Artist Books

I created this book as an homage to my grandmother, Martha Oliver Conley. The book contains a collection of stories about her life, which she often shares with me during our ritual weekly phone calls. The theme, and title of the book, were inspired by the fact that while my Grandmother was not literally a gardner, she was one in the abstract sense of the word: in the way she lived her life, raised her daughter, loved her family and tended to all those around her. Like a gardener, she supported, loved and stood by all of us through sunshine and thunderstorms, without asking or expecting anything in return, helping us to find happiness and to continually bloom. The images and art throughout the book are a collection of scanned photographs and digitally manipulated images. The modified box structure that accompanies the book contains found objects, memorabilia and ephemera symbolizing my Grandmother and her life. The book is set in Birth of a Hero and VT Portable Remington typefaces.

size: book 5.75 x 7.5 x 1.75"; box 6.5 x 8.625 x 4.5"
structure/binding: modified case binding cover with modified, circle inverted concertina structure, modified box structure
materials: Davey board, Italian paper, Cialux bookcloth, Rives BFK paper, Rives Lightweight paper, Southworth linen paper, Lokta paper, Irish book floss, garden twine, bone clasp, found objects
edition: 2
 

Private Collection, California