and feel of my books. I have enjoyed photography and collage for a long time, and my digital camera is the accessory to this art medium. So, it’s no surprise that Photoshop has been my creative tool of choice. The software permits the exploration of ideas without constriction or boundaries. I can easily blend reality with fantasy by retouching, editing or transforming photos — composites — to capture my imagination.

Another tool I implement to explore my recollections includes surfing the internet to brainstorm ideas. Conversations are also a good device to get insight and to inculcate in my consciousness the many aspects of a theme.

In late 2021, I was delighted to be indeed inspired again. The idea didn’t merely and suddenly light up in my head. It all began from the premise that the last two years have been challenging for us all. I profoundly missed the personal contact with friends and family, especially my elderly mom back in Canada. Loneliness set in and caused one of the longest slumps ever felt in my art career. I wanted to feel the normality of life, the joy, the freedom… again. The only way for me to explore all those feelings, was to be nostalgic. The past made me reflect, and the farther back I went, the more events and memories of innocent times permeated my dreams and my life…

© 2020 Louise Levergneux. Be happy when you think about a good memory. That’s as simple as it gets: ***Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.*** *— Dr. Seuss*

In 1968, I was fourteen with quiet and gentle innocence. I was struck with the winds of love. A teenage crush caused my heart to beat a little faster. Reminiscing and taking into consideration any reality or object of an irrational or foolish attachment — I got creative. I began to interpret a vision of the project.

My mind was going many miles per hour, and thoughts enveloped me for days. For me, this is part of the process. The word infatuation came to mind and encompassed my every thought as I grasped how lovely it was to have been fourteen and discovering the opposite sex.

Looking back at my youth and reminiscing of the time when I became aware of my sensuality, brought me back to happier times. Who could have made my heart beat faster?

My connection to the years 1965-1973 was getting stronger. With photography being the base of my art, I suddenly embraced the need to look into my family albums. The photographs illustrated my youth and innocence!

Thanks to the internet, I started searching for movies and TV shows predominantly of that period. While going down the rabbit hole of the Internet, I was presented with celebrity idols I pined over throughout high school with my girlfriends. This task helped to rekindle that flame that flickers in the hearts of teenagers for celebrity idols and songs during a special period of life.

This phase lasted a few weeks as I revelled in “puppy-love.” Stay tuned for the observation phase where I start to explore some themes as I continue the discussion on the INSPIRATION-Observastion Phase. The topic will get more concrete.

Guylaine Couture and I have enjoyed our conversation on the “Creative Process”. With that in mind, here is Guylaine’s response to my INSPIRATION-Preparation post:

The book begins. First there is the choice of subject, something that inspires and interests us to spend time on. Your word "infatuation" is very well chosen. For my part, I always work on several projects at the same time, a limited edition book and an artist's book. They move at different speeds. I like this way of working. When I think about one, I technically work on the other.

I see that you started your research on your feelings, but that you have now extended it to the TV shows of the time, the atmosphere, etc. It's super interesting.

Like you, the pandemic brought me back to my memories. In my case, I even moved to the region of my childhood. This downtime allowed us to reflect and sometimes brought us back to periods of our lives that we had forgotten.

© 2022 Guylaine Couture. Guylaine’s collection of articles she read as she developed her ideas.

In the creative process, the first step is that of research in the broad sense: looking everywhere, drawing, making connections, finding inspirations or old ideas that we would like to try, etc. This portion of the work can be more or less time consuming, but it is essential to have all the cards, possibilities and options in hand before making any choices. I try to be very open-minded throughout the process especially at this stage. I do things, I build structures, I read, I write down my ideas or draw them. When they're on paper, my brain is free to continue searching.

© 2022 Guylaine Couture. Here are some of Guylaine’s print tests.

I am currently finalizing a book on consciousness. I have read a large number of scientific articles on the subject, (…step 1). So many, that I didn’t know where to start or what I wanted to say. The core had been an article on the consciousness of pigs. For me, that had to be the heart of the book. Finally, after careful consideration, it won’t even be in the final version.

Consequently, each book is different and has its own life. My intention is always the same, to sensitize people through the artist's book format on a subject that challenges me.

© 2021 Louise Levergneux. Don’t be shy, stay connected during the holidays.

Holiday Creativity

December 24, 2021

While formulating the conclusion of my “Struggle with Creativity” post, it came to me... I needed to escape this world full of rules and regulations... something from the past was required to study myself in the present. The most suitable option to awaken my creative expression, was to go way back in time… I focused upon a phase in my youth — a teenager with a celebrity crush — a crazy love.

I started investigating an idea with a working title « Infatuation ». Where does an artist begin to explain or represent an ephemeral idea, a feeling from so many years ago?

I’ve been exploring my subject of choice, going deep down in the rabbit hole of the internet and enjoying every moment!

Through my searches on the subject of “Infatuation,” I discovered a 2003 official music video of Rod Stewart entitled Infatuation.

After a conversation on my new idea, my friend Vera suggested I check Julian McDonald’s website. Julian explored the subject of crazy love in her own incredible videos. My favourite is Me and Billy Bob.

As I pursue my journey investigating the topic of infatuation into the new year, I would love to hear from you on this subject since I have not yet discovered an artists’ book on representing infatuation.

Have you ever discovered an artists’ book on the theme infatuation? What was the structure of choice? How did the content versus context manifest itself within the subject matter?

© 2021 Louise Levergneux. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

May the holiday season bring you joy, peace and prosperity in the new year… life is being creative and merry!

The Process of Creativity

December 1, 2021

I appreciated all your personal messages in response to my last blog post “Struggle with Creativity.” You took the time to follow and respond, this made me smile, thank you.

Guylaine Couture, an artist friend in Magog, Québec, mentioned I should relax, have fun, and to “go with the flow.” With my personality, the process of creativity has always been a bit difficult. You see, I’m impatient! I dream an idea, I plan, and I finish a book in early morning dreams. It is so completed in my mind’s eye. I want to perceive it as published NOW! Why not?

© 1978 Fred Maheux (artist collection). After my meaningful discussion with Guylaine, I decided to go through the family albums and reminisce on my creative process.

These comments nudged me just enough for the mind to wonder and transport my thoughts back to simpler times. When I studied with Fred Maheux, my mentor some 43 years ago, learning the process of creativity was fun and exciting. We were four artists who met weekly to discuss our respective daily sketches. We would choose the best drawing, then develop the idea during the next week. Our subsequent meeting was to discuss the best way to produce our final piece. The interaction, the discussions, and sometimes a change in direction inevitably presented me with the joy of the process and its development...

© 1979 Louise Levergneux. This drawing and watercolour were inspired by a Pinto Bean which Fred brought in the studio for an incentive.

© 1979 Louise Levergneux. The following item brought in the studio for discussion was a cross. One sketch out of many, the result is the final watercolour on the right. (sorry it's not clear, it’s from an old slide)

© 1979 Louise Levergneux. Drawing and final watercolour of a self-portrait.

After some discussion, Guylaine sent me her creative process to share with you, my readers.

Je suis passionnée par le processus créatif depuis des années. J’ai essayé toutes sortes de démarche, d’exercices, par moi-même et avec mes étudiants.

En graphisme, mon principal métier au départ, il faut être créatif sur commande, répondre au client. Comme artiste cela change bien sûr, mais le processus reste le même. Je pourrais vous en parler longtemps.

Maintenant que je suis une artiste à temps plein, je me fais un devoir de toujours pratiquer même et surtout quand l’inspiration n’y est pas. Tout devient prétexte à essayer des choses : des défis en ligne, des collages dans mes cahiers, des cartes ou autres courts projets qui ne demandent pas trop de réflexion. Ça peut être d’aller sketcher quelque part, il faut retrouver le plaisir de faire. En profiter pour sortir de sa zone de confort, de nos automatismes et de délaisser les écrans.

J’aime bien dire qu’en créativité, la quantité est plus importante que la qualité. Si vous faites bien vos devoirs, la qualité sera quelque part dans la quantité d’essais, de recherche, de tests que vous aurez faits. La valeur ajoutée est que dans cette pratique vous aurez appris des choses, c’est inévitable.

Avoir des débuts de projets n’est pas un échec, c’est de la recherche. Ces idées n’aboutissent pas? Ça fait parti du processus, ça nourrit notre pratique même si on ne les termine pas.

Dans les périodes un peu creuses, il faut visiter des expos, prendre le temps de regarder des livres d’art qu’on a acheté et qu’on n’a jamais vraiment regardé. Il faut nourrir l’inconscient de l’artiste que nous sommes.

Ne pas avoir d’attente, ne pas vouloir absolument trouver, accepter l’échec est sans doute la chose la plus difficile à intégrer dans une pratique artistique. Suivre la vague… Guylaine Couture

I have been passionate about the creative process for years. I have attempted all kinds of approaches and exercises, by myself and with my students.

In graphic design, which was my main profession, you have to be creative on command, to respond to the client. As an artist this changes of course, but the process remains the same. I could go on and on.

Now that I am a full-time artist, I make it a point to always practice even and especially when inspiration is not there. Everything becomes an excuse to investigate things: online challenges, collages in my notebooks, cards or other short projects that don’t require too much thought. It could be sketching somewhere, one must rediscover the pleasure of doing. The idea is to embrace the opportunity to get out of our comfort zone, of our automatisms, and to abandon screens.

I like to say that in creativity, quantity is more important than quality. If you do your homework well, the quality will be somewhere in the quantity of trials, research, and tests that you will have carried out. The added value is that while practicing you will have learned things — that is inevitable.

Having the beginnings of projects is not a failure; it is research. These ideas don’t come to fruition? It’s part of the process, and it feeds our practice.

In the slow periods, you have to visit exhibitions, take the time to look at art books bought and that you have never really looked at. We must feed the unconscious artist that we are.

Not having expectations, not absolutely wanting to find, accepting failure is arguably the hardest thing to integrate into an artistic practice. Follow the vibe... Guylaine Couture

© 2021 Guylaine Couture. Book made in spring 2021 — "Interest & exchange in the dirt." Guylaine did a lot of experience in printing. Also seen in the next two photos.

© 2021 Guylaine Couture. Guylaine wanted to print from a carton box of milk and then tried all kinds of vegetables directly on her press to see the textures she could get out of it for her book "Interest & exchange in the dirt."

© 2021 Guylaine Couture. Always for the same book "Interest & exchange in the dirt" , Guylaine tried to make paper threads following a technique discovered on the internet.

© 2021 Guylaine Couture. "The Detailed Correspondence", book created in the summer of 2021. Guylaine wanted to make a series of false stamps by trying various ways of doing them since she had a few colours and 25 copies to make. With some testing here and there, Guylaine finally used a gelli plate with acrylic.

© 2021 Guylaine Couture. For Guylaine’s last book "4 seconds" made in the summer of 2021, she tried drawing, sketching, collage and salvaging old prints. The result is quite interesting.

© 2021 Guylaine Couture. More drawing, sketching, collage and salvaging old prints for "4 seconds."

The correspondence received from my previous post inspired my thoughts and ideas. The nudge is what I needed. As a result, next month, I will outline the fun I’m having with my research on what might be a new project. Many thanks again for your comments, while I share my curiosity of my art world.

Book Arts News

September 1, 2021

Enjoy the new look of my Email Campaigns!

How are you all doing, after such a scorching summer (especially here in Arizona)? I’m looking forward to Fall with its cooler weather. I have been busy nesting more than producing artists’ books. My mind is cogitating on new ideas while my body is recovering from heat intolerance!

2021 © Louise Levergneux. Fishhook Barrel Cactus photographed in the resort where I live in Apache Junction, Arizona. It is a very prevalent in Arizona. Barrel Cactus (different types) are round, squat cacti that can live as long as 130 years. The most interesting fact about this cactus is that is often leans towards the southwest, so it can be used as a compass of sorts if you’re stranded in the middle of the desert.

The last few weeks I re-evaluated internet services, softwares, hours spent preparing posts, writing... This administrivia will make work flow better and less time consumed on managing different accounts and passwords. Those little tasks take so much time, but need to be done.

So, with all the nesting in our tiny home/studio, painting walls, cabinets, doors... I was able to achieve a home like feel to our small abode. This type of work which I have not done in long time triggered many memories. I enjoyed it, and I’m sure it will bring a fresh point of view and creativity for my next book with the working title “Secrets,” after the frenzy settles down.

Receiving news (links below) from galleries and museums through the month is uplifting. Many thanks, great work!

How can you not be excited by shows at 23 Sandy Gallery. The last exhibition through November 20, 2021, had many fantastic works. The International Juried Exhibition of Book Arts is entitled UNSEEN and is on view at the gallery form & concept. When imperceptible phenomena burst into view, revolutionary changes may follow. We learned this in 2020, as an invisible but deadly virus spread across the world, an urgent racial justice movement illuminated dark societal realities, and humanity’s long-simmering crimes against the environment unleashed fires and floods. Unseen forces can shape our lives and surface in unexpected ways, often altering our behaviors and worldviews if and when we are made aware of them. This exhibition explores the idea of the “unseen”—physically, psychologically, and philosophically.

Artist's Books Unshelved is an ongoing video series exploring selected pieces from the Cynthia Sears Artist’s Books Collection at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art.

I love seeing emails from Robert Bolick in my inbox — it typically means goodies for the eyes and mind. Robert Bolick curates Books On Books Collection.

John Cutrone, Director of the Jaffe Center for Book Arts at Florida Atlantic University Libraries, is curator of the Jaffe Collection, and host for Book Arts 101 : Home Edition. John unpacks new items for the JCBA's permanent collection on each episode. These episodes can also be viewed at JCBA's Vimeo Channel.

I love reading blog posts written by artists. I equally enjoy receiving news on newly produced works.

If you are looking for a bit of humour, Big Jump Press blog written by Sarah Bryant is always encouraging.

I enjoy receiving news from Magog, Québec, through the blog of Guylaine Couture. You can also view her most recent book “Interest & exchange in the dirt,“ part of the exhibition UNSEEN.

Check out Cathryn Miller’s blog to follow what Byopia Press is teaching us these days.

2021 © Amandine Nabarra. The last Breath

Amandine Nabarra’s blog presents us with her sensitive, well designed artists’ books.

2021 © Thomas Parker Williams. Two Moons, published by Thomas; text and poetry selection by Mary Agnes Williams.

If conceptual sources from the theme of mathematics, music, literature, theology, philosophy, astronomy, history, natural sciences, architecture, and Eastern thought are of interest, view Thomas Parker Williams artists’ books.

Read more on Philip Zimmermann’s recent artists’ book Delirium and watch this short video.

Let's not forget Helen Hiebert and her superbly, well-informed posts on papermaking. Helen Hiebert video — All About Helen Hiebert Studio.

And last but no least, reading information coming from the BOOK_ARTS-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU can be eye opening. Sara Halpert, Museum Manager at The Printing Museum in Carson, California, compiled THE ULTIMATE PRINTING MAP where you can examine local places of interest in your corner of the world.

Videos that are part of this post are viewable only on my website!

Need to get back to work and read more news coming via email. Thanks for keeping me informed. Oh! By the way, Let me say that working with Squarespace’s Email Campaign feature is so much easier than Mailchimp. What has been your experience?

© 2021 Louise Levergneux. Another milestone, another sunset!

Accomplishments and More Tools and Equipment

July 1, 2021

I completed another milestone in my studio — I think it’s now an 1/8 Measure Studio. But even in this compact space, I ultimately completed the edition of eight copies of my project Surveillance. This with the help of two very conscientious artists.

© 2021 Louise Levergneux. The last three copies of Surveillance available.

It was quite the process! Natalie Freed, electronics expert in Texas, was responsible for the realization of my creative thoughts back in 2018. Unable to work on the electronics to finish the last four copies due to other priorities, Natalie passed on the assembly documentation and purchased all the necessary materials to be completed by another artist. The materials, included: microcontrollers, amplifiers, tiny potentiometers to adjust the audio volume, mini speakers, sliding switches, silicone wires, breadboards, cameras, circuit boards, and a LED lights. I’m glad someone else was doing the electronics. The list above is a world of unknown to me and I’m thankful Natalie was able to see what I was dreaming of.

Once the materials were purchased, coded and programmed, all was shipped to me in Arizona. At this point my part was to drill bigger holes in the cameras to receive longer screws for securing the cameras to the covers. Once again the bindings, cameras, and all the materials, were shipped this time to Thomas Parker Williams in Pennsylvania — who responded to my query for help with the project. He took responsibility for completing the electronics with excellent assembly documentation from Natalie. Since Thomas was extremely fast and efficient, my books were shipped one last time to me; then came the phase of me positioning the tunnel book, the cover image, and the colophon in each binding. Presently, three copies are ready for a new home.

© 2021 Louise Levergneux. One copy of Surveillance was on order from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, since last April. .

© 2021 Louise Levergneux. Hazel & Violet Letterpress Printers located in the renovated Braggs Pie Factory building on Historic Grand Avenue of Phoenix has a whimsical facade. Grand Avenue has never lost its genuine appeal due to the many interesting vintage buildings that create a gritty boulevard, connecting the edge of downtown with points west.

Since my last post I have re-examined my equipment to work productively. I pride myself in keeping a smaller footprint in life and decided I should also keep my tools at a minimum. I will be able to produce my books through my manual methods and when bigger equipment is needed I can communicate with contacts and artists I have met virtually or in person.

Philip Zimmermann suggested I contact Nancy Hill of Hazel & Violet Letterpress Printers in Phoenix for the use of a cutter.

© 2021 Louise Levergneux. Hazel & Violet Letterpress Printers in Phoenix, many metal and wood type cabinets.

© 2021 Louise Levergneux. Nancy Hill demontrating a press at Hazel & Violet Letterpress Printers.

I took the opportunity to visit with Nancy and tour the letterpress studio in June. Hazel & Violet — a letterpress studio, teaching facility, and commercial print shop on Historic Grand Avenue is open-to-the-public. Nancy Hill prints custom stationery, business cards, coasters, invitations, and broadsides. Eric Lindquist (runs the Heidelberg) and Michael C. Leeder both print mostly the commercial work. Michael is also involved in Forest and Third Friday nights Showing folks how to print and make free posters.

© 2021 Louise Levergneux. Some of the work printed at Hazel & Violet Letterpress Printers.

In addition they have a print-time rental space for a nominal fee — $20.00 per person with a two-hour minimum. The space is furnished with wonderful equipment (not all available for rent) a Chandler & Price (10 X15 NS – 1922), a Heidelberg T-Platen Windmill (1967), a Potter Proof Press (1925), a Reprex (1965), and a Long-Master Showcard Press (1980).

© 2021 Louise Levergneux. Quality handmade work, Hazel & Violet Letterpress Printers.

© 2021 Louise Levergneux. Nancy has an interest in ampersands.

In the artists’ book community, one can invariably discover someone who is invaluable and friendly.

If you missed Mark Wangberg comment on my post “Tools and Equipment,” I think you will find his creative tools and equipment making interesting.

I am in a remote area of Peru (Iquitos) with very limited access to equipment easily obtained in the USA. I brought a small Kutrimmer (14" cut) from the US and use it to cut board and papers. I also do some cutting by hand and appreciated seeing your setup for that! I rarely do editions these days, so I'm not usually cutting a lot of board by hand. I'd LOVE to have a larger Kutrimmer or board shear but have not found any available here. I may end up having a machine shop make one for me! For now, I know some printers who will cut paper to precise sizes with big electric cutters — if I need real precision. A trick I learned for cutting paper to larger sizes accurately was folding the paper into quarters and then cutting with the Kutrimmer — good for some of the origami type folds I use in making books.

For my own marbling & teaching I have made most of my tools (combs and rakes) using wood, stiff corrugated plastic and T-pins and nails or screws. I push the T-pins at regular 1/4" intervals through the stiff plastic and then duct tape over the top of the T. These make a lightweight and waterproof comb for nonpareil. The combs are made with lengths of 1" x 2" wood with screws usually spaced two" apart. Thin plywood can also be used. These tools can be made to fit whatever size tank I'm using. I usually marble paper that is 12"x18" and use tanks that are a few inches wider and longer. These tanks are flexible plastic storage boxes usually sold in hardware stores (used to store clothing, etc.). Most have convenient lids when leaving the carrageenan or methyl cellulose bath sitting overnight, thus preventing dust from getting into the bath. I like using the clear plastic tanks because I can put a piece of white paper under them so the marbling colors show accurately. Dark tanks make it hard to see the colors as they float on the surface. Some people use glass tanks too. My plastic ones are usually about three or 4 inches deep, but I only put about one inch of the liquid bath in the tanks. For traveling to remote locations, I make "tanks" using four pieces of 2x2" wood, 20x14" in length, then drape heavy clear plastic (like a table covering) so that the plastic lowers into the rectangle. The wooden rectangle doesn't need to be attached like a frame with screws or nails, though it will steady the setup for rowdy kids! Sometimes I use pushpins to hold the plastic in place while working.

© 2021 Louise Levergneux. Over 100 DVD’s to copy to a 1TB LaCie SDD Drive. My New drive is the little gray box on the bottom left!

Like many hats an artist wears, the administrivia part is the worst! This is what I’m dealing with for the next week. Again smaller footprint, smaller space, less DVD’s. I purchased a 1TB LaCie SDD Drive for storing all photos and artists’ book information, work template, statements...

Doing Business

April 1, 2021

I have discussed the subject of doing business a few times on my blog since 2016. In a changing world and reaching retirement age (I dare to talk about it!), revisiting the impact of producing artists’ books and continuing business during this period of my life seemed important. Warning! If you don’t like reading, this post is a long one, but its content might elevate your spirit.

With the unset of the pandemic, most of us were hibernating and deciding to head into our studios and focus on producing new work. For me, the lockdown allowed peaceful time to produce and enjoy my teeny weeny studio in our travel trailer while confined in Arizona at the end of March 2020. After a summer of 55 plus days in 46°C (115°F) and Covid’s long-term existence, we decided to purchase a modest home. This current phase assists my husband and I to be safe, execute our work, and not worry about baking in the sun!

© 2021 Louise Levergneux. Tools of the trade.

Covid presented many economic challenges for us all. Understanding the dilemma of maintaining a profitable business during these tumultuous times was insightful. I asked myself many questions — Why do I produce artists' books? — Is it the desire to express my thoughts, produce something of value, establish a business, or is it absolute joy? Can I manage the necessary materials? Am I destined to accumulate an inventory instead of a sellable product? How do I continue the promotion and distribution of artists' books? How will the libraries actively collect, while closed? Do I stop publishing? Is this a wake-up-call, flagging the end of a career? ...

I was surprised to receive an email through the BookListServ with the subject: Keeping Business Going by John Cutrone. I appreciated someone bringing this matter to the forefront. I responded directly to John’s query as we contemplated the subject together. We both waited for some feedback from other artists on sharing their dilemmas of doing business on the BookListServ. We were both fascinated with the lack of reaction.

In my email to John, I mentioned my struggle to send a prospectus to library contacts at this time. Ultimately, with an optimistic attitude I emailed contacts identifying the sensitivity in which I was sending my prospectus of recent artists’ books created in 2020-2021.

After a couple of days, John responded to my struggle through the BookListServ:

Thank you to Louise Levergneux for the artist-as-businessperson perspective; I appreciate that! I'm going to switch hats from Convivio Bookworks proprietor to Jaffe Center for Book Arts director and say that I don't think that book artists need feel guilty about sending out prospectuses and sales attempts during this pandemic time. For us at the Jaffe Center, we never get an acquisitions budget––we are part of a state university system that is constantly dealing with budget cuts handed down from the state legislature and one of the things to go, back in 2008 or so, was the annual acquisitions budget for Special Collections. Once gone, it never came back. And that's why we have an annual pie sale and other fundraisers.

Thanks to that pie sale and workshops and other perhaps unorthodox methods we've developed to raise money, I am able to buy books and prints from book artists (including many of you on this list), and I was able to do so even when things were looking bleak last spring and summer. I can't ever buy expensive pieces, but I can afford to purchase pieces that are up to a few hundred dollars, and I think supporting artists on a transactional basis like this makes an impact.

So how do you get attention from library collections without in-person events like CODEX these days? Direct mail to collections may not be the best way to go right now. Many, like the Jaffe, are not currently open, so a prospectus sent to a physical library address may go unanswered for weeks or even months. At the same time, emails are easily lost in the avalanche of emails received daily.

I think you have to be persistent if you want to sell your work to collections right now. Emails should be short and sweet, something that can be easily grasped in a few seconds. And while I don't have time to keep up with every contact I follow on Instagram and Facebook, I have made purchases for the Jaffe Collection through these means if something catches my eye there and the moment is right.

Again, I don't know if talking Book Arts as Business is helping anyone on this list (perhaps Louise Levergneux––again, thank you for your response, Louise) but I am hoping it provides some help to some.

Consequently, with no reaction to John’s messages, I wanted to grasp how my colleagues were continuing doing business. I decided to communicate directly with them and find out for myself.

Here is what emerged from my query: in the past year, many artists remained hard at work, creating books or trying to redefine their careers to survive by focusing on professional development instead of marketing and promotion. Like me, some took time to investigate their own careers and rethink how best to distribute their work. Others contemplated their future by wanting to do less production work, and set aside more time for their own art or binding.

The current world situation had a huge effect on everyone, but I found most of them experienced a surprisingly reasonably good financial year in terms of sales, productivity, and online teaching. On the subject of promotion and distribution, a few confessed being terrible at it and use dealers to promote their artists’ books and were fortunate to be able to focus on the creative side. For some, it was time to organize their studio and find pleasure in writing.

Others had to establish life changing decisions such as Yamandu Ploskonka in Texas:

Overload causes burnout. In 2015, I had a business, successful Kickstarter, with many orders, even wholesale purchases. Becoming a papermaker in 2016 was healing, sinking wholeheartedly into pulp and creativity. But, 2020? Yes, I had a couple to five big fabulous projects. For me, that’s nothing, eight is about normal, yeah! But the emotional overload of day by day things seemed to get worse, even scarier. Stupid divisiveness all around, people acting nasty totally on purpose. Everything I did was slow-motion, if at all... It took me until this April to complete projects and finish reporting on cancelled ones because I just wasn’t able to cope, to focus, to admit failure. My response? Take a break, before I break... I sold my paper studio; key-in-hand, et « bon débarras »! Yes, I did cry. Not much, don’t worry. Then, stiff upper lip, new life. I’m keeping the wife and dog.

© 2021 Yamanda Ploskonka. Yama’s paper studio in Austin, Texas.

The lockdowns affected the research and writing of Robert Bolick, collector/writer of Books On Books. Robert was no longer able to go into the Oxford and London libraries’ and museums’ reading rooms to examine book art. Not being able to travel to exhibitions, he became a bit more adept at online research but found the process didn’t replace examining and handling works on site. At least delivery services allowed his collection to continue growing. Good luck in your endeavours Robert!

© 2021 Karen Hanmer. Karen’s online teaching set-up in her Glenview, Illinois studio.

Karen Hanmer took a different approach to continue her strong art business with online options:

Like many of us, my studio practice is varied, including small editions of artists’ books, larger editions of inexpensive multiples, design binding, bookbinding instructional materials, workshops and private instruction on a wide variety of book arts topics, and maintaining numerous informal mentoring relationships. Last March, I could have told you what I’d be doing every week of the year, and was even doing some preliminary planning for 2021. A month later all these plans had evaporated.

I'd finished an editioned artists' book in the fall of 2019, and had just completed the first phase of promoting it: emails to current collectors. Normally in the fall I'd send fliers and a follow-up email to a larger group of librarians and practitioners. Since many of those individuals are working from home I made the decision to postpone that a year. I would have to draw income from a different aspect of my practice.

By April conservator friends were contacting me for instructional materials for professional development projects for themselves and their labmates during the stay-at-home. It became obvious that there was demand for resources to keep both professionals and hobbyists occupied under lockdown.

A venue where I was scheduled to teach in person in June 2020 asked if I would be willing to move the workshop online. It was something I had not done before, and neither had they, so we shared in the research and figured how to do it together. This gave me the confidence to plan a full schedule of online workshops that I'd host myself from my studio. I was fortunate to get started several months earlier than many book arts centers began offering online instruction. Since May I've hosted over 200 students from four continents and nine countries for workshops and private instruction.

I've revised and expanded many of my handouts to make them more usable without the workshop sessions, and posted them for sale in my online store. I was already offering some of my workshop demo books on Etsy, but I moved them over to the Square store so all my instructional materials would be grouped together. I have turned one of my workshops into a self-guided tutorial plus supply kit, and am considering developing additional offerings.

© 2019 Helen Hiebert. Helen teaching in her Red Cliff Studio in Colorado.

Helen Hiebert was able to continue her activities during the pandemic and maintain her business successfully through her actions and decision making:

I launched my first in person Master Class in October 2019. Four spots filled immediately, so I opened and filled a second session. My in person Red Cliff Paper Retreat was also well on its way to being full. All three events were scheduled for summer/fall 2020 and had to be cancelled when Covid-19 struck.

I feel fortunate, because I’ve been teaching online since 2017. I pivoted quickly and set up a new 8-week online class for the summer. The timing was good, since my clientele were stuck at home and looking for things to do, and I already had an online following. I had a great turnout and was able to recoup a good part of that lost income. I also received Pandemic Unemployment Insurance. I was already planning on turning a printed calendar that features a how-to paper project each month called The Paper Year into a membership club, which I launched in January 2021. That went well and my annual Weave Through Winter (30 days of paper weaving) online class had a record number of students in Feb/Mar 2021.

Artist book sales have been slow. I have relied on dealers for the past few years and my last sale through a dealer was in March 2020. I have my own list of collectors and have sold to books myself when traveling. I sent an e-mail in the fall and made one sale of two higher priced books. I also started working with a new dealer recently and she just sold two higher priced books. I also reached out to one collector who had expressed interest in a particular book and she purchased it. And recently two new collectors have purchased books they saw on my website. Still, my artist book sales are about 25% of what they’ve been in the past.

I send a monthly newsletter, write a weekly blog, produce a monthly podcast featuring paper artists, and am active on Facebook and Instagram. I recently started something called The Paper Advisor, which is like a free mini-class, which is a lovely community and has resulted in newsletter subscribers.

© 2017 Sarah Connors. Andrew Huot teaching at the Campbell Center for Historic Preservation Studies in Illinois.

Andrew Huot kept his business afloat during the past year by concentrating on one part of his practice:

My book arts practice, and my living, is split amongst three interests. I make Artists’ Books and sell them to libraries and individuals, I own Big River Bindery, a conservation and bookbinding business, and I teach, both at the university level and in workshops. When everything closed down in March of last year, I was actually out of town teaching a workshop in Idaho. In the past year making and editioning artwork has fallen to the back, so that I could concentrate on keeping my business and family afloat. I closed the doors for three months, as I tried to complete projects already in the shop and to plan to keep things going. I shouldn’t have worried, as I kept getting calls from those stuck at home, finding old family treasures deciding that they needed repair. I opened the doors again in June and have had a steady stream of new projects coming in. One piece of work that stopped altogether was prop work for the local movie industry. Once the filming stopped, the need for custom books for the movies came to a halt. Just this last week the calls started coming back in. My 2020 classes at book arts centers were cancelled as most of the venues closed their doors. I decided to explore the opportunities from afar, and came together with some colleagues to form bookpaperthread.com, an online format for book and paper arts instruction, relying on recorded lessons and live meetings to allow students to work at their own schedule, while staying safe at home. The interest and registrations have been building over the last six months, and we hope to continue in the future. I hope as things settle down, and we’re able to travel more, my in-person teaching will come back, the conservation work will go back to a reasonable level, and I can get back to making artwork and visiting libraries to sell it.

© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Monique Lallier teaching me how to execute a Drumleaf binding at her studio in North Carolina.

The pandemic didn’t change Monique Lallier and Don Etherington’s schedule with a prosperous studio space at home:

We had commissions that kept coming, and we had more quiet time to work, being undisturbed by visitors. But we missed seeing friends and family as I was, and still not able to go to Montréal. I maintain a website, but most of my clients are collectors and they choose the binder in relation to the book that they want to be bound. Both of us are approaching the end of our careers, so we didn’t have the urgency to find new customers.

© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Thomas Parker Williams in his studio in Philadelphia.

Thomas Parker Williams and Mary Agnes Williams who live in the Manayunk section of Philadelphia took the last year to create:

During 2020 we certainly missed seeing collectors and fellow book artists at the various book fairs where we usually show our work. We would have shown at three book fairs last year, but were able to do only the Manhattan Fine Press Book Fair in March, right before everything shut down. Because people were starting to be concerned, there were fewer potential customers at that fair, and we sold only one work. Shortly before that fair we had produced a brochure with descriptions and images of work currently available, and mailed it to librarians and previous collectors. We received some interest via email from this mailing. We are fortunate that our studio is in our house. We have used this time to make a major unique book with sixty-eight original drawings, as well as an editioned one, and are now working on a third. We have sold a few books through our dealers and we are hoping that the two fairs planned for the fall of 2021 will take place.

© 2019 Louise Levergneux. Sarah Pike at FreeFall Laser, discussing the details for my book Surveillance.

As artists, we often need the support of various services to complete our work. How did they adapt during these strange times? Sarah Pike from FreeFall Laser was able to stay positive and find new opportunities:

As an artist and owner of FreeFall Laser, a laser-cutting service for artists and bookbinders, this past year has found me bouncing back and forth between feeling like nothing has changed, and needing to be proactive about adapting to continual change. My day-to-day looks much the same as it did before the pandemic. I’m grateful to have chosen a business model that’s not reliant on local business. I’ve been able to keep going because I was already working remotely with many clients.

That said, one of my important revenue streams, Laser Cutting Boot Camp — an in-person laser cutting training — was in jeopardy due to the pandemic. It was painful to refund all that tuition when I had to cancel the in-person training. But I’ve adapted by creating an online version that actually has many benefits over the in-person model. Not only can people who can’t afford the time or travel costs participate in the online class; but the new online five-week course, versus the condensed in-person four-day course, gives people time to better absorb the information.

I’ve also had to adapt to not being able to connect with future clients through conferences and studio visits. This has led me to step up my email campaigns and stay consistent with my monthly newsletter. I’m seeing how my marketing efforts of the past few years are paying off.

Pandemic or no-pandemic, I’ve found that owning a creative business requires a combination of being proactive, adaptable, and having faith. My efforts don’t always reap immediate results or take the exact form I was expecting, but I’ve learned that opportunities arise when I’m willing to try new things and stay open to positive outcomes.

I reached out to Vicky Stewart in Alabama to see how Vamp & Tramp, Booksellers, LLC was fairing:

Like all businesses, we have been affected by the pandemic shutdown. Most of this was due to collection budgets being cut or put on hold because of costs related to COVID. We were fortunate because due to long-time relationships with collections we continued to get purchase orders. We do maintain a web site, and try to take advantage of social media such as tik-tok and Instagram. We began zoom meetings in the fall as an alternative to on-site visits. We continue to represent artists as best we can through these different media. No matter the method, the best way to sell work is to know your audience. We try to understand the collecting criteria of our customers and show the work that best fits that collection – whether in a zoom call, an on-site visit, or a furnished list.

As for me, appreciating the many obstacles that stood in the way of libraries collecting artists’ books, I sold six artists’ books, some at the beginning of 2020 before the pandemic and some at the end of the year. Last February, leaving guilt aside, I made the plunge and emailed a prospectus of my recent book « Surveillance » . To my surprise, two days after sending off the email, the first four copies of « Surveillance » found new homes. Thank you to the Miller Library of Colby College; the Baylor Book Arts Collection of Baylor University Libraries; the Bruce Peel Special Collections of the University of Alberta; and the Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections, Walter Clinton Jackson Library of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro for their support.

© 2021 Louise Levergneux. The inside of my tunnel book Surveillance.

With all that said, people expressed an interest in the topic of keeping afloat with a business during the pandemic and were most appreciative of John’s exchange on sharing strategies. While the world may be upside-down at the moment, artists found a way to pursue their passion. Now, libraries are opening their doors; collectors are seeking artists to commission special bindings, and exhibition deadlines are on the rise. I guess, one might say we are back in business!

© 2021 Louise Levergneux. Cactus in bloom in Apache Junction bringing a positive view on life.

Thanks for all the encouraging messages and pointing out that my career may be shifting toward a different emphasis instead of ending. There is hope!

Welcome Bienvenue

Hello, my name is Louise Levergneux, I’m a book maker. This blog is where I share and reflect on the approaches and structures used in my creative process, artists' books, photography. and more...

Your comments and stories are welcome.

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