Where Stucco Meets Chaparral
Simi Valley, CA: Pie in the Sky Press, 2014. Hardcover. Number 15 of 25 copies of the regular edition, signed and numbered by the book artist. There was also a special edition numbered 26-60 and a deluxe edition lettered A-J. Rebecca Chamlee is a book artist, printer, writer, and bookbinder who has published innovatively designed, letterpress printed, limited-edition fine press, and artist’s books under the imprint of Pie In The Sky Press since 1986. Her work is in prominent special and private collections throughout the U.S. and has been exhibited widely. As a self-taught naturalist and citizen scientist, Rebecca’s artist’s books examine the intersection of her artistic and scientific interests by collecting and cataloging the natural world. Rebecca retired in 2023 as an associate professor at Otis College of Art and Design where she taught bookbinding, letterpress printing, and artist’s book classes and headed the Book Arts minor program for over 20 years [from the artist's website]. She wrote at the time of this book's creation: "Like the self-taught naturalists of the Victorian era, my recent work examines the intersection of my artistic and scientific interests by collecting and cataloging the natural world. I am inspired to record, interpret and celebrate nature. My new letterpress printed artist book project records and observes the natural world around me. Where Stucco meets Chaparral examines the native flora found on the trails though the sandstone formations, chaparral and oak woodlands that surround my home in an arid inland valley in Southern California and my personal connection to the landscape. Where Stucco meets Chaparral examines seven indigenous plants through botanical data, personal knowledge, natural history and observations acquired during the many years of daily walking meditation on my cherished trails. Detailed images of the plant specimens printed in multiple colors in tight registration through their seasonal life cycles accompany more impressionist representations of the environmental context where they prevail." Where Stucco meets Chaparral is entirely letterpress printed using handset metal and wood type, hand cut Gomuban relief plates and photopolymer plates. The type is handset California Old Style cast by M&H Typefounders and Gothic XX Condensed wood type. This regular edition is printed on Somerset Book Wove cotton mouldmade paper and is in a French simplified binding with printed abaca-covered boards. The green covers have darker green and brown tree and plant abstract designs. The spine is brown cloth. There is no titling to the covers or spine. Housed in a protective stiff blue paper clamshell box with white title label to front cover. In fine condition. Measures 6 x 9 x 1 inches. Unpaginated [104 pages]. ARTB/030424. Fine. More