18 September, 2013

Water Baby!



It is usual, I think, for the latest whatever-it-is to be thought of as the most beautiful and in every way the most outstanding of all . . . whether we are talking of babies or books made by hand!

Each of the books I have been involved in has had its moment in the sun BUT I have to say that the latest, Ralph Kiggell's The Third Thing, just brought back by Frances from the binders, is really something rather special. Rejoicing at its completion is, for me, partly a reflection of the extraordinary amount of time I spent printing and over-printing yet again each of these pages. As the weeks went by with a daily printing, I became ever more relieved (on behalf of anyone who might think to purchase a copy) that we have never costed a single minute of the time I spend on any of the many activities involved in producing them into the price of our books. Crazy I know . . . but I just love doing it.





There are many people who were entranced by Ralph's earlier masterpiece Leading the Cranes Home (now completely sold out) who have been looking forward for some time to this new venture. The subject matter and choice of texts in this book are quite different from the former but the format and arrangement of the two books are exactly the same. Here again each spread is given up to the printing of a poem or piece of prose (this time on the subject of Water in all its different manifestations) together with one of Ralph's stunning multi-coloured woodcuts in the Japanese manner.




I have posted a few of these spreads here earlier but now a full description of the book and a (generous!) slideshow can be found on our website.




Also described is the Special Edition and glimpses given of the prints Ralph has made specially for this purpose and quite separate from the book. There are only ten of these Specials and I have to say that more than half the copies have already been spoken for after an email to interested parties sent yesterday. If you would like to get your hands on one of the remaining copies I would urge considerable speed!



03 September, 2013

Books on show this month

Last month Angela Lemaire had a show of her books, prints and paintings in Edinburgh and now forthcoming in London and Eastbourne are two more shows which will include books from The Old Stile Press.

Josie Reed will be known to many who visited her Gallery in Bath where she had several very successful shows of books.  Now, as Reed Contemporary Books she has curated a show at Flow in London of artists' books.  Previously we have mentioned Flow because there have been exhibitions of contemporary Designed Bookbindings held there - but this show focuses on the whole book - not just its binding! Josie has selected Jubilate Agno among her fifty beautiful books.




































The second show - in Eastbourne - is at the Emma Mason Gallery which concentrates on printmaking. This is an 80th birthday tribute to Garrick Palmer.  His book LAND will be among the exhibits which will consist largely of his miraculous wood engravings. Sadly there are no more copies of The Ballad of Reading Gaol which he did with us - though separate prints exist still.


"Garrick Palmer at Eighty"
A celebration of the work of wood engraver Garrick Palmer
19th September – 12th October 2013
At the Emma Mason Gallery, Eastbourne


  


emma mason
B R I T I S H  P R I N T S

3 Cornfield Terrace
Eastbourne
East Sussex
BN21 4NN

t   01323 727545
m 07944 535354

www.emmamason.co.uk
sales@emmamason.co.uk







We hope some of you may be able to get to these shows - the next Fair which we will be at ourselves is in Oxford at the beginning of November - more details when we know them.