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.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Day 98 - Finally in San Miguel Folio

I know I should have posted this last night. I really DID make the book last night. I even photographed it. But I did not yet have the password for the wi-fi connection in the house where I am staying. I still don't. I am writing this in an internet cafe my poor American fingers struggling to find the right characters on this Spanish keyboard. And since I don't have the flash card with the pix with me, I will have to add them to this post a bit later, when I get home and get the password. But I did make the book last night and in my opinion that counts (and since I am queen here, my opinion is the only one that REALLY counts.)   :).

But I am FINALLY in San Miguel de Allende, in Mexico, the home of my heart. It's been over two years since I was last here and already my whole body feels different, like I've begun shedding layers of "not me" and picking up layers of "more me." I just want to breathe deeply, turn my face to the sun, smile at everyone.
Got in very late last night then wondered what the heck I was going to do for a book. It turned into another "book from nothing" challenge.

With almost nothing to work with, here's what I ended up with. In my room in the place I'm house-sitting was a small magazine shopping guide to San Miguel. It comes out every few months and has photos, ads and shopping/walking maps. Since it's a giveaway readily available all over town and I knew I would be able to replace it today, I cut it apart and trimmed the map pages. For the covers, I used the cover of the book and did a quick-and-dirty collage of photos of San Miguel I cut from the pages and glue-sticked on the front. I used a small piece of decorative paper from my suitcase to make a pocket inside and slid the map pages into it. Instant San Miguel portfolio!

It ain't much, but not every day of 365 is going to be a home run. Frankly, I give this one a single and today I'll gladly take first base.

Now I'm going shopping for materials--both normal and off-beat-- for future singles, doubles and home runs.

(I bought a charger for my camera battery to day to replace the one I left in Arizona -- d'oh -- so the next photos will likely be much better.)

3 comments:

  1. For inspiration I thought I would pass on this photo page of books on exhibit at Kalamazoo Michigan May 6-27
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/accordion2011/
    Hope you get your plugin going would like to see your creation.

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  2. Oh how wonderful for you to be where you most feel like the real you! I actually feel that way every time I get to Sedona! Enjoy your time there and I look forward to the books you create during your stay in Mexico!

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  3. Vaminos... and welcome home.

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