Handmade Books

One of my absolute favorite art forms is the handmade book. Once being introduced to handmade books, you will never look at a book the same as you once did.

So, just what do I mean by the term handmade book? Well, a handmade book can take on many forms. It is definitely not the standard hardbound book with pages in it (although, it could be!). I was fortunate enough to take a 16-week class on the art of handmade books at Barry University. The professor, Tom Rockwell, referred to such books as "narrative structures". Author Michael Jacobs (Books Unbound, 2006) defines a handmade book as "a small, intimate, handheld object that reveals information over time."

I like to take both of those definitions and combine them to say that a handmade book is a narrative structure that transmits information over time. And, yes, I am certain there are others who would define it differently (post a comment and let me know your thoughts!).

Those of us living in South Florida are lucky enough to have THE premier collection of handmade books in the country (I argue ... in the WORLD) right here in our own backyard. It is the collection held on the campus of Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in Boca Raton at The Arthur & Mata Jaffe Center for Book Arts in the Wimberly Library. The Jaffe's have spent a lifetime collecting handmade and artist books. The collection is spectacular. You can check out a small part of the collection by visiting http://www.jaffecollection.org/

As for me, I am a novice but one that is totally hooked on the art form. Below is a sample of my work. In brief, my dad was stationed in Guadalcanal in WWII. There, he met a photographer, sent to capture images of the war, who gave him a huge amount of the photographs. They have always been part of my life. Unfortunately, like many war veterans, my dad never talked about the war, what he did or what he witnessed. I only have these photographs to look at and imagine what he saw. This book is called War Stories and is dedicated to my dad. Hope you enjoy it. *** Click on the photos to see a larger image...you'll be able to read the story on the last page of the book ***