Saturday, June 5, 2010

Postcards from the Heart

Have I left you all in suspense for long enough?


It's probably time to put you all out of your misery and let you all in what has been going on in the studio for the last few months!


As many of you know I have been buried deep in the Pulp Redux collaboration and am really enjoying it too, but what I haven't let out before is that I am also involved in another collaboration with the gorgeous Caterina from La Dolce Vita.


When Caterina and myself decided to embark on a collaboration together I had all the usual ideas but somehow it wasn't working for me. I just wasn't satisfied with how things were shaping up in an already existing book structure so decided to make my own.


Introducing...


Postcards from the Heart.



The book is constructed entirely from fabrics, many hand dyed along with the embellishments.


The story is set in the late 1800's and finds our heroine about to undertake a tour of the continent, something reasonably common amongst the well to do families of the time. The story is told through a series of fabric constructed postcards sent by our heroine back to her friend in England. The pictures on the postcards are actual photographs of various european cities taken during the late 1800's and transferred onto the fabric. The reverse or postcard side of the cards is also achieved using transfers and are also photographs of actual period postcard documents. Each postcard sits inside a pocket on the page and is an interactive element.


The pages themselves reflect the nature of the postcards they contain, contributing to the overall theme and feel for the story.


Of course the story remains unfinished until Caterina adds her own piece to the whole so you will only be able to view the goings on so far as I have done them. There are a number of pieces of prose throughout the book contributing to our knowledge of our heroine for whom you never find out a name. She signs everything only with an 'A'.


To bring you to a starting place I will give you this piece which is included in the first page of the book. The words by James Kavanaugh provided me with a wonderful starting point for the story.



Some people do not have to search - they find their niche early in life and rest there, seemingly contented and resigned. They do not seem to ask much of life, sometimes they do not seem to take it seriously. At times I envy them, but usually I do not understand them - seldom do they understand me. I am one of the searchers. There are, I believe, millions of us. We are not unhappy, but neither are we really content. We continue to explore life, hoping to uncover its ultimate secret. We continue to explore ourselves, hoping to understand. We like to walk along the beach - we are drawn by the ocean, taken by its power, its unceasing motion, its mystery and unspeakable beauty. We like forests and mountains, deserts and hidden rivers, and the lonely cities as well. Our sadness is as much a part of our lives as is our laughter. To share our sadness with the one we love is perhaps as great a joy as we can know - unless it is to share our laughter. We searchers are ambitious only for life itself, for everything beautiful it can provide. Most of all we want to love and be loved. We want to live in a relationship that will not impede our wandering, nor prevent our search, nor lock us in prison walls. We do not want to prove ourselves to another or compete for love. We are wanderers, dreamers and lovers, lonely souls who dare ask of life everything good and beautiful. - - James Kavanaugh


So would you like to take a peek at the book now?


Enjoy the slideshow!

(You can click to bring it up full screen size)








I can't wait to see what Caterina does with the storyline, or what happens to our girl. The photographs used in the book are all curtesy of the Commons project and available to the public under a commons licence through Flickr. Many thanks to all those institutions for their continued support of a wonderful resource.

11 comments:

Svetlana said...

Kim, the book is sensational! I love every single detail. You must've spent days and nights sawing. Caterina is going to love it.

Unknown said...

This sounds sooooo fantastic & you chose a fabulous collaborating partner. Unfortunately, I can't open the slide show. sigh! Do you have to be a member to see your slides & if so, how do you access your photos? I am still stuck in anticipation for awhile!

Anonymous said...

oh my gawd, lady, this is fantastic!!! first though: "oh, kim is cheating on us!" just kidding. first REAL thought: "holy crap this is amazing!!!!" you are so magnificently talented and have done a tremendous job on this! i watched the slideshow twice, then opened it in gallery view to get better shots. i LOVE it! i can't imagine how much time you've spent on this -- just magnificent! and how wonderful to be doing it with cat! i love her too. :)

one little funny note (i almost fainted) is that i'm working on another book too and you will wet yourself when you see something. not only do i have a red heart in mine, it's a red broken heart and it opens, just like yours! were we having a mental connection or something? i thought it quite eerie -- but will admit that yours is way better. :)

Unknown said...

Am able to see the slide show, without even a click,,,,you must have used magical technical powers! These pages are way over the top gorgeous, a real treasure trove. Love everything: the sewing, the elements & the textiles. My favorite pages are "the black heart", (known a few of those!) and "the bleeding heart"), been there!
Wow! Can't even imagine what Kat will come up with but I'm sure it will meld with your postcards perfectly.
Well, well done!

Caterina Giglio said...

oh my GODDESS!! this is so gorgeous!!! and mine is still under wraps ...literally!! still working away on it! should be able to show this next monday...if lucky! love Black heart, oh the scoundrel!!! LOL! and bleeding heart is brilliant! just exquisite! cannot wait to get my hands on this book KIM!! delicious!!!

Debrina said...

Wow Kim - you dark horse you! Love the heart theme and who'd have guessed Caterina and hearts? Lol! Well, stunning to tsay the very least!
I think Pulp Redux has been the catalyst for us girlas - it's started an addiction I think, for all of us!

Thnaks too for your sweet comments on my blog. It's nice to be back - I've missed you all.

Gaby Bee said...

Magnificently executed, Kim! Love all the layering and how you have put all the elements together. This is so rich and lovely that it really does make you want to reach out and touch it! STUNNING in every way. You rock!
Gaby xo

rivergardenstudio said...

Wow! This project is so beautiful, each page, all your fabulous details and textures and the story behind it all. So mysterious and alluring! roxanne

Miss Gracie's House said...

What a beautiful book...each page so detailed!
Rene

Jo Archer said...

Glad you're doing Seth's project Kim, and so glad you re-posted this. I love it now as I did the first time and still find new things to see.A fabulous and touching piece of work.

Anonymous said...

You are Cat compliment each other’s style. Beautifully executed work Kim.