Tis the season that finds me daily in my studio and the kitchen. 

Do any of you take pleasure in listening to music while working on a project? My long-time standby has been to put on The Best of Talking Heads or some Kate Bush. Lately I might play Billie Eilish.

I was scrolling for Billie on YouTube and hit the music jackpot of jackpots: Tiny Desk Concerts from NPR. They are FREE, terrific fun, and intimately showcase musicians without Big Studio b.s. A creative’s trifecta. You can check the series out at

https://www.npr.org/series/tiny-desk-concerts/

Below, more art images of my past work. You who saw these already on Facebook, here’s another look. And you who didn’t, I hope you enjoy them.

Until next Sunday.

Three book formats, L>R: folds and figure 8 stitch, accordion book with pockets, classic stab-stitch. I’m all set to teach each of these in 2026. When I have the exact dates, I’ll let you know.

Stone Water Air is on display right now at Front Porch Gallery in Carlsbad, CA until January 8^th. Check it out. Entry and parking are free.

This is a detail from Nimrod’s Tower which will finally get a display of its complete 6-foot-tall installed self for the first time since its one and only showing at the California Center for the Arts Museum before COVID. It will be at the Fallbrook Arts Center during all of May 2026.

I can't remember ever not using recycled, re-used and repurposed materials to create 3-D art. I just didn’t have the ecological context for it until the 60’s when I read Rachel Carson’s books.

Fast forward to now, and I am still motivated by making thoughtful, weird, calming 3-D art from what many would call useless stuff. I’m also very directly mindful of keeping our oceans clean, the landfill not so full, and our air breathable.

This just in: I am to curate the Sustainable Creations Exhibition at the Fallbrook Center for the Arts! I’m so crazy-excited.

The exhibit runs May 2 - June 13       

Interested in entering? You can enter upto 5 works. To do so go to the online entry form at https://www.fallbrookartcenter.org/sustainablecreations

Reduce, reuse, recycle is my lifestyle. May it be yours as well.

Until next Sunday

Back in my old Facebook days, I used to post a pun every day. Really bad ones. Anybody guess that my blog's name is a pun? Days of Books, Book of Days, get it? I told you the puns were bad. 

One of the earliest known Books of Days was also an artist's book, leading me to today's blog topic: what the heck is an artist's book? 

"Artist's book" refers to a work that takes the book structure and goes way outside the box with it. The  art is usually 3-dimensional, might contain several book formats in one art piece and often challenges our idea of what a book “should” be. 

Although an artist’s book can take many forms, from western traditional bound books, to wherever the artist wants to go, many book artists use a few common elements. I lean towards including telling a story or poem in my artist’s books when I use a wild and crazy format, but then go with abstract art when I create a traditional journal style.

Check out some examples of books I’ve made over the years. Then go forth and make your own.

In Freedom’s Work  above, I used a Coptic-stitch journal format. It is on display at Front Porch Gallery in Carlsbad until January 9^th, 2026.

 

Who remembers Pluto? is an Altered Book that began its existence as a Little Golden Book about the Solar System back when Pluto was still considered a planet. It will be on display June 1-July 30, 2026 at the Rancho San County Library.

Spring, 2012  an accordion (sometimes called concertina) paper book with hard covers. I sold this lovely (back in 2012) but I'll be teaching how to make it in 2026, at least twice.

Joker Horse uses the same accordion format as Spring 2012, but no paper at all. The materials are up-cycled metal, cork, electronics. The list goes on. It will be on display May2-June 10, 2026 at the Fallbrook Center for the Arts.

Until next Sunday, take care.