I have been really busy creating; too busy, it seems, to be writing here. So I am just popping in to show you two things I have listed in my Etsy shop.
Remember my post about how the wetlands were inspiring me? They have continued to be an inspiration, and these artist books are some of the things I have been working on. [I have been writing in more detail in my newsletter, so if you would like to get the letter from my studio, you can sign up here.]
I am not sure what to call them. They are not really concertina books (and I have been making lots of those), and they are not really books at all. Maybe they are folded maps? Any thoughts?
Anyway, the fold is called the Turkish map fold. I am enjoying it as it allows the inside to be a surprise, almost a secret. Does it bring back childhood memories of treasure maps and secret compartments? It does for me, which is probably why I am finding them so satisfying to make. It’s a lovely mix of childhood feelings and adult art work.
One of the ‘books’ has the watercolour map on the outside and a crazy abstract painting of the reeds inside.
The other has the abstract painting on the outside and the map on the inside. This one has a couple of glass beads that sort of closes it.
I like that these are taking me in a new direction, while keeping the old of the watercolour and feathers. And what’s not to love about folding paper?!
Hopefully soon I will post more about my work. In the meantime, if you would like to see these books/maps in more detail……
Click here to see the first one.
Click here to see the second.
Anne Lawson Art 
25 replies on “Concertina artist books ~ or are they maps?”
These look great Anne – and it looks as if they’ll be easier to re-fold than an actual map 😁
I’m pleased to see you used the word ‘unique’ in your Etsy shop in the correct way – it’s something that irritates me no end when I see the word ‘unique’ when what the seller really mean is ‘rare’ or ‘unusual’. Rant over. I closed my Etsy shops due to the shipping slowdown and general reluctance by lots of people (not me) to avoid handling packages during the pandemic. Have you found it’s affected your sales at all?
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I’m sorry to hear that you’ve closed your Etsy shop, Lynn. I think if we could catch the virus from packages, we would all be goners. People seem to be focusing on the wrong things.
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Much easier than an actual map!
My Etsy sales have slowed right down over the last few years, so I haven’t noticed a down turn because to the virus. I understand the reluctance of overseas customers to buy as the post office has told me it is taking over 7 weeks for parcels to get to the States. 😳 On the other hand, I have sold two works (including one of these map thingies!) to people in Melbourne and they have arrived almost over night.
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Those look lovely and I haven’t seen those folded maps before. What a great way to extend your creative range. Some people seem to have lost their momentum during lockdown but it seems you have used the quiet to explore new ideas – love it.
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I have been really lucky to have done the online course with Tara Axford. Her inspiration came at the perfect time to get my creative juices going. They were certainly lacking before that. I intend to write a post about it…..but it’s my blogging mojo that seems to be lacking.
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Isn’t it lovely when you do a course and it fits you like a glove? I love reading your posts but first you have to have done something to blog about! When I am in a really creative mood I don’t want to be disstracted by writing about it – I just want to do more and more. I prefer having my creative mojo to having my blogging one. Hopefully at some point you will feel the need to pause and reflect on your making and then you will feel like witing about your creations.
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These are beautiful, Anne!
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Thank you Kathy. They are certainly different! I have always had a fascination for folding and cutting paper.
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I especially love the map of the second one – which is also the header on this post. You are being so creative – I love these and the stitching pieces too!
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They appeal to my sense of the secret space…what will I find when I open this out. There is room inside for flat treasures too, like feathers. I also like that they have no real function, they just are. I am pleased that they appeal to you too Pauline.
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You’ve been busy… they are clever and beautiful, I particularly like the detail of the glass bauble closure.
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Just between you and me Dale, the beads are almost entirely decorative. They don’t hold the fold closed, as I think the paper has too much spring. It keeps wanting to open. But they look pretty, and that’s enough for me!
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What lovely sculptural pieces. I really like the idea of bending the landscape in on itself… there’s something the reminds me of the work of textile artist Janet Browne (http://www.janetbrownetextiles.com/page4.htm)
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Jane’s work is wonderful; the detail amazing. Thanks for the link.
I hadn’t thought of bending the landscape in on itself, but it is true. My thoughts were more about secret spaces, hidden treasures.
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They’re fantastic, Anne! Lovely to see you being so immersed in the creativity. Go you!
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Thanks Meeks. I have been really fortunate to have done the course with Tara Axford. It has given me a real creative impetus. If not for the course I think I would have been wallowing around in creative self-pity.
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I know the feeling. I keep trying to drag my mind back to ‘fun’ writing, but it resists. I’m determined to do a bit today. Seems such a waste of all this ‘free’ time otherwise. Onwards and upwards!
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I am trying for a little every day, and more if I have the time. (‘If I have the time’ is such an odd statement at the moment, but my time seems to disappear during the day.) However, I am also trying to not put pressure on myself to produce the perfect isolation art work. It’s more like an artist in residence.
Did you get some writing done today?
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Time…yes! Time slips away from me and suddenly it’s time to cook dinner. And yes, thank you, I /did/ manage to write today. It felt good. Not as good as the days when inspiration seemed to flow from my fingers, but good. Like you I count any day I manage to do a ‘bit’ a good day. 🙂
How about you?
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Anne, I love the way you are constantly exploring new artistic avenues for your work. These are such interesting pieces of art and craft. They’re gorgeous.
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Thanks Alys. I used to worry/wonder whether I was heading off into too many different directions, but now I realise that that all these artistic avenues are just giving me more techniques I can use to help me create what I want.
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There you go, Anne!
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These really are intriguing, but I’ll leave the creating of them to you. I’d probably tear my hair out trying to get them to fold properly :))
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I have always loved paper folding. However, I understand that it is not everyone’s cup of tea. We would do basic origami things when I was teaching and I found that some loved it and would start folding every piece of paper in sight and others ended up with a tangled mess. ☺️
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[…] I have been creating. In this post you may have seen a couple of the things I have been making. Lots of other creations made with […]
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