Friday, 27 November 2015

Books, books, books...

...how I love them.  I can't bear to see them discarded, even when they're broken and abused.  That's where creating book sculptures come in.

My most recent sculpture is crafted from a book by Harlan Coben called Hold Tight.  It's a terrific novel, one I've read more than once, and when a friend gave me a damaged copy I knew it would need to become a wall sculpture.

'Hang Loose' book sculpture © Win Dinn
from a book called Hold Tight by Harlan Coben
I'd hate to count the hours taken for folding,


cutting

 and curling,

 but you can assume that it was a very large number.


I'm always intrigued by the isolated words that show up in these sculptures,


 wondering about 'his chin'


 and 'eleven-year'.

I think this will hang loose for quite some time on our walls.



Do you have a favourite damaged book?  If you're looking for a sculpture (tabletop or wall), why not email me for some options?


22 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thanks so much Shelby! I do love altered books, in any form!

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  2. what an incredible amount of work! I do miss the color you normally provide in your work though but I guess this is a nice counterpoint.

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    1. It is much tamer than what I normally provide, isn't it Val? Perhaps some Dylusions spray could be used to liven it up! :D

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  3. A wonderful sculpture.. amazing!
    Happy weekend!
    oxo
    Susi

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    1. Thanks, Susi, and right back at you for the perfect weekend!

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  4. Gorgeous Winn, love them. Thanks for the visit to mine too, Angela x

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    1. Thanks, Angela - one of my favourite things is perusing blogs from around the world - the best! :D

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  5. This is actually quite beautiful--and quite worth the hours taken for creating it! There are times when a black'n'white piece is just what the eye needs...a place to rest for a moment! Love this! Thanks for your visits to my blog, Win. I have signed up to "follow by e-mail" but am not currently getting the notifications. A temporary glitch, I hope!

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    1. Thanks, Kay - I love the meditative aspect of creating books sculptures. Like all art, they can give me hours of another realm. Fingers crossed that the 'follow by email' corrects itself, but if not, try do it again in case that helps!

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  6. This looks wonderful, Win! It's always important for me too to use books that I have a personal connection to, even if the book is unrecognisable beneath the paint layers. I must look this one up!

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    1. Thanks, Zsuzsa - it was a fun project, and Coben is a fabulous mystery writer if that's your genre! This is not the first thoroughly read/abused book of his I've used for this purpose.

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  7. Dig your title! So appropriate for the Hang Tight title of the book!!
    Great sculpture Win- so glad you recycle where you can! hugs

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    1. Thanks, Jackie - the title makes me smile. And recycling, upcycling, repurposing is THE name of the game in mixed media I think! xo

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  8. Intrigued, as always, with your paper art, this one is a beauty. The title is brilliant!
    My neurotic self worries about keeping them clean, free of dust and gak. Which is why your beautiful turquoise "River Study II - Evoking Water" is behind glass, encased in a shadow box frame!

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    1. Thanks, Alice. And I do know enough now not to gift you with anything that cannot be easily dusted due to your distaste for the gak-free lifestyle! :D

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  9. I hadn't thought about the isolated words/phrases that present themselves as others are hidden in the folds. Could the exposed words trigger a new story to be written?

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    1. I suspect so, Eileen - I've always enjoyed the process of highlighting words in a damaged novel to write a new story, and don't see why it couldn't apply here!

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  10. Oh my stars and garters Win - how in the world..... dear me.... I am just - once again - astounded at your talent. This sculpture is WONDERFUL.... wow. Hubby and I also love books. We have over 2000 books in our home. I just love that you made such an INCREDIBLE work of art from this neat book. LOVE this! j.

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    1. Thanks, Joi - love doing these sculpture, and turning too-well-loved novels into a new story! xo

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