'book passions' zine...

AT LAST

something (small) and finished to share

it's a small zine 

based on my BBWF ephemeral book works and auxiliary pics


'Book Passions'

 front

inside

 lift the page for another interior double spread

 back

the little zine is archival inkjet
on 160gsm recycled paper

very limited edition of just 20

 it's A4 - folded to 10 x 10.5cm

and comes in a DL envelope (100% recycled paper)

This is the second in a small series of related zines 

'Book Passions' features ephemeral bookworks and pics from my stint
as artist-in-residence for Byron Bay Writers Festival 2011
along with another pithy booky quote

All the very limited edition little zines are $4.50 ea plus postage

(they are a standard letter size)

drop me a line to organise the high finances! 

..... 

time and again...

.... yes I'm still working on a small book/zine/photo edition

from my short days in Byron Bay....

be patient!

it won't be TOO much longer....

playing with fire

The shared book tower

made from encyclopaedias, book heart garland,
and thousands of origami hearts in a basket

(thanks to the little fingers of my high school slaves)
that stood sentinel onsite for the duration of the festival

was deconstructed

I left my basket of origami book hearts behind for the site folk to 

thoughtfully dispose of
I suggested perhaps composting them
but the guys had seen
something of what I often get up to when I pile books up high

and they couldn't resist doing
what OH&S prohibited me from undertaking publicly....

fire and photos courtesy of Ralph

ahhhhh a fitting fiery end to things I think!

between the lines

For many days I had been moving past a small photo

displayed near the entrance of 'the house of miracles' (aka site base camp)

On the last day of the festival Ralph asked if I'd like to hear the story

"why of course" I answered 

then quickly rushed off to do my art-in-residence thing again - flitting here and there
(binding my long book)

When I returned a few hours later Ralph quietly gave me a hand written note

in it he related the story of another festival worker - the girl in the picture

Sharada Lines

 

For those who can't decipher the note here's what it read:

"Sharada Lines was a volunteer. We first met her in 2006, along with best friend Jessica. They were such fun, so lovely, we decided to give them jobs whenever we could. Our initial impressions were born out, as they shared festivals with us over the next few years. And they had wonderful friends as well.

On May 20th, 2010, I invited her to come and work at Splendour in the Grass. That night I got an excited textfrom her saying "Yes! how exciting. Yes!". It was a Thursday night.

On Saturday morning I saw a facebook post - "Come back Sharada, its too soon, too soon". It didn't sound good. I called Jessica. Sharada was in intensive care on life support. Meningitis felled her on Friday night. She could die.

At 12.15 she did.

She was 26."

The Byron Bay Writers Festival gathered well over a hundred dazzlingly brilliant authors from all quarters and all genres to wow the crowds. I doubt a single one of them touched another person at the festival as much as this short handwritten note, passed over with gentleness and humility, touched me.

Ralph, for me you embodied the spirit of authorship and creativity that encompasses all that I hoped to highlight at the festival - that real tales and heroes exist between the who-har and hoopla - they transcend commerce - they are held in the hearts and minds of ordinary folk.

Thank you for sharing.




....

simba

The story of Simba the Story Dog

 In the last moments of the last day of the festival I met Simba the Story Dog

"Wow that's a handsome dog - what's his story?" I asked Simba's handlers

"Simba is a story dog - he helps struggling or reluctant readers feel happy and comfortable about reading"

Well that certainly sounded very interesting - how on earth does a dog do that?

Simba and other Story Dogs, I was told, have been trained to be very interested in books and reading and children.

(hmmm maybe I was a story dog in a previous life)

I watched as Simba flopped onto a big rug and his handlers brought forth a book


Simba's expression perked.... "what's this?" his eyes seemed to say, "that looks VERY interesting..."

enter a small child

"hey there - do you think you could. maybe. READ me what's in this book?" Simba looked imploringly at the child then the book and then back to the child

This is part of what a Story Dog does - with their quiet, unjudgmental demeanor they help those young readers for whom reading aint such a lovely thing. Story Dogs sit and patiently listen as struggling readers stammer over text... they offer comfort and support - they LOVE what they are hearing.... their patience is unceasing, and their support unconditional.

"You are soooooo great!"

"WOW! tell me more!"

The Story Dog listens to the same book over and over again - never getting tired of the tale told.

I think you can tell that I was very taken with Simba the Story Dog, and my doggie love aside, I love what the Story Dog program is all about because our 9-year-old son has severe dyslexia. Books and reading are scary, painful things for kids with dyslexia - anything that can help alleviate the confidence stripping, esteem ripping anxiety that reading induces in a kiddie with dyslexia gets my two thumbs up.

Onya Simba

You're a star


....

fly away home

click to embiggen 

the beach just a few footsteps from my home away from home at Suffolk Park

mmmm reminds me of the lovely beaches down thisa way

ahhhhhh I'm back at my creek home

safe and sound (after two days driving down the highway)

The long drive home gave me ample time to think about how I'll finish certain projects

(expect at least one small zine - I'll have it here and on my main blog when I get it finished)

I've also got my very big pics to download from my very good camera

(expect a small photo series of my offsite installations and maybe another small book/zine series)

And I have a couple of other special stories to share

(I haven't shared the tale of Simba the story-dog.... or a very lovely moving tale related to me at the festival.... please be patient - I'll get there)


today I was sent some SPIFTACULAR pics of what happened to the remains of my book tower work (and all those thousands of origami book hearts... I can't wait to share them!)

and....

and....

and....

and then when I'm done I'll archive this site....


(real passion never dies you know)


....

the longest mile

on the road heading south

thinking of all the festival tales still to tell

and the work to finish off

mulling ideas over on the very long drive home....




Sent from my iPhone

goodnight me, goodnight you

The Cape Byron Lighthouse

from the beach at Suffolk Park

goodnight festival

goodnight everyone


....

ps I love you

oh btw

the predicted rain didn't arrive
just like it didn't arrive on Friday (when it was predicted) or Saturday (when it was hinted at)
the festival enjoyed the very best weather imaginable

wow this place is surely as close to paradise as you can get.

tomorrow morning bright and very early I hit the road heading for home (and much cooler weather I've been reliably told by my two young kidlets who stayed home with daddy while I got to hang and so my thang at this years festival)

ps - don't think that just because the sun has set over the festival site that my work has ended... just as I have many miles to travel before I sleep in my creek bed, I have many takes still to tell and much more work to complete before I will put this project to bed....



Sent from my iPhone

the long goodbye

crowds press forth
in one of the very big marquees

so much to see and hear
and this is the last moment to see and hear things
until next festival


...