A Book a Day? What's Up With That?


Hi, and welcome to this year-long project. So what's this all about and how did it happen, you might ask. In mid 2007, artist Noah Scalin decided to make a skull out of anything he could find, every day for a year. It stretched him in ways he never imagined, as an artist, a writer and a person. His experience turned into a blog that went viral, and then a book.

Others have picked up on the idea: 365 Hearts, 365 Masks, 365 Bears drawn on a cellphone, 365 paper napkin mustaches.
I wanted to play, too, and I chose books. I love books, I know a bit about making books (thanks to my talented book-maker sister, Marilyn Worrix), and they're broad enough in definition to give me a lot of creative leeway.

The whole point is not really the books. The idea is to stretch myself in many ways as an artist and a person, to set up a discipline, stick with it and see what that teaches me.

I hope you'll join with me and follow along on the journey chronicled here, and let me know what you think.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Day 62 - I Will Not Be Afraid

Today is one of those days when we stretch the definition of a book. It has a cover; it has "pages," though they are not bound. It certainly has a point of view.

In today's world, we are bombarded from all sides with warnings of every kind -- travel advisories, political fearmongering, food warnings, caution, warning, look out. The world constantly seems to be telling us "Be afraid; be very afraid."

I don't buy it. I lived in New York City in the 1970s, when it was considered one of the most dangerous cities in the country. One day some friends and I asked ourselves: "If we never read the newspaper or watched TV and if our perception of danger in New York was based ONLY on our personal experience here and that of our friends and neighbors, would we be afraid? And the answer, of course, was No. We had never been attacked, mugged, raped, killed, beaten up, attacked or the victims of any kind of violent crime at all. Yet we were expected to live in fear, because "they" said we should.

It's still happening. Governments, bosses, and others in authority often try to rule by fear, but I have made a clear decision. The only thing I am really afraid of is not living my life. So I'm just going to tune out all the warnings of danger and horror to come and get on with living my life.

For this "book," I covered a small box with red duct tape and yellow vinyl caution tape. Inside are dozens of cut-outs of various kinds of "caution" and "danger" signs. I hope they make the point.
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5 comments:

  1. Jean BaardsenMarch 31, 2011 at 4:46 AM

    This is so true - I totally agree with what you're saying. I tune out as much of the negativity as I can, and just go on living my life.

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  2. AnonymousMarch 31, 2011 at 7:27 AM

    I found your blog through Noah Scalin's Make Something 365 blog. I've been following it daily since then and have also gone back and read all your entries. What a lovely well-done blog! I particularly enjoy the books where you have 'pushed the definition' of books and the ones using daily finds for the 'less formal' entries. I've always wanted to try making some simple books. Your lovely blog is so inspiring that this time I'm really going to give it a try. Thanks for sharing!

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  3. DonnaMarch 31, 2011 at 12:18 PM

    Thanks for your lovely comments. I love reading them all, but I'm especially pleased by the ones that say I have inspired someone to start making books. Go for it! It's not hard, you don't need a lot of expensive equipment, it's very fulfilling, and it's easy to get better quickly. You'll be turning out professional looking books in no time.

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  4. BatyaDApril 1, 2011 at 5:26 AM

    As a psychotherapist I wish I had one of these box-books for every client I see! Good going! (See you on the SBI Forums!)

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  5. RachelApril 2, 2011 at 12:20 PM

    Love it. Indeed, the fear of living life is the most dangerous. thanks for all of your inspiration.

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