© 2006 Louise Levergneux. City Shields, volume US4: No2 New Mexico

Minneapolis, Minnesota

October 28, 2018

Five years ago on my way back home, I visited Minneapolis, Minnesota. At the time Jeff Rathermel was Executive Director of the Minnesota Center for Book Arts in Minneapolis. I took the time to drop by and view the exhibition Directed: The Intersection of Book, Film and Visual Narrative exhibition. I was pleased to participate with my artists’ book Decades Apart in this juried exhibition. Jeff was kind in showing me around the show and the MCBA.

With no knowledge at the time that Kate Burke — a Minneapolis artist who has a recognized career in both public art and painting — was chosen to design manhole covers for the Nicollet Mall in the city.

The Nicollet Mall underwent a redesign by James Corner, designer of the High Line in NYC in 2017. The original manhole covers installed in 1992 were removed, cleaned and reinstalled. Nicollet Mall is comprised of 75 covers with eleven unique designs each cast seven times. The new concrete walkway has an etched leaf, branch and a basket weave design. This is the new home of the manhole covers.

To my surprise, while researching streets on Google Map for City Shields, an on-going project, I noticed a wonderful manhole cover. What dismay! I had overlooked the opportunity to photograph some of the most uniquely designed covers for my series. I was devastated! Researching till I discovered the name of the artist and communicated with Kate Burke and later featured her work on one of my blog posts. It’s been a year ago almost to the day. I visited Minneapolis at the end of September 2018 and walked Nicollet Mall to find most of the manhole covers designed by Kate. I was thrilled! I photographed in late afternoon while walking in the drizzle most of the 13 blocks of Nicollet Mall.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. Haralson Apples, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. The Loon, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. Northern Pike, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. Lady Slippers, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. Wild Rice, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. Corn, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. Oats, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. Norway Pine, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. The Walleye, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. Wheat, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. The Timber Wolf, manhole cover on Nicollet Mall, designed by Kate Burke.

©2018 Michael Sutton. Walking over the famous Walleye on the sidewalks of Nicollet Mall on September 27, 2018.

© 2018 Kate Burke. Norway PIne, manhole cover, when it was first installed, designed by Kate Burke.

© 2018 Kate Burke. Oats, manhole cover when it was first install, designed by Kate Burke.

Have you seen a unique manhole cover lately? If so, where?

Another volume? Not sure, I have other projects I would like to accomplish, but one never knows.

Ottawa, Ontario

October 22, 2018

While being in my home town of Ottawa, Ontario /Gatineau, Québec, there were many people and artist friends to visit. This year I had the opportunity to have a fantastic dinner with artist Adrian Göllner and his wife Joanna Swim, an artist and career Art Educator. We recounted many stories of our previous years and what we have been up to.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. Birds were of interest for me this summer. A Woodpecker visiting at my brother Denis’ cottage in Notre-Dame-du-Laus, Québec.

Adrian has exhibited extensively since 1987 and has received a number of public art commissions. His studio practice concerns the transposition of sound, time and motion into other forms. In 2017, Adrian set himself against famed ornithologist’s John James Audubon’s declaration that he observed 10,000 birds a day for his new project All the Birds I Saw Last Year being exhibited at Central Art Garage through November 02, 2018.

© 2018 Julia Martin. Central Art Garage, Ottawa, Ontario

Göllner’s daily avian observations are exhibited as large illustrated lists from which the viewer can distinguish the increasing dominance of invasive bird species.

© 2018 Julia Martin. Exhibition of All the Birds I saw Last Year by Adrian Göllner — © 2018 Julia Martin. Exhibition of **All the Birds I saw Last Year** by Adrian Göllner

All the Birds I Saw Last Year as described by Adrian.

I have become distracted by birds. Early in 2017 I began to take note of the local flocks of starlings, sparrows and crows. Depending on the weather and time of year, their location and activity varied considerably. It occurred to me that if I were to make a record of every bird I saw for a year, some larger patterns might emerge that speak to our relationship with nature. Indeed, conceiving of the local bird population as a collective canary-in-the-coalmine, I thought I might begin to detect how human activity is adversely affecting our shared environment.

As I began my bird count on September 18, 2017, I was conscious of famed ornithologist John James Audubon’s (1785-1851) declaration that he saw 10,000 birds a day. How long might it take me to reach that number in an urban environment some 200 years later? Properly, each bird image denotes one sighting, so can represent either a single bird or a flock. Still, I estimate it took 240 days to meet Audubon’s one-day total.

Admittedly, my pursuit is pseudo-scientific. While the regimented manner in which the results are presented suggests a scientific eye, what birds I see from day to day is largely random. Perhaps the project is best expressed as the meandering of one being intersecting with the meanderings of many others. Be that as it may, over the course of several months, the fluxes in the local bird populations are apparent and patterns can be discerned. One observation that is particularly telling is that 38% of our local bird population are invasive birds, species that humans naively introduced and which now thrive in the urban environment, displacing endemic birds.

© 2018 Julia Martin. Detail of All the Birds I saw Last Year by Adrian Göllner — © 2018 Julia Martin. Detail of **All the Birds I saw Last Year** by Adrian Göllner

© 2018 Julia Martin. Full print of All the Birds I saw Last Year by Adrian Göllner — © 2018 Julia Martin. Full print of **All the Birds I saw Last Year** by Adrian Göllner

© 2018 Julia Martin. 5 x 5 inches/12.7 x 12.7 cm detail of All the Birds I saw Last Year by Adrian Göllner — © 2018 Julia Martin. 5 x 5 inches/12.7 x 12.7 cm detail of **All the Birds I saw Last Year** by Adrian Göllner

During the course of the year, I realized the project pitted my Neolithic brain against my modern sensibilities. While I am now able to rapidly identify birds by their colour, call, behaviour and flight pattern – something our ancestors would have relied on to find food or be warned of approaching predators – I am compelled to categorize and order those birds in the same all-too-modern manner that has, ultimately, led to the exploitation of the natural world. That all my bird sightings are recorded on my mobile phone, something that keeps us disengaged from our physical surroundings, belies a whole other set of ironies.

My desire is for the project to be read as a gesture of hyper-attunement at a time in which we are all increasingly aware of the rapid pace of environmental change. I am at once buoyed by the intelligence, ingenuity and incredible beauty of our avian neighbours and distressed by how we humans impinge on their lives on a daily basis.

As soon as Adrian described All the Birds I Saw Last Year, I was hooked by the idea of how a collection can be amassed and the way it’s transformed from concept to practical reality. Have any of you worked on developing collections?

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. Gray Art Glass in Merrickville, Ontario

Glass Blowing in Merrickville, Ontario

October 18, 2018

Another local gallery I love to visit whenever I’m in Merrickville is Gray Art Glass. This gallery typically brings the outdoors indoors.

Established in 1985, Gray Art Glass has become a leading institution in the North American Glass art scene. The gallery creates beautiful one-of-a-kind pieces of art. Gray Art Glass is currently carried by over 250 galleries and shops across North America. Gray Art Glass is famous for their Witch Balls but is equally well known for producing unique sculptures, custom installations, lighting, and awards.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. Inside Gray Art Glass

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. A glass blower at work at the © 2018 Louise Levergneux. Gray Art GlassGray Art Glass

Michael Gray, the second-generation glass artist, and owner has been working with glass for 14 years. He started working in the studio by his father’s side at a young age, learning the family business and developing skills in glass art. Michael studied at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario, and has succeeded in developing his sculpting and blowing skills.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux. Gray Art Glass

In 2012 Kevin Robert Gray, founder of Gray Art Glass, passed away after a courageous fight with cancer. It was difficult but with the help of James Wardhaugh and Carley Newman, Michael was able to continue Kevin Robert Gray’s legacy through Gray Art Glass. As the owner and operator of Gray Art Glass Michael continues to bring the studio to a new level of craftsmanship, creativity and excellence.

The team gives the gallery a well-rounded approach to the creation of glass art and creates exquisite, unique products.

“My work is about personal experiences with nature and the story that can be told. I try and create things purely from my perspective; I want the glass to have as much feeling as possible.” Michael says of his glass work.

James Wardhaugh thinks of the surface of the glass as a canvas and treats it as such. He uses colour and texture to create depth and emotion in his works. Finding glass ‘a very organic material; patterns occur in nature that are a natural translation in glass.’ He finds joy in discovering these patterns and creating either a literal or figurative connection. James draws inspiration from sources that relate to rural and natural areas and specific aspects of nature’s own science. His body of work is reflective of what is seen, and what happens around him in this ‘enormous and beautiful place.’

Between studies at Sheridan College and traveling throughout the country, Carley Newman has had the opportunity to work alongside some of the most innovative glass artists in Canada. Working on a number of large-scale installations and global projects, her experience has been an integral part of developing her work. Carley has been inspired to adopt colours, forms, and textures from the outdoors as a reminder of the simple beautiful things designed by nature.

Do you bring glass in any form into your artists’ books? Alexandra Keck, Eduardo Kac, Becky Slemmons, and Adele Outteridge have created books with glass pages. That’s for another post!

Merrickville, Ontario, Part 1

October 6, 2018

The historic village of Merrickville, Ontario, remains a fantastic place to meet and invariably greet artists of different media. Every summer, I typically travel the hour-long route from Ottawa/Gatineau to view some favourite galleries. This is a feast for the eyes trip. Next year, I would like to visit studios that participate in the Artists Tour at the end of September. For over 30 years the Merrickville Artists’ Guild Autumn Studio Tour provides thousands of art lovers a peek into the creative worlds of artists in and around Merrickville.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux, Monsky Creations Art Gallery

During our stay, serendipitously through a valuable introduction by my husband, I visited the Monsky Creations Art Gallery which exclusively features the work of multi-disciplined artist Monica Viola. Monica works in clay, glass, painting, and fabric; one-of-a-kind art that is beautiful and intriguing. The mention of glass work and I’m there!

Over the last few years, Monica has become an international artist whose unique and highly collectable works can be found all over the world.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux, Floating Butterflies, fused glass by Monica Viola

© 2018 Gary Viola, Twiga, fused glass by Monica Viola

© 2018 Gary Viola, ceramic by Monica Viola

© 2018 Gary Viola, fused glass (20” x 7” x 1.5”) by Monica Viola

© 2018 Gary Viola, fused glass platter (20” x 7” x 1.5”) by Monica Viola

© 2018 Gary Viola, ceramic serving platter by Monica Viola

© 2018 Gary Viola, Gazelle Platter, clay (4” x 21” x 6”) by Monica Viola

© 2018 Gary Viola, clay, Windtalker by Monica Viola

Found Objects

October 1, 2018

Back on the road and intentionally trying to write as fast as I can. It’s challenging to get back into my work after such an extended holiday. I’ve heartily enjoyed the continuous presence of family and friends back home in Canada since the beginning of August. Now we are going South to warm up. Furthermore, it's time to get back into creating artists’ books. As I travel, the one thing that keeps catching my eyes are trees with their texture and shape.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux, Sedona, Arizona. trees give me hope and comfort

During studio visits, I connected with two artists who have in common an affinity for using driftwood, roots, and other natural elements in their art-work.

For my first blog post after a lengthy break, I bring the work of Marnie Powers-Torrey from Salt Lake City and Judith Serling-Sturm from Cincinnati.

Marnie’s work in progress—a series of boxes—its working title Archive of Now is without a declared finish date.

Marnie talks of Archive of Now:

© 2018 Marnie Powers-Torrey, Archive of Now

Maybe, I’ll consider it done when I complete a concurrent project Roadside Attractions. The paper wrappers for the boxes are printed as palimpsests of the process of printing Roadside Attractions. The plates are relief-printed collagraphs {roadside found objects mounted type high for letterpress}. Simultaneously printing projects from the same matrixes is a matter of efficiency—a necessity in our culture {the digital age} when my research relies on obsolete {slow} processes.

The roadside objects were sought like shells by a beachcomber during walks of all sorts—meditative, hurried, purposeful, lackluster—all otherwise uneventful. Initially, I had no intended plan for this rubbish. I was compelled to pick up the pieces and save them like prizes. These found pieces of the industrialized puzzle were mysteriously captivating to me, not being particularly mechanically minded. I had no recollection of many of these scraps of things—what their initial purpose was. Others, I recognized after considering for a time, and some immediately know. All were realizations of human being’s incredible and lasting ingenuity.

At the same time {for the past few years and now}, I began collecting sage root balls after the county cleared a new cross-country ski track and hiking trails in the open space near my home. I am enthralled with the new trails and walk them nearly every day. Still disturbed by the disruption, the annihilation of this slow-growing and remarkably hearty desert dweller. Sage is long-living—an icon of wisdom and progenitor of healing. Sagebrush’s dry wit is also a fuel source for wildfires. These root junctures are thus both castaways and wellsprings, harbingers and scepters.

I’ve always collected things since I was very young. First rocks and then pottery shards. Also, erasers and soaps. The calling to gather, to preserve, and to keep has stayed with me. The driftwood, bones, rocks, and other organic souvenirs are memorialized and archived in these boxes. Presenting the found natural objects in this manner allows us to refocus on the micro, to recontextualize the beauty of these nothings that would otherwise continue to naturally decay in the natural environment. The still beauty of nature’s readymades is engulfed by the bits of manmade machinery meant for motion. Each naturally occurring object gains an aura, surrounded by the impressions made from objects shaped from raw materials by man. Both nature’s and human’s byproducts are talismans to hold tightly into the uncertain future.

Some boxes hold typed text while others are purely visual. The text is serendipitous meditations—translations that come to mind as I handle and contain each object. I am reticent to include text in all boxes as I’d like the viewer to discover personals effigies. I hope the text that I do include provides permission to follow our visual intuition when looking and excavating meaning. I invite the viewer to appreciate the beauty of these objects for what they are while also imagining what their shapes and presence suggest.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux, found objects in Judith Serling-Sturm’s studio

Judith explains some of the pieces of driftwood and bark that she has collected and how they will be integrated in artists’ books in the future.

Frequently, I am drawn to a piece by its texture; the vertical striations of a honeysuckle branch, the knobbed shingles of persimmon bark, the smoothness of a knotty branch lapped by years of slapping waves. Other time the shape invites me.

© 2018 Judith Serling-Sturm, I discovered this unique piece on a hike shortly after reading Walt Whitman—for me it evokes the free celebration of self, body, and soul—and one of these days, when I have no pressing duties, I will incorporate this pie… — © 2018 Judith Serling-Sturm, I discovered this unique piece on a hike shortly after reading Walt Whitman—for me it evokes the free celebration of self, body, and soul—and one of these days, when I have no pressing duties, I will incorporate this piece into a fan book...

© 2018 Judith Serling-Sturm, I uncovered this piece of wood by a construction site... it just looked up at me, the bent rusted nail a tear seeping from the knot of an eye—and there is so much to cry about these days... it will undoubtedly become a cover for an artist book.

© 2018 Judith Serling-Sturm, this palm bark, another form that speaks to me with its female form... one of my many long-term projects is one about ‘Home’ after moving so many times. For several years I have interviewed people to learn what they mean… — © 2018 Judith Serling-Sturm, this palm bark, another form that speaks to me with its female form... one of my many long-term projects is one about ‘Home’ after moving so many times. For several years I have interviewed people to learn what they mean when they talk about ‘home.’ This unfinished piece refers to my immigrant grandparents and my grandfather’s assertion that, as Edward Sharpe says, *Home is wherever I’m with her*.

© 2018 Judith Serling-Sturm, this is an artist book with a nest and a condom wrapper woven into it! How can it not be an artist book about the naturalness of using contraception?

© 2018 Judith Serling-Sturm, when I found this stick, I immediately began thinking about how all creatures leave their mark in the world, how we create and at the same time possibly destroy as we strive for a meaningful life.

Time and again a natural element will prompt me to think things in an innovative way, as in this last case. It may never actually be incorporated into the actual artist book about that issue.
And sometimes a piece of wood is collected just because it's beautiful. And that is equally valuable.

I have been attracted to trees especially in the hills of Texas but nothing has come to mind for a future project yet! What about you, have trees, driftwood, or other found objects conveyed ideas for an artists’ book, art piece, or series? If so, what have you produced with them?

Dignity

August 13, 2018

So many things to see as one travels the country. As we crossed South Dakota, my eyes were attracted by a large statue on Interstate 90 in Chamberlain. I grabbed my phone and googled the statue, its reason and its installation on the banks of the Missouri River at the Lewis and Clark rest area where it overlooks the river.

366Dignity-on-a-bluff-overlooking-the-Missouri-River-near-Chamberlain,-South-DakotaDSC03373.jpg

I discovered a soaring 50 feet/15.24m high, 16 feet/4.88m deep and 32 feet/9.75m wide stainless steel sculpture entitled Dignity created by South Dakota Artist Laureate Dale Lamphere.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux, Dignity by Dale Lamphere

Dignity represents the courage and wisdom of the Lakota and Dakota people who hail from the area.

The statue depicts an American Indian woman holding a star quilt made of 128, 4-foot-tall glass diamonds in shades of blue that move in the wind "like an Aspen leaf." The colours in the quilt shift in intensity depending on the time of day. colours in the quilt shift in intensity depending on the time of day. The glass diamonds also spin when the wind passes through them so as to reduce the statue's wind resistance.

"In the shadows or at night, that dark blue looks really dark blue. The sun shines lighten up the colours" says Brook Loobey, who painted the glass diamonds.

“Wind and sun will pass through the sculpture so that rather than resisting the natural environment she moves with it,” Lamphere said. “She is of the earth and sky and the water that surround her.”

Dale Claude Lamphere has created over 60 public monumental sculptures from Washington, D.C. to Burbank, California. He recently installed a 23’stainless steel and stone sculpture in Snowmass, Colorado. Additional recent monumental sculptures have been placed in Chicago, Kansas City, Colorado Springs, Omaha, and Dallas.

Lamphere has consistently derived direct inspiration from the land and people of the prairie and mountain environment where he lives. Innovative use of new materials and technologies are frequently incorporated on his evocative and elegant sculptures.

If you travel by Chamberlain, South Dakota, do not miss this inspiring and amazing sculpture.

This short two-minute video shows the statue Dignity from the air.

A Bridge Between Two Cultures filmed by KOTA TV in September 2016. This video is approximately 25 minutes long, but if you are interested in the production process, it is excellent. The statue was commissioned by a Rapid City couple.

Phase Two

August 6, 2018

It’s a memorable summer, and this is the period to travel. Oh! Wait! I am traveling.

It’s difficult to schedule work time, especially with the significant heat wave and our much-needed change of “home” from putt-putt to château. Even with the pleasant distraction of all the wonderful National Parks, the planning phase for the page's template of my ABC book has begun. In addition, the research on binding structures to enhance the content is on the way.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux, White Sands National Monument

© 2018 Louise Levergneux, Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park

The key theme is the alphabet via a sprained foot, properly introducing this subject matter by implementing elements and design that complement the content is important.

I’m favorably inclined or should I say having a penchant towards metal for parts of the binding, maybe Wire-O referencing the crutches. Should I use cloth covered boards or a printed photo to illustrate the cover? The big black boot remains an integral feature of the book on the cover—right—perhaps?

© 2018 Louise Levergneux, ABC book's image/photo for content

For the substrate, could I apply various types of paper representing the phases of healing—differences in skin colour and texture. This might work since my inventory is filled with many types of papers. Using these soon would be good, because of the length of time since their purchase.

I would like to interject a distinction between the typefaces for the alphabet and the text. Naturally, there are 26 pages to think of and thick papers! I’m concerned about the weight of paper, double-sided pages will help but sheet registration can be monotonous. The gutter has to be calculated for facing-pages, details, details, details! What size? What orientation? Maybe the use of transparencies. Where to place the text or words that accompany the alphabet? Planning is the fun part or at least the beginning!

Varied structural types of binding for my published books include the accordion, perfect binding, spiral, supple binding sewn in Japanese style, screw post, hard-cover case-binding, saddle-stitched, French doors, Turkish Map folds, the new oriental binding, wrap-around case with a tray, explosion box,

The accordion is enjoyable and many alphabet books utilize the form, but because of the type of paper and the number of pages, I need a structure that would harmonize with its design, form, and content, in this creative expression of an unpleasant event. I want to take the time and pay attention to materials and their interactions on the subject. Once all these aspects are figured out, the path of production will be clearer.

I am so looking forward to the actual creation, being on the computer for the express purpose of an artists’ book instead of administrivia or other activities. How do you find time to undoubtedly create? How many hours in the day are spent in the studio? What phase do you prefer or do you enjoy all phases of producing your book?

Salt Lake City, Utah

July 31, 2018

This chaotic week is making my head spin after traveling 360° from Utah at the end of May to Ohio and back during the past two months.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux, Lake Powell in Page, Arizona — © 2018 Louise Levergneux, Lake Powell in Page, Arizona

At my return in Salt Lake City, I promptly communicated with a local artist, I, unfortunately, missed the last time around.

Desarae Lee is a talented artist and illustrator who lives and works in Salt Lake City. Her art has appeared in galleries and art shows across the US and she has won numerous awards for her work including Best of Show, Best Illustrator, and Featured Artist. Desarae a published author and illustrator serves as a founding board member at Salt Lake City’s Downtown Artist Collective, where she can occasionally be found teaching drawing or printmaking.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux, Desarae's studio in Salt Lake City, Utah

Desarae works primarily with pen and ink and balances exact meticulous line-work with natural flowing compositions. Over time, her art has developed organically to include watercolor, tea staining, and printmaking.

© 2018 Louise Levergneux, dry point by Desarae Lee

Influenced by personal trauma and struggles with depression and anxiety disorders, Desarae naturally creates work that revolves around themes of finding humor in pain, beauty in the grotesque, and light in the darkness.

© 2018 Desarae Lee, Memory, dry point print — © 2018 Desarae Lee, Memory, dry point print

© 2018 Desarae Lee, Meronymy, pen & ink and watercolour — © 2018 Desarae Lee, Meronymy, pen & ink and watercolour

© 2018 Desarae Lee,Octopus, pen and ink — © 2018 Desarae Lee,Octopus, pen and ink

Desarae’s work ranges in the themes she develops but her work inevitably attempts to connect the deep places in herself to the unknown places in a potential viewer, to somehow create a bridge of communication over the immense expanse of our differing perceptions, beliefs, and experiences.

I enjoyed the hour spent talking with Desarae in her studio and I’m looking forward to meeting more and more artists on this fruitful journey. In the next couple of weeks I will be in the area of Houghton Michigan.

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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