Collaborating with other artists has become a significant part of my practice over the last few years, and time becomes a major element in the progress of a collaboration. This book is one of a set of five in a project which began over two years ago. About a week ago I received my book back with the final pages completed, and it was like reuniting with an old friend.
This was an international collaboration, with two of us (myself and Karen Bailey) in Australia, Cathe Jacobi and Gale Everett Stahlke in the US and Rebecca Cary Anderson in Sweden. All of us except Rebecca had collaborated before (see here for more about the first books) so when we decided to do another set of books, we asked Rebecca to join us. None of us have ever met in person, we became friends through our WordPress blogs, each loving one another’s work.
For this project we decided to make concertina books, each person contributing one double page spread on the theme of the person who made the book. The books are roughly A5, or 210 x 148 mm. We all had some technical issues in making a long concertina using good quality paper, and in the end I decided to simply present the others with separate pages, which I would then join at the end. This is now done, with hinges made from Chinese rice paper, strong enough to cope with the folds, but thin and unobtrusive enough to not obscure any of the handwriting on the backs, which is such an intrinsic part of this book.
My theme was Eat Me – which could be interpreted liberally. My thinking was that this could have something to do with edible plants, but each artist had complete freedom as to their interpretation.
Receiving the book back was such a joy, I could spend time closely examining each piece of artwork, created with such care and skill. Everyone wrote a piece on the back of their artwork, about their thought process and how it all came together.
To see more of the other books in the series, visit each of the artists, all of us (except Gale) are on Instagram: karenbaileystudio, cathejacobi, rebeccacaryandersonart, and me anna_warren_portfolio, Gale is at sticksstonesnpaperstew here on WordPress.
Anna 
Rebecca 
Cathe 
Gale 
Karen
anna warren portfolio 
Fabulous!
LikeLike
Thanks Anne! And thanks for the link to my letterbox collaboration too!
LikeLike
My pleasure! Your letterbox collaboration has inspired me to do something similar with my mother. It’s been quite exciting opening the post 🙂
LikeLike
That’s great! It helps with a sense of purpose, because you HAVE to respond to what the other person has done! And its fun.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is just extraordinary. So beautiful. I don’t know that it is in my nature to collaborate but I so admire what you do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Nancy – I think it has turned out really well. My co-artists are all really lovely people, and very conscientious, everyone has really worked hard to make it a beautiful book. Collaboration is an interesting thing, it does push you out of your comfort zone, but it is worth it in the end, I think we all grow from it. Give it a go, just something simple with a friend to start with, and start with no expectations, you may be surprised!
LikeLike
It’s so nice to see your book all together. It really works nicely. It’s traveled so far and all those hands moving it from one place to the next! I love to see your spread again with your extraordinary pencil work, so delicate! I would say this was a truly amazing collaboration!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was relieved that joining the pages worked out ok! It is such a pleasure to have it back, and in some ways the length of time it was away has enhanced that, made it all new again. I do love your page Cathe, it has such grace. Thank you for (once again!) being part of this!
LikeLike
All of you artists employ the diagonal thrust in your drawings which make the art works look lively with a great sense of movement. Karen’s in the stillest (I think) but with her stillness is a sense of abundance and freshness, as if her vegetables came from her own garden or a farmer’s market. Gale’s stalks sway in the breeze, Cathe’s produce dances on the page, Rebecca’s dog plunges into the garden, and your fungi and chilli arrange themselves as if they are participants in a vegetable harem.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There is a natural tendency to go for the dynamic of a diagonal isn’t there? Something that becomes instinctive. Love your descriptions – I guess those mushrooms and the red hot chili are fairly decadent!
LikeLiked by 1 person
ha ha – yes – the delicious drawings got my descriptive juices going!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just fabulous 🌺
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is fabulous Anna-it requires such organisation to collate such a project (I’ve dabbled in the past) so really appreciate this.
LikeLike
It certainly requires cooperation amongst the group, and trust too. This project took longer than we all expected, but we began it expressly agreeing to not impose the pressure of set deadlines, and life in various forms intervened to cause interruptions. But we were all patient and it was such a joy to get my book back again! Thanks Patti, I appreciate your comment!
LikeLike
Aw you’re very welcome Anna; thanks to you too for your interest in my work.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m enjoying your lovely loose sketches!
LikeLike
Thanks Anna; I seldom get any feedback at all!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The secret to getting feedback is to comment on other people’s blogs – invariably they will come and have a look at yours, and often they will see something they connect with, and off you go!
LikeLike
Funny enough, I started to realise that a few weeks ago but just as I did I got swept up in frontline work & just haven’t been able to have a proper look at other peeps blogs. I look forward to delving soon & thanks for the tip!
LikeLiked by 1 person