ARTIST'S STATEMENT
Books Arts is a genre that incorporates two and three dimensions; the art work is meant to be handled. By circumventing the traditional barrier between the art object and the viewer, the Artist’s Book engenders interactions through the use of the viewer’s additional senses. The Book Arts genre holds great appeal for me because of this process of discovery, both in the conceptualization and during the completion of each project.
My work, through Camel Leopard Press, incorporates multi media: collage, block prints, watercolors, gouache, calligraphy and handmade paper, in both standard codex, in books with movable parts, and using folding techniques. The materials are chosen for texture as well as color. The structures and formats enhance the pace of the narrative; the size of each book is intended to encourage the viewer’s participation.
The Artist’s Books that I make explore themes of landscape, travel, language, natural sciences, Irish literature, memory and dreams. Influences include growing up on the coast of Rhode Island and having the opportunity to travel and live overseas. I have been blessed with the good fortune to work with scientists, writers, musicians and artists who love what they do and want others to share their experiences.
Elizabeth Curren