Inner Works - An Altered Books Collaborative

The fabulous work of Veronica Funk in the Inner Works Project...a retrospective look at all of her wonderful work.....

2011-08-27T18:20:00.000-07:00

Designs in Nature...four images below of Veronica Funk's art work in Jill Zaheer's book, Designs in Nature......

Veronica Funk's work in Seth Apter's book, Distressed Elements

Roxanne Stout-Evan's Book, EarthTones, pages by Veronica Funk below...

Veronica Funk's book, Friendship....

Rita Vindedzis's book Gifts from the Sea....

Veronica's art work in Supria Karmakar's book, On Paper Wings

Gifts From the Sea - Jill's pages.

2010-02-08T07:28:00.000-08:00

My theme for our altered book collaboration is Gifts from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. I first read this book in my early teens and have re-read it many times since. It speaks to my soul not only as a water person but also as a woman. You can see my pages here on my blog.

The first artist to work in my book was Jill Zaheer. I started enjoying Jill's blog after we were introduced through Supria and Inner Works. Jill interpreted my theme in a beautiful two page spread full of texture.

Please click on each of the images to see the wonderfully detailed work Jill has created. In these two pages, I can see the colors of a perfect day at the ocean. I can hear the wind blowing and the waves crashing on the shore. I can smell the salt in the air.

I know these little pipers well from my many visits to Florida. Here they look so real, as if they could fly away at any moment. I like Jill's use of paint and glitter to show the sun glistening on the sand.

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This (to me) represents bliss. So now when I can't get away for a beach vacation, I can put in my earbuds, listen to my ocean waves app and enjoy the pages in my book.

Each of these little fish have messages and are three dimensional, hanging by fishing line.

Thank you so much Jill for sharing your interpretations and talents in my book. This collaboration has been such a great experience and has left me with an art piece that I'll cherish for years and years.

Coming to a Close

2010-01-28T15:35:00.000-08:00

As our jouney through Inner Works is coming to a close, I want to thank each of you for all the hard work and creative energy that you poured into our collaboration. Every single page that was created in my book speaks to the talent that each of you posses. And I am so grateful that you shared your talents with me and that, in the end, I have both a bucketful of memories and one amazing altered book as a result.

Perhaps as a way of keeping the project alive just a little bit longer, I have decided to document the journey in a series of posts, both here and on my own blog The Altered Page. For today, I just want to send out a thank you to everybody - along with a glimpse of your amazing work!

Thank you Veronica:

Thank you Supria:

Thank you Roxanne:

Thank you Rita:

Thank you Jill:

Stay tuned for the page by page replay!

Designs in Nature * Rita's Pages

2009-11-24T09:43:00.000-08:00

For the past few weeks I've been working in Jill's book choice Designs in Nature. This is a subject that I'm very happy to work with as nature is always an endless source of inspiration for me. My fascination with the birch as an abstract form has made it's way into these pages along with my love of images of bare branches. I've included leaf images, drawings and actual leaves, and a beautiful feather found long ago. My pages are about simplicity and solitude.

Distressed Elements - A Journey in Seth Apter's Innerworks Altered Book

2009-11-18T20:29:00.000-08:00

Seth Apter's Distressed Elements is my last book to work in - and what a final act it's been. Hard to imagine that this theme, initially so foreign to me- turned out to be a magical play land - prompting me to take flight within this extraordinary altered book collaboration. As seen in my post here, these pages have been inspired by Seth's phenomenal book joined by the soaring spirit of our InnerWorks group!

So thank you Seth for creating this wonderful book. It's here that I've discovered an exciting journey of layers and human construction within the depth of human emotion.

Working in this book totally filled my soul - and what could be a better ending than the creation of a new beginning- right here - just where I leave off!

A Testament to Friendship

2009-10-06T16:43:00.000-07:00

I received Veronica's book on friendship- and like many of us, all my original thoughts on how I would proceed changed when I received it. There's something so special about holding the book, feeling its essence, and then gently turning each page with such delight and amazement.

The process of developing friendships is one that takes time, effort and a special devotion that feeds the friendship - allowing it to grow, prosper and flourish. I dedicated my work in Veronica's book as a special testament to the friendship that the six of us - Seth, Veronica, Supria, Roxanne, Rita, and myself have formed.

There's such a special excitement and magical element of surprise to see what works of creativity will find it's way into our lives. More of my pages can be seen here. Thank you Veronica for choosing this theme and planting the seeds for these pages.

a glimpse...

2009-09-03T18:38:00.000-07:00

I've spent the past few days working on Supria's book, On Paper Wings, about Helen Keller - funny how the ideas that I have in mind before I receive the books change once they arrive. Some of the elements remain, knowing a quote that I wanted to include which I had gathered months ago, an old photograph, of course integrating wings somehow, and feathers, and flower petals - things of nature. The way Miss Keller was taught, through touch and the natural world, and though I know she couldn't see, I'm certain her inner world was filled with colour. This is my final book, and though the parting of it, along with the parting of this group project, will make me sad, I do look forward to seeing my own once again after such a long trip and so many magic hands have touched and altered it. Once all of the books are back in the lovely hands of their owners, I will post all the photos of the pages I created. Though parting is such sweet sorrow, the journey has been an expanding one, for my heart, for my mind, and for my creative soul. For this I am grateful to Supria...and thank you all for embracing me on these travels.

Distressed Elements

2009-07-13T12:25:00.000-07:00

Today was spent working on Seth's book "Oracle Night" by Paul Auster. Seth's theme is Distressed Elements and I've really enjoyed working in it. The book arrived to me already thick with artistic interpretations done by Seth himself, Veronica, Supria and Roxanne. I thought I'd interpret the theme by using words that come to mind when I hear the word distressed. I've used papers that I've painted and distressed myself along with some ephemera and found objects. Oddly enough, I've used the concept of time again here as I did in Veronica's book theme of friendship. Hmmmm, time must be on my mind alot these days!!

Patterns in nature are like songs to the heart

2009-06-30T09:20:00.001-07:00

For Jill's book, "Designs in Nature" I decided to try something new...dipped paper..a technique I learnt at the Third Annual Encaustic Conference...Here is one image of the work I completed..more images can be found on my blog here!

For me I chose the theme Patterns and Symmetry...For I so adore the patterns all around us in nature, from the spirals in shells to the patterns in butterfly wings...Mother earth has given us many magical creations with designs and patterns to inspire...so in my pages I decided to include some of these elements embedded into the dipped paper.

Song by Amy Lowell

Oh! To be a flower

Nodding in the sun,

Bending, then upspringing

As the breezes run;

Holding up

A scentbrimmed cup,

Full of summer's fragrance to the summer sun.

Oh! To be a butterfly

Still, upon a flower,

Winking with its painted wings,

Happy in the hour.

Blossoms hold

Mines of gold

Deep within the farthest heart of each chaliced flower.

Oh! To be a cloud

Blowing through the blue,

Shadowing the mountains,

Rushing loudly through

Valleys deep

Where torrents keep

Always their plunging thunder and their misty arch of blue.

Oh! To be a wave

Splintering on the sand,

Drawing back, but leaving

Lingeringly the land.

Rainbow light

Flashes bright

Telling tales of coral caves half hid in yellow sand.

Soon they die, the flowers;

Insects live a day;

Clouds dissolve in showers;

Only waves at play

Last forever.

Shall endeavor

Make a sea of purpose mightier than we dream today?.

the sound of silence...

2009-06-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

I've been working on Roxanne's 'Earth Tones' - what a lovely surprise this book has been. I have gathered items throughout these six months as I've been working on the different books, and the inspiration for each one seems to come more quickly. My focus this time is not only on colour but on the sounds, both tones, of the earth. Silence is something I try to get more of in my life...to silence the man-made - traffic, television, radio...and to begin to listen to the sounds of nature. Leaves rustling in the breeze, birds speaking with one another, water moving against rock. The book itself is a treasure, and the addition of each artist's work makes it more so. Over the years my own work has been quite focused and though I've ventured out of my box in the past three years, mixing media, trying new subject matter, I think I've become more satisfied with the original work because of these great leaps of faith. I feel more grounded, more connected to this earth, and realize that my contribution adds value not only to others, but to myself. And that I can contribute to this silence with a visual story that touches another soul.

Earth Tones

2009-06-13T20:06:00.000-07:00

Roxanne's book, Earth Tones, has arrived and moved on. The book structure that she is altering is quite unique. The pages that had already been added when I received the book were inspirational and I know she is going to love them. Her theme completely spoke to me. In short, working on this altered book was a pleasure. Below are some glimpses of the three pages I completed for Roxanne. You can also click here to be taken to my blog, The Altered Page, to see an image of one completed page.

Leaves were twinkling in every wind that blew...

Embroidered over with millions of silver flowers...

Precious stone...

You Gotta Have Friends

2009-06-09T13:37:00.000-07:00

I had a particularly wonderful time working on Veronica's book. Her theme "Friend" is near and dear to my heart. Perhaps you read this post on my blog. In preparation for working on Veronica's book, I went through many old photos of friends and used some of them in my pages here. I also used the words to the song "You Gotta Have Friends". My favorite version is with Bette Midler singing the song She's divine!

Tapestry

2009-06-08T08:19:00.000-07:00

It is amazing how creating art can change your life.

Open a new door.

Teach you about yourself.

And make new friends.

Inner works has given me all these gifts.

The most challenging of all has been to take a theme or an idea

of another artist

and interpret it in your own way.

The following three photographs are a peek at my pages for Veronica

Her beautiful book has the theme of friendship...

These two photographs are a peek

at the beginnings of my pages for

Seth's book Distressed Elements...

It is amazing how creating art can change your life.

Open new doors.

Teach you about yourself.

and give you the chance to make new friends.

Inner works has given me all these gifts.

The most challenging of all has been to take a theme

or an idea of another artist and interpret it in your own way.

The artists in this group come from different parts of the world...

as I learn more about each of them

I see that all of our journeys have a common thread,

as if we are woven together

part of a design

in an intricate tapestry.

Helen Keller- Supria Karmakar's On Paper Wings

2009-05-31T19:15:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago, I received Supria's gorgeous Altered Art book on Helen Keller- filled with her beautiful artistry which you can see here and those of Roxanne, and Rita. Now, it was my time to interpret and orchestrate my pages. As our InnerWorks Collaborative project progresses, each book is a totally new experience. As the first artist in our own book and then the first "guest" artist to work in another artist's book, we receive a "blank canvas" to create in. As the book has been worked in by several artists, it's both a gift and a challenge.

The gift is that you really get a feel for the different and unique artistic styles and expressive interpretations that help set the tone for the book. It's a challenge because so many wonderful and creative ideas have been revealed by our other collaborators. The process then forces you to go that much deeper into yourself and the theme for the direction you will begin to explore.

Helen became proficient in Braille, a new language based on the order and feel of raised dots. Here's a rendering of our English symbols of "XOX" for a "kiss, hug and a kiss" in Braille.

Working on Supria's book, On Paper Wings, has been such a joy. It was so amazing to learn about Helen Keller, a child who at just 19 months old, went from a "normal" toddler to someone trapped inside a human cocoon. It was void of light and sound. into an abyss Helen fell - condemned to what seemed like an end to any semblance of a life.

Helen had hope, optimism, perseverance and a teacher named Anne Sullivan who would support, guide and help her achieve what seemed like the impossible. What emerged was a beautiful butterfly

amidst a life of rainbows - color within darkness , and sound within silence. Helen was a shining star for the world - with a grace, radiance, brilliance and an unrelenting awe for all of life's gifts!

Like Helen Keller, we should all try to find the rainbows in what often seems like an endless storm, a new path when we think the road in front of us is closed, and make time for both those we love and ourselves when we think that there's not a moment to spare in our lives. Life is short - yet within Helen's, despite being both blind and deaf, she graduated from college, was fluent in many languages, read more books than most of have read in a lifetime, and was an inspiration and role model to so many. Before most people ever heard of the word Suffragette, Helen was one. We should all try to reach out to someone who could use compassion even when we think we may not have anything to offer. We all have so much to share and give.

Everyone has a special inner spirit which can enable them to soar on paper wings, if they only believe.

Distressed Elements - Seth Apter's book, My Round Robin Pages - #3

2009-05-11T13:19:00.000-07:00

It is not hard to be inspired by Seth's work...his work has a distinct flavour, one which invites the artistic mind to a deeper place of inspiration. I found working on his book really opened up my mind to the energies of the past..Past stories, people's history..Their stories of their lives..Wondering what it would be like for the woman in the photo, holding a book. What is her story? Who is she remembering, while looking at the book? Or what are the inspiring words in the book she is holding, are they providing her with the strength and inspiration to move forward....? From what, to what????

The book medium, the written word, has itself been a great source of magic and strength for me...I find that through the written word, through books, life finds deeper meaning and comfort, whether it is for an escape or if it is a way to look at life another way, through the wisdom of the author.....The gifts from writers and visual artists who give of themselves freely, help feed the soul, give others a chance to contemplate another point of view, whether similar or different. Check out the other post I wrote on this work, here!

All of this was what came from my time immersed in Seth's book, Distressed Elements...and I am grateful for the opportunity. Thanks Seth for joining the collaborative, your work is an inspiration to many, including myself.

Anne Morrow Lindbergh

2009-05-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

I've been working on Rita's "Gift from the Sea" which appealed to me for so many reasons but mainly because I love Anne Morrow Lindbergh's essays on reflection; on how she felt that she was the only woman who felt a desire to create in a space that was all her own, her need to get things in order, to simplify, and to focus on the specific things that mattered to her and to let go of the rest. Her time away from her family was not selfish but rather selfless, as she was able to contribute as a mother and member of a community once she had filled her own well. I once read:

"If you are wise, you will show yourself rather as a reservoir than as a canal.

A canal spreads abroad water as it receives it,

but a reservoir waits until it is filled before overflowing,

and thus without loss to itself it shares its superabundant water."
Bernard of Clairvaux, Celtic Monk

I wanted to use Anne's words, to use the colour blue which is my personal favorite and grants me a sense of tranquility, and to capture the sense of serenity that nature provides.

The Beautiful Sounds of Our Earth's Precious Tones!

2009-04-30T11:19:00.000-07:00

Working on Roxanne Stout- Evan's Earth Tones book has been such an exciting and creative energy force for me. I was so inspired by Roxanne's rendition of her book which you can be amazed at here and from Rita Vindedzis's beautiful work in it here. The musical aspect of Roxanne's theme came to mind- creating a desire to connect the sounds of the earth and its tones with the treasures of the earth's music that plays in our everyday lives.

There's music in the sound of the quiet silence, in chirping bird sounds, in natural musical instruments found throughout time and symphonic music in tree branches and leaves swaying in the wind.

Our mountains and great bodies of water carry through time their own melodies, as does the gentle humming of the earth's core without any seeming movement at all. You can see some additional pictures of my work in Roxanne's book here. Can't wait to see the future works of Veronica, Seth and Supria in Roxanne's Earth Tones Treasure book!

On Paper Wings

2009-04-01T11:20:00.000-07:00

When I first received Supria's book "On Paper Wings" in the post, I felt a little intimidated. After all, this is what Supria does. She is a mixed media artist. I was in awe of how she treated the pages. Such care and so much detail. Techniques that I haven't dared to try yet. This is, as you may recall my first venture into the altered book. The fact that Roxanne was the first artist to work in Supria's book made me a little tense as well. After all, this is what Roxanne does. She is a mixed media artist. Roxanne's pages in the book are very creative and textural also. I enjoyed working on these pages and looked at them as a challenge. I'm quite happy with how they turned out, even though I did have a bit of an issue with the paper wrinkling up on me. The book is coming together as a wonderful tribute to Helen Keller with all the texture and the wonderful scent of beeswax.

Snowflakes and Tulips...

2009-03-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Initially I was a little stuck on Jill's book, "Designs in Nature", but once I began laying paint on the pages I became hooked with the thought and images of nature, especially of snow. I found a feather lying on the snow on my walk one morning and knew it had to be included. I feel blessed to live in a place where I have the privilege of experiencing all seasons and to see how snow sparkles like sugar on a cold, sunny winter's day. To see how plants change colour and shed their summer glory, for winter's hibernation and a new rebirth in spring. Jill's colours reminded me of summer, and Seth's of clouds and changing seasons, which led automatically to my focus on winter and changing light. Thank you Jill for such a wonderful treasure.

on paper wings

2009-03-27T10:29:00.000-07:00

I mailed Supria's altered book, "On paper wings" off to Rita, and when she returned from a vacation in Florida it was waiting... all ready for her to add her art to the next pages...

Oh, how can I put into words what working on this book was like to me! Challenging, yes... because I am so used to working on my own themes... but magical because I got to learn more about the heroic Helen Keller. What I found was the most touching was her childhood.

Imagine, one minute "seeing" the world with all your senses, and to then have two of them vanish... how horrible, no wonder she was so frustrated and angry. And then her teacher and life-long friend came into her life... the gifts that she gave Helen were never-ending and so inspiring...

Here are a few sneak peaks of parts of the pages I did for "On paper wings." You can see more "peaks" of my art in Supria's on this post in my blog: River Garden Studio.

Friendship - Inner Works Collaborative -Round Two

2009-03-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Here is the first of the pages I did for Veronica Funk's altered book, "Friendship"....The gifts brought to me in creating these pages for her book has been immense...full of joy and struggle, self-reflection, letting go and most of all finding myself and embracing all of me.

Thanks Veronica for your gift in bringing this particular book theme to our group. For more on this journey check it out here! And check out Veronica's great work and blog, she always has a lot to share and say ....

Come With Me to the Sea Shore....

2009-03-25T20:07:00.000-07:00

Now that Rita Vindedzis's altered book "Gifts of The Sea" is in the skillful hands of Seth Apter, I thought it would be safe to share a few selections of the pages I worked on. Glimpses of sections can also be seen here on my blog. Loved every minute of this sea side visit. So, put on your sun screen, relax a moment, take a deep breath and please - take a look.

Soaring Light

2009-03-18T17:19:00.000-07:00

I have completed my pages in Jill's book. Her theme, Designs in Nature, was quite inspiring to me. The book Jill chose to alter is entitled I Lift My Lamp and describes the role Emma Lazarus played in the Statute of Liberty. As I created my pages, I was guided by two concepts that came from the book...the description of Emma as a soaring spirit and the concept of light.

More images from my pages can be seen on my blog here.

Jill's book is now in Veronica's hands and I am working away in Rita's book, Gifts from the Sea.

Earth Tones, My Interpretation

2009-03-06T11:55:00.000-08:00

I've been working in Roxanne's book "Earth Tones" for the past couple of weeks. Here are just a couple of photos, a sneak peak if you will. I didn't want to show the whole page but did want to give a sense of what I came up with. I interpreted the title "Earth Tones" as the four elements, earth, air, fire water. Here I've shown sections of fire and water. To see earth and air have a look here at my blog. I've really enjoyed working with this theme.

Nature's Got My Number

2009-02-13T20:43:00.000-08:00

I finished my section of Designs in Nature and it's now been given to the talented hands of Seth Apter from The Altered Page to begin his interpretation of my theme. This has been a uniquely special project for me, being my first collaboration and on the theme of nature- an entity so a part of me that my greatest challenge has been to create just a few pages to express the feelings and energies that it evokes within me.

Nature

Our trusted, most astounding friend
With exceptions of it's forces gone awry
It is the most gracious of hosts.
Always welcoming, always accepting.
And is the singular relationship that we will ever have-
Where we are always a special "insider".

It's a soulful relationship
With all of our senses
With that which is before us.
Comprised of life's natural signatures
Nature's beauty is an unwritten seamless poem.

In its awe inspiring infinite variety of patterns
With unique colors, lines, dots, textures, distinct shapes
And its ever magical grace and style,
Throughout our lives, nature flirts with us.

We get signs.. at first, oh so subtle signs.
Revealing ever so slowly,
Little by little,
Then a bit more and more.
From trees with erupting multi layered buds
To flowers as gorgeous as we can ever imagine.

The sea, the incredible sea
Glimmering bright with tides rolling in and out,
White foam topped rolling waves
Sounds of music playing above us
And a golden mosaic of sand under our feet.

Sea creatures hidden under the shore,
Swimming in the vast wide blue-green ocean
Whose size we can't begin to fathom
Brimming with trillions of gorgeous shells,
Home to sea life we may never see.

Birds' nests filled with tiny baby birds eating berries
Breathtaking sunrises and sunsets, the illuminating moon
Shining down on us with the brilliance of stars shining bright.
The amazing colorful rainbows, at times double rainbows
Born out of the magnificence of rain
Meeting the sun on it's journey out.

Tiny intricately woven spider webs
So perfectly shaped and spaced-
A weave of incomparable duplication.
Nature's designs, the greatest art work imaginable,
Is where my heart always finds home.

The Layers Within

2009-02-10T14:23:00.000-08:00

I am finding our project to be both inspiring and challenging. I feel that my book and I are both literally and figuratively on a journey. As our books zig zag across the United States and Canada, we are all sharing a piece of our selves in the artwork that we create. I find the process tremendously satisfying.

I chose my theme, Distressed Elements, for several reasons. Most simply, I am mesmerized by a distressed surface - marks, scratches, dents, chips, rust, frayed edges, layers and the like speak to me. For this project, though, I also wanted to explore the layers beneath the surface. The layers within. And maybe to use this project to tap into the awareness and expression of some deeper and darker feelings. The book I have altered, Oracle Nights by Paul Auster, lends itself so well to this theme.

I have chosen to post only select images below so that when it is each artist's turn to receive the book, there will still be a sense of surprise and discovery when they open package. Some additional images can be found here on my blog, The Altered Page, as well.

On Paper Wings - Helen Keller Altered Book makes its first stop

2009-02-06T06:03:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of shots of the book I have been working on altering... the theme is on Helen Keller's life...She truly was a remarkable woman who defied the pessimists who said she couldn't pursue a life of academia or any of the other joys of life that most of us take for granted as privileged seeing and hearing individuals..She is an authentic role model for me, reminding me that if I set my mind, heart and soul on my dreams and any aspiration I can imagine...I can do anything ...In fact we can do anything.......I am in awe of her passion to learn to read, write and speak...and her pursuit of college and her activism & advocacy for all other individuals who could not hear or speak..She was a fine strong woman.

I decided to call the altered book I am doing "On Paper Wings" as she over her lifetime wrote many letters to her many fans, friends and family ..and it was the letters that she both wrote and received that kept her motivated to keep her dream alive and make them into reality... and this determinism to accomplish all she did was kept on fire by the many admiring letters she received..perhaps because she knew she was making a difference in people's lives in whatever small or grand way.

The written word in all forms is a powerful element to our lives, such as the books of inspiration we read...or even the blogging world where we reach out to our virtual friends and those comments that come back help keep each one of our motivations alive to keep doing what we love the most..following my heart and passion is fueled by the ability to share and blog...so thank you to all of you for reading and sharing your thoughts and comments..it is a wonderful thing - the community of blogging.

The book is now on route to the lovely Roxanne of River Garden Studio, who is working with the theme: Earth Tones. And I am now going to delve into the fabulous book I received from Veronica on the theme of Friendship...past, present and to come....

Designs in Nature Continues

2009-01-24T19:15:00.000-08:00

Before I send my book off and present final pictures and a completed product, I would like to share with you some of my earlier steps before it will have journeyed to it's final phase of completeness.

Here are a few pictures of my book's journey.

This collaborative altered book project has been one of the most enjoyable artistic experiences I've ever had. Challenging because I've never done this kind of project before, but so exciting and inspiring that I can't help but think about it all the time. I'm so grateful to be working with everyone- Supria, Seth, Rita, Veronica and Roxanne. Since my first posting of this collaboration, I've experienced so many coincidences and synchronicity of our projects. To begin with, I was awestruck to receive a comment from Reva Solomon, a reader of our blog, indicating that she knows the author of my book choice for about 13 years through The Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators - scbwi.org. I'm hoping that the author, Nancy Smiler Levinson, will be happy with the final results of our collaboration, knowing that this kind of project is done as an act of love of the book we've chosen and our connections to it.

The next coincidence came when I read about Supria's theme of Helen Keller for her project. I've always been fascinated by Helen Keller and to this day, marvel that she learned to see and hear without the workings of her biological eyes and ears, but rather through her intelligence, mind and senses. When I was creating the inside of my book cover (still in the works) I had glued an additional page from another book into this book for a butterfly shape I once cut out. As I started to read the words on the page, I was shocked to see that the writing was about Helen Keller.

The paragraph that was showing through (although may actually end up hidden) details the meaning of the word Sensuist - defined as a person who revels in life's sensory experiences. It goes on to say that Helen Keller was one of the greatest sensuists of all time. Based on this definition, I would characterize myself and would think most artists would fall into this category.

While working on this project, I've been overwhelmed by all of the energy I feel, highlighted by the connection toward all of my collaborator's themes which have been so inspiring to me. With this, I send a special thank you to everyone for sharing so much of themselves through their altered books, and again, a very special thank you to Supria who selected me as the 6th and final artist to complete our Inner Works team- and for that, I will forever be grateful.

Seth Apter of The Altered Page

Theme: Distressed Elements

The topic of distressed elements was originally foreign to me. The only distressed items I've previously been drawn to are antiques, old books and all parts of old houses. However, since the time that Seth selected his theme, I've slowly been drawn to distressed and rusted metals. So much so that I may now fit the category of an official rustonian! There is a certain beauty about these items that I have a new found appreciation for. It's a new world that's opened up to me- a whole new sphere of art to love.

Veronica Funk of Simple Pleasures

Theme: Friendship

On the surface, it may seem as if everyone knows about friendship. But actually, I think it's one of the most misunderstood kinds of relationships that abound. Thinking about the title enabled me to reflect again on the complexities of friendship. A year or two ago, someone sent me a poem, author unknown, that begins with this phrase: "People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person...." I find that this sentiment often helps me to better understand the character and nature of many of my friendships and has helped me to understand the direction that they've taken. Friendship is one of the greatest gifts we can give to each other and ourselves.

Supria Karmakar of An Artist's 'Encaustic Musings'

Theme: Helen Keller

Helen Keller's aquisition of knowledge and ability to learn and accomplish all that she did in her lifetime remains a mystery to me. Not too long ago, I was walking in midtown Manhattan, New York City and saw a double billboard of both Helen Keller and the Dalai Lama.

I at once snapped pictures of it and wanted to incorporate Helen's piece into my bronx city scene painting- but unfortunately, it just didn't fit. The sign says, "Helen Keller Could Only see the Possibilities, Foresight ... Pass It On". What a beautiful thought for all of us to follow.

Roxanne Evans-Stout of River Garden Studio

Roxanne Evans-Stout

Theme: Earth Tones

How can we not be connected to Earth Tones, the foundation for our place on earth, our "air" below us, our ground and our connection to the world we live in. This past summer I traveled to Sedona and am forever now connected to these brilliant tones of our existence. They've become a part of me- so much so that I was inspired to create a painting of my relationship to these beautiful, peaceful yet exciting new found colors.

Rita Vindedzis of Rita Vindedzis

Theme: Gift From the Sea

The sea, another one of the great gifts of our earth is such an important part of my life. I've always been drawn to the sea and it's treasure trove of shells. I love both to collect them and be dazzled by their shapes, colors, textures- chameleon character- and how they are the protective homes to the sea creatures which they are entrusted to protect. The gift of the sea is not one thing, but encompasses so much. From the tides, fish, plankton, shells and all life within, it's always been such an amazing entity to me. I have this need to always be near a body of water- and thankfully, or maybe for this reason, I am gifted to be able to look out my window every day and see the Henry Hudson River in New York.

Jill Zaheer of Jazworks

Theme: Designs of Nature

I've chosen designs in nature as my theme to celebrate the natural beauty in all that nature has to offer and to capture the exquisite textures, relationships of space, lines, colors, dimension and overwhelming endless visual kaleidoscope of life's artistic blessings all around us.

Friend

2009-01-22T10:23:00.000-08:00

Friend

As I grow older

I see a need

for me to love myself

and

to love a reflection of myself,

the reflection that I see

in the eyes of a friend.

Distressed Elements

2009-01-15T17:54:00.000-08:00

I have chosen distressed elements as my theme for this altered book project. I find that I gravitate toward art and art supplies that have their own history...that have a natural, weathered patina...that have the nicks of life that make them more interesting. Like people who have lived and taken risks and gone on their own personal journeys and adventures.

I had a difficult time choosing the "right" book for this project. After much deliberation, I have chosen to alter a book I already own...Oracle Night by Paul Auster. I have made this choice for a number of reasons. Practically, the book seems to be the perfect size (8 1/2" x 6" + 3/4" thick) and its relatively new, crisp pages will make a sturdy base for altering.

But even more important are the other reasons. Paul Auster is a favorite author. Like me, he lives in NYC and the city plays a big role in his novels. His writing style is very distinct and there is often a magical component to his work, which generally focuses on coincidence and synchronicity. There is one section even describing the quest for a book, coincidentally much like our own search for the right book to alter.

Oracle Night is a dark story. In fact, it touches on the more distressing elements of life. The story is about a writer and is anchored by a series of events that unfold following his purchase of a special blue notebook...a quite ordinary book that seems to have a powerful influence on those who come in contact with it. For all these reasons, Oracle Night ultimately resonated with me.

All five of us have such varied styles. I am hoping that each of us will bring our own personal touch to every altered book and that the end result will be six remarkable books. I look forward to seeing how this project unfolds. And, much like the story in the book I have chosen to alter, to see the powerful influence that all of our books have on our own lives!

In Search of Helen Keller

2009-01-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

Helen Keller, June 27, 1880 to June 1, 1968. Photo of Helen Keller in 1905.

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt within the heart." ~Helen Keller.

For months now I have been in search for that intuitive feeling of 'knowing"! Knowing what is the right theme for my altered book project... And it has finally come to me with a certainty that I am so enjoying... My book is going to celebrate the life of Helen Keller, but most importantly all that she stood for..Her values and philosophy; her story is one of perseverance, positivism, resilience, inner beauty, compassion, love and so much more...which I look forward to discovering as I delve into her life. By doing so I will be reminded of these important lessons in life and hope to live in these moments with grace and gratitude.

Helen Keller was a an American author, activist and lecturer. She a person living without sight and hearing, who defied the odds and led a full life. A great role model for all of us. She campaigned for women's suffrage worker's rights and other progressive causes, such as pacifism, she was a birth control supporter and a radical socialist.

So now the search is on for the right book...I am excited as I believe the inspiration for this comes from deep within and I am merely the vessel to bring it to life..And then five other beautifully creative souls will add to this beginning and create a wonderfully inspiring book.

I will post some of photos of the cover shortly, when I find the right book.

Altered Books Workshop - Great Resource Book!

2009-01-11T11:07:00.001-08:00

Thought I would share the book I have found to be great when discovering altered books. It is a fantastic resource that reviews step by step how to incorporate windows, doors, shadow boxes, drawers, pockets, textures, glazing and other awesome collaging techniques...All of which are great tips in working with altered books.

If anyone has any other resources to share please do tell : ) always on the look out for new resources.

Earth Tones

2009-01-11T09:39:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to be a part of this fascinating collaborative, Inner Works.

For me, winter time is a time of soul searching, day dreams and finding new meanings and inspiration from the everyday world. This project comes at the perfect time.

The theme I chose for my altered book is "Earth Tones."

I am intrigued by the earth and all of it's colors and sounds, in the natural world but also in history and celebrations of people that are close to their world of nature. Dancing and drums from different cultures call to me as well as poetry and songs.

My wish is for this project is for the other artists to "listen to the tones of the earth," to create their own pieces of art that represent the color, music or traditions of our world.

The first photograph above is the book I have chosen to alter. It is an old keeper of record albums. It is about 8 x 8 inches square and is a dark red. I have already started on the cover. Surrounding it are images or objects I may use in the project. When I first began searching for this book, I chose "The Last Days of Pompeii," because I loved the cover and the yellowed pages, but as I began trying to connect these old pages into groups they disintegrated with my every touch, thus a new book had to be found!

Next is the book opened to the two pages I am starting. I divided the book into 6 sections not counting the first and last page. I connected them with brads, but each artist is welcomed to do what they like with them. As seen, there are circular openings and envelopes which could be used or not...

Lastly some writing I did about "Earth Tones"... a poem of sorts...

As this project begins I welcome working with these amazing five artists and am excited to start working!

Gift From the Sea

2009-01-11T08:23:00.000-08:00

I've always loved the ocean, so it's no surprise to me that when I signed up for this round robin altered book collaboration I would choose Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. I have a very special copy of this book that I received for my 17th birthday and it has a beautiful inscription written inside. It's pages are discolored and worn as I've re read it numerous times and I'd like to keep it as is. I came across another book that I think would be perfect for altering. It's much larger and has more pages so I think it's better suited as we'll all be working with it. Step by Step Sushi by Katsuji Yamamamoto and Roger W. Hicks. I'll be altering this book and my theme will be Gift From the Sea. I think it works beautifully because what better gift do we get from the sea? It provides us with an abundance of wonderful fish. I researched on-line and found that when altering a book there are basically no rules, so I can proceed with my plan this way, right? If anyone has suggestions please feel free to comment.

"Friendship"

2009-01-06T21:20:00.000-08:00

Friendship is a term used to denote co-operative and supportive behavior between two or more people. In this sense, the term connotes a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, and affection and respect along with a degree of rendering service to friends in times of need or crisis. Friends will welcome each other's company and exhibit loyalty towards each other, often to the point of altruism. Their tastes will usually be similar and may converge, and they will share enjoyable activities. They will also engage in mutually helping behaviour, such as exchange of advice and the sharing of hardship. A friend is someone who may often demonstrate reciprocating and reflective behaviours. Yet for many, friendship is nothing more than the trust that someone or something will not harm them.

The book I selected to work on is titled "Testament of Friendship" which is a biography of the life of woman named Winifred Holtby written by Vera Brittain and published in London in 1941. I picked this book up recently at our local recycling centre just because I love old books, I think they're beautiful. The title especially called to me as for many years I have had few but very close long-lived friendships...and even recently, a few acquaintances have become quite special in my life, so I want to honour friendship. I have lived a fairly solitary life, snuggled in my home, reading, painting, spending time with my family. But as my children grow, and as I connect with more 'kindred spirits', even in this digital world, I am grateful for the encouragement and support of friends.

"True happiness consists not in the multitude of friends,

but in their worth and choice."

- Samuel Johnson (1709 - 1784) British Lexiographer

Here's to A Wonderful New Year's Welcome to Our Inner Works Altered Books Collaboration

2009-01-04T20:45:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Everyone. Here's my first posting with the birth of my altered book. I've selected I Lift My Lamp (Emma Lazarus and the Statue of Liberty) by Nancy Smiler Levinson. It's the story of Ms. Lazarus's life and how amazingly, it was a sonnet she wrote to raise money for the base of the statue that would become the lines most people equate with the Statue itself. These words are engraved on a plaque that can be found inside the statue's pedestal titled "The New Colossus".

..."Give me your tired, your poor
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse your teeming shore
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I life my lamp beside the golden door!"

The theme for my altered book revolves around designs in nature which is woven throughout the pages of the book - filled with Emma's passion for life, her love of books, poetry and the "boundless joys of nature". Emma wrote that it was good to be alive, "to see the light that plays upon the grass to feel the mild breezes stir to gaze at the bright breathing sea..."

I really love how Emma was described in the book as a soaring spirit. That's how I will think about all of us working on our collaboration together.

Here is a picture of the book I've selected with the original cover on.

And below, with the cover taken off. It measures 9" high by 6" wide and is almost 1/2inch thick.

I wanted to introduce you to my book since it will become a part of everyone's life once you put your labor of love into it. Likewise, I look forward to the pleasure of seeing everyone else's books. So hurdle number one has been tackled when I decided on my theme. Then item number two on my list has been satisfied by selecting my book. Now my new challenge of course is the cover and the inside 2 pages. Part of the difficulty I'm having for the inner pages is that there is so much I want to share and express but am limited to the 2 pages. So, I have decided to trust everyone in our collaboration to help support me in our endeavor by adding all that you feel will expand on my theme to add depth, beauty and an inspiring inner soul to my book. Jill

Happy 2009 - Cover Shots from our team project, to come?

2009-01-01T06:52:00.000-08:00

"A Room without books is like a body without a soul" ~ Cicero...Here's to finding and nurturing our time with books in 2009 - Wishing you all a joyous 2009.

How about posting the covers of our books if we have them, unaltered, fresh and ready to begin working on...you can post your own image of the book you are eager to alter.....Can't wait to see them ....

2009 is going to be about "Imagining the possibilities"...saying "Yes, why not" more and joyous living...Escaping from what brings me down by delving into those places and spaces that bring me joy.

Here is to you all:

"Only You" - A poem by Dan Coppersmith

No one on Earth exists quite like you

And no one is able to do what you do

The person you are

The talents you bear

Gifts that only you can share

Only you have learned

From the things you've done

Gaining perspective from the battle's you've won

Times when you've lost

Have been priceless too

The lessons contribute

To what makes you you

The rest of the world

Can't see through your eyes

Which is why your insight

Is such a prize

The things you do

The things you say

Send ripples throughout

The Milky Way

You're unique, amazing

Like no one else

You have the exclusive

On being yourself

The Beginnings

2008-12-22T19:26:00.000-08:00

As our round robin altered book project begins for the new year, 2009 - I thought I would set up this blog for us to use as a way to communicate...As well as this being a way to share our images, musings/thoughts on the process, get feedback, be inspired...but most simply to connect in community with each other in this journey.

As each of us prepare to alter our books in the coming months, here is the following roll out for us... to know who to pass on our creation:

Seth to Veronica

Veronica to Supria

Supria to Roxanne

Roxanne to Rita

Rita to Jill and

Jill to Seth

We are intending to begin this process now or in January, after the holiday festivities have quietened...and we can sit still to listen to the serenity of the wintertime..with ourselves, and our creative muse, with our inspiration at our fingertips....Our first send off will be around the week of January 26th.

I hope we can all share here what we think might be helpful, or to ask for assistance and share....

Some initial questions for you to think about:

You each have been invited to be authors to this blog..which means you can write your own posts etc. Let me know your thoughts on this?

Also, do you want this to be our member only blog..where we can only view the blog?

Or do you want this to be searchable, or viewable to the general public? Of course this will change how we write and I will also have to change some of the settings depending on your responses.

Looking forward to your thoughts.