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Along with a Sign-in Page, an
Artist's Statement applies your personal style to the beginning of
your Altered Book, helping to set the tone. An Artist's
Statement often includes: materials, techniques and styles you
as book owner do and do not prefer--or the invitation to give free
reign to the participant's style and preferences; a note about
allergies or aversions, such as to perfumes or cigarette smoke; and
whatever instructions or encouragement you would like to offer to
the artist who generally does not know you and wants to do her best
work in your book. A little guidance can be a very good thing.
Sample Artist's Statement, from
Fairy Tale Redux
Why would the
miller’s daughter bother with that greedy, murderous King, let alone
marry him? Does Little Red Riding Hood really not know that’s not
her grandmother? Why would Persephone eat the pomegranate seeds when
she knew it meant she would have to stay with Hades? And what does
Sisyphus have to do with the never-ending pile of laundry sitting in
front of my washing machine? Feel free to get other-worldly,
topsy-turvy, through-the-looking-glass, altered-stateswoman-like in
your interpretations of anything in this book.
Work on as many pages as you please. The pages I consider finished
are the title page spread, the artist-sign-in page and “The Story of
Persephone”. Please refrain from any religious or political
polemics. Please refrain from referring to current events as I’d
like this to be a “timeless” volume.
Please fill out a card at the beginning however you like and slip it
back into the envelope, and sign all the pages on which you work.
Feel free to cut, rip, burn, embellish (I love beads, charms,
gewgaws and funky fibers), fold, glue, paint, punch, dangle, stitch…
I’d like to finish the cover when the book returns to me.
I’m looking forward to working with you all and hope you feel free
to contact me about your book or mine at any time. Thank you,
Cynthia, for bringing this talented group together and guiding us
through the fictional forest.
Persephone spread
Making Backgrounds
Sign In Pages
Questions & Answers
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