I created the above book as a gift to my father, whom I have not heard from in more than a decade. Obviously, writing to him and creating this representation of who I now am–when we last spoke, I was in high school; I’m now a thirty-year old woman, married and experiencing the trials and tribulations of my own family–was extremely personal. Not only in words, but in the act of making something with my own hands, I was trying to show and share who I am and what I value.
The individual book pages were made from cardboard, rubbed with sandpaper, then given a couple of layers of gesso. A letter I had written my father provided the draft for the book, and I sketched out various ideas or elements from that letter as the unique pages. The actual text of the letter was incorporated into the pages, often hidden in pockets, envelopes, or behind a door-type mechanism.
Not only did this technique allow the pages to have a strong visual presence (ie, not bogged down by paragraphs of text), but it also communicated both the sense of me revealing the person I am today and the participatory nature of not only the letter, but also any father-daughter relationship moving forward.
Each image above and below links to a larger image, which I invite you to explore. Comments, as always, are most welcome.
Thanks for reading!
Angelique
4 Comments
You have lovely hands, and I am continually amazed by what they produce. This is impressive, in many ways. I’m sure it was hard, so it’s wonderful that you did it, and that you finished it.
this is an awesome work of the heart, letting yourself complete this has probably brought many feelings to the surface which can now be addressed and healed….grief work is tough but you show that it can be done and with much artistic endeavor. Congrats on a job well done.
I am so impressed by this work. Visually, of course, but also by its hopefullness.
Ohhh my… How much time did it take you? I bet he loved it! It such an amazing job you did. Congratulations! Never seen something like that before in my life!