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, June 9, 2011

Book 133 - La Libreria de las Muñequitas - A Hand-made Book Sculpture/Assemblage

And now for something completely different...

I saw this little papier maché doll in the Artisans' Market in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and knew at once that I had to use her. But first a little background...

These little papier maché dolls are called muñecas and in the past they were given by prostitutes and courtesans to their gentlemen friends "to remember me by..." Nowadays, they are just a very popular and traditional Mexican handcraft. Generally larger than this one, which is only about 6 1/2" high, they are sort of an old-style Mexican Barbie.

They have movable arms and legs, and I decided to sit this lovely lady, named Lilia, down with a book.... of course. The actual book is a tape-bound book with 4 moving pages made from "loteria" cards. and mat board covers. Lilia is sitting on a platform covered with a piece of "papel picado," another traditional Mexican craft. The title I have printed on that paper is "La Libreria de las Muñequitas," The Little Dolls' Bookstore.

The entire sculpture/assemblage measures 5" x 6 1/2" x 5" high. And frankly, I quite love it...




5 comments:

  1. I'm really enjoying exploring your book a day. I've only had a quick look so I'll go back and really take them all in.

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  2. OMG, that is so cool. I LOVE her. Thanks for posting. A super end to this long day.

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  3. Welcome Carol, and thanks. I hope you'll comment on some of the others.

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  4. I know I'm late to this post, but I thought you might be interested in hearing about a book called Caramba!: A Tale Told in Turns of the Card by Nina Marie Martinez

    http://www.amazon.com/Caramba-Tale-Told-Turns-Card/dp/0375413758/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1309398467&sr=1-1

    The description includes this line:

    "And as if the fabulously ludicrous plot weren't enough, Martínez illustrates her work with "artifacts," including Mexican Lotería cards, letters written by True-Dee to an advice columnist and the classified ad Lulabell runs in the local paper, selling her soul to the highest bidder".

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  5. Awesome... I just read the reviews for that (thanks for the link) and it definitely looks like something I need to read. What fun. Many thanks for the suggestion.

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