A Fine New Book

Dorothy Simpson Krause www.dotkrause.com has written a new book, and it is wonderful. When I learned that she had put together Book & Art: Handcrafting Artists’ Books, I could hardly wait to get my hands on it, for I have admired her work since I first set eyes on it. She fuses beauty, political commitment, ingenuity, intelligence, and an expansive world view in work that is both compelling and exquisite. I personally have been drawn to her enthusiasm for technology, digital imaging, and exploration of new materials in the service of work that is deeply rooted in art of all cultures and all times. In her hands and mind, language and idea are the armature of visual expression.

    In 2004, with Karin Schminke and Bonny Pierce Lhotka, Dorothy Krause published Digital Art Studio: Techniques for Combining Inkjet Printing with Traditional Art Materials. That book started me on several new paths which led eventually to the book objects I am constructing now. Their generous descriptions and careful directions were not only tremendously useful, but the work that illustrates the book is downright gorgeous — something that doesn’t often happen in a book of art technique! I have recommended it many times as I have spoken people across the country and get enthusiastic reports of its usefulness.

    Now comes Book & Art, and it is a beauty, full of descriptions of how Ms. Krause devised her artist’s books & book-based objects. Well-written and handsomely designed, it is brimming with good ideas for further exploration, and the Helpful Hints will surely pave a smoother way for those of us experimenting with new materials. To its credit, the book presumes that the reader is has an inquisitive art spirit and an independent creative impulse. It is a wide-open, intensely beautiful doorway to discovery. I think that to really run with the ideas and the possibilities, it would be good to have some experience with basic bookbinding techniques, but it is not imperative. A copy of Digital Art Studio is, of course, a natural companion.

    Even if you have no plans to ever take up a bone folder, I think you will find Book & Art a rich visual experience. The full range of Dorothy Simpson Krause’s work is well documented on her website, but this book takes the reader even deeper into the genesis of the books. I am grateful to her for undertaking the project and emerging with such a well-produced and accessible book. Although you can find it, of course, on Amazon, it is available at a reduced price of $15 plus shipping from http://www.mycraftivitystore.com/product/book-art/inspiration-creativity through July 31. Use the code BOOKART. Don’t miss it — and let me know what you think.

from Book & Art: Handcrafting Artists' Books