Wednesday 24 October 2007

The Handbook

If you've wondered where I've been - the answer is 'poorly'. All together now'Aaah'. Have had a sniffle since Ally Pally but it took a week to turn into a proper cold because of all the anti-cold things I took (echinacea, First Defence etc). The revenge of the cold bug was terrible when it finally broke through the defences!

Glad to hear that Dale enjoyed Marrakesh, as I'd told her she would love it - a terrible responsibility. Tomorrow I will look for my best pink wall photo and get it in before she does.

Other Maggie. Glad you are enjoying the Val pics. You are right - her work is pretty well timeless. It was quite emotional manning the stand and I still haven't been able to read all the comments in the book.

I've been drooling over Lynda Monk's dressels. http://www.purplemissus.blogspot.com/ Such a clever combination of vessel and clothing. This one could run and run. I love wordplay and clever titles for work. Cindy Hickok does some wonderful ones. I remember one of hers called simply Saints that showed a line of draped, sepia figures with halos and in the middle was a harassed mum with a baby and two toddlers, wielding a broom and a chicken. Magic!


With this in mind I'd like to introduce you to my Handbook. An altered book with lots of drawing, painting and danglies, all somehow concerned with hands.



And below is a detail of the cover - a little piece of Tyvek ironed over a stamp. Then set into the cover with Paper Perfect. I do like things to look as though they are set into a surface, rather than plonked on.




I like to search out strange hands in strange places. The one below was found in a suburb of Sydney called Newtown - my son lives there. It's a very vibrant, multicultural place with lots of eateries spilling out onto the pavements. This hand was a plastic stencil to be used for hand painting. I painted it and then put the heat tool on it, at which it all but disappeared.






Every time my friends go somewhere exotic they bring me a hand. Jane Wild is an especially good hand finder and lots of them come from her wanderings.
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This hand is hidden in a little pocket - one needs surprises hidden in a book. It opens out to show the hand.

12 comments:

Downunderdale said...

looks like I will have to be fast with the pink wall, Maggie but I do like the hands - preparing for the long flight home - Dale

Pat said...

Aaagh.....Oooogh, Maggie sorry you've been ill.....I want to touch that beautiful book.

verobirdie said...

Hope you will yourself back soon!

When I was first introduced to Val's and yours art, I was very much impressed by the energy and the modernity of your pieces. Then I saw pictures of both of you, well how to say it, I was a bit surprised, and then I thought that age inside was more important than age outside, and that both of you were definitely very young; And I hope i will get as young as you.
This is to be taken as a compliment, even if I don't express myself very well.

Ruth said...

Wow! Your book is marvelous. I love the textures and colors. It's just gorgeous.

Doreen G said...

What a great book Maggie--HANDsome if I must use a HANDle to describe it.

Pat said...

I just knew you'd like Newtown - my son lived there until a couple of years ago (he now lives in the Blue Mountains) and I visited many times. There is a little Chinese variety store near the Post Office in King Street which I can recommend as a source of the type of desirable object referred to by my son as "Mum's junk collection".

Unknown said...

It is gorgeous Maggie, I agree with you that it is some much better to set it into a surface than let it plonk out, but that is also very difficult. I am always affraid that I will blow over the piece. Any good tips?

artisbliss said...

That gorgeous book! Maggie, you're a wonder. I do hope you're feeling better.

Ann said...

Maggie, I have just come across your blog, and it is great. I too just love the book. I must check out 'altered books' are they any old hardbacks that are given a new life by painting the pages and altering their future? I shall now be up all night reading....................
Ann

Penny said...

Wonderful use of hands! My bedside reading for the mornings, not the night, thats a novel, are your books and Val's as there is so much to take in and so much I forget so need it all re enforced.
Hope you are now much recovered, I missed the mostly daily blog.

Dorothy Gibbs said...

Sorry to hear you have been poorly Maggie.. not nice at all.
I love the altered book. Pat and I were just discussing hands in artwork yesterday funnily enough.
So many lovely textures and surfaces in there... need to see it now! I am off now to see if I can get some mildew out of some fabric pieces I dyed....I thought they were dry but obviously not! Dorothy

Gina said...

Love the "Hand Book" Maggie... Scrummy colours and textures.