New York: Béatrice Coron, 2018. Number 1 of 3 copies. A scroll book of animals with hidden monsters. A poem in French about animals eating other animals is mounted on the inner flaps. The interior includes a small battery powered blue LED light. The scroll is handcut on Tyvek myriopticon. It velcros into the box onto wooden dowels, but can be removed and laid flat. The front panels of the box are held closed with a magnet. Paper title label to top of box. An playful, inventive, and interactive book art object. Box size: 12 x 15 x 3 inches. Length of scroll: about 64 inches.

Text of the Poem in French and English:
La faune par Norge Et toi, que manges-tu grouillant?
-je mange le velu qui digère le pulpeux qui ronge le rampant.
Et toi, rampant, que manges-tu?
- je dévore le trottinant qui bâfre l’ailé qui croque le flottant.
Et toi, flottant, que manges-tu?
- j’engloutis le vulveux qui suce le ventru qui mâche le sautillant.
Et toi, sautillant, que manges-tu?
- je happe le gazouillant qui gobe le bigarré qui égorge le galopant.
Est-il bon, chers mangeurs? est-il bon, le goût du sang?
Doux, doux, tu ne sauras jamais comme il est doux, herbivore!

Wildlife by Norge
And you swarming, what are you eating?
- I eat the hairy one that digests the pulpy one that gnaws at the creeper.
And you crawling, what are you eating?
- I devour the trotter, which slurps the winged one, which bites the floater.
And you floating, what are you eating?
- I swallow the vulva sucking the pot-bellied one chewing the hopping.
And you hopper, what are you eating?
- I catch the chirp that swallows the variegated who slaughters the galloping.
Is it good, dear eaters, is the taste of blood good?
- Sweet, sweet! You'll never know how sweet it is, herbivore!

French born Béatrice Coron is a renowned artist whose work includes book arts, fine art, and public art. Her work can be found in major museum collections, libraries, as well as private collections. Her books are fascinating creations made through cutting images in paper or Tyvek. Cristina Favretto, Head of Special Collections at the University of Miami describes her work in Coron's "artfragments" portfolio: "There is a palpable joy in the work of Béatrice Coron, the kind of joy we felt as children in unwrapping a particularly enticing holiday gift. But...for Béatrice the gift is a sheet of Tyvek...or paper, and the stories to be unearthed and unleashed within and through the medium."

Coron describes her book work: "For the last 20 years, I have been exploring visual storytelling in artist books, paper cutting and public art. Collecting memories from individuals and communities, I stage narrative allegories in silhouette to create a dialogue with the viewer in playful fantasies. These visual chronicles record archetypal stories that transcend time and space. I have been fascinated by the relation of people to their space and the sense of belonging. Using papercutting where everything is cut from a single piece of Tyvek, the profusion of individual stories makes a coherent whole world." [From her website]. Fine. More

VT: Chip Haggerty, 1999. Hardcover. A unique artists' book made from a vintage embroidered clutch style handbag. According to Haggerty: "This volume is late in a series of books I started before I really knew I was making “bookart”.  Or that I was using “found materials”.  Which was “validating” though to learn.  Books are stream-of-consciousness (visual and verbal thinking), journaly, playful, hopefully amusing... I was into the literary category UR-FICTION for its self-conscious messing with conventions before I got into bookart concept. Tristram Shandy blew my mind."

Created when the artist was a young man, the book reflects on issues of the late 1990s. The text reads as a stream-of-conciousness rant on technology, anxiety, seduction, sex, women, art, the pressures and insecurities of being a writer / artist, religion, and politics. It includes penned illustrations throughout. The first two pages feature hand embroidered text, and the text is hand written in pen on subsequent pages. On most pages the ink has bled a bit; although, it remains legible. The pages of the book are made from pillow cases and linens from the bed of Haggerty's mother after her death. The pages have been whip-stitched together in black thread along the edges. The original handbag features an embroidery of two women and a castle. It has been altered with the image of a partial palm tree roughly embroidered on top. An embroidered white eye and black pupils dot the interior of the front cover. The imagery of eyes is common within Haggerty's work. Much of his work utilizes everyday materials such as brown lunch bags, yogurt lids, clothing, and in this case, linens. Unsigned as is typical. [16 pages.]

"Propelled into the spotlight after being awarded the blue ribbon for his sleeping bag/sheet book at the South End Art Hop in Burlington, VT in 1995 Chip Haggerty has been on a slow yet steady pace ever since expanding his creativity when time and space allow. Writing, painting and spoken word have each contributed to interpreting life as viewed through his lens. Whether a poem, a radio show or a painting is the outlet there is no lack of his humor, deep thought and passion that goes into crafting the end result. Pulling from childhood experiences, parenting, work life, random social gatherings, literature and every day encounters Chip takes slices of past and present interactions to formulate the foundation of each piece produced." [artist's website] ARTB/100324. Very Good. More

Redwood City, CA: Judith of Serebrin Books and Prints, 2015. Unique artist's book. Well-known artist Judith Serebrin received a master's degree in fine arts from the University of Utah in 1990 and has been making limited edition and unique books since then. Her work can be found in public and private collections in the United States and abroad. She states: "All my life I have observed, listened and looked at the world around me and have tried to make sense of it. I am concerned with issues of social justice, and liberation. Art for me is a way to learn about the world and to challenge oppressive mores, to make interesting connections that I can share with others. I hope to make others think as well, to grin, to perhaps gain insight and to spark new thoughts. Interrelations between people, animals and the planet are explored in my work--I hope in ways that are accessible. Using "book arts" as a format is part of that for me as you can have an intimate experience holding a book and looking through it." She often creates her artists' books by combining ceramic structures with mixed-media paper books for striking effect. She says of this work: "This is part of a series of porcelain figures called “Soul Books.” Figures with books in them represent a symbolic and tactile way of being able to reach into someone’s soul without embarrassment, censorship, or fear. Both human and animal-like figures—all represent the importance of every creature to the world. Bookheads" are a twist on my sculptural series, Soul Books. The Soul Books are intended to bring heart to living creatures. In the Bookhead sculptures I’m looking more to the intellect. Even though this Bookhead's interior drawings are abstract, my thoughts are moving up to the mind, to sorting information, reason and understanding." The figure is made of stained porcelain and measures 2 x 6 5/8 x 2 inches. The book is made with handmade paper from Taiwan with silkscreen ink and a binding of exposed link and kettle stitches. It measures 7/8 x 1 ¼ x 1/2 inches. In fine condition. ARTISTSB/071921. Fine. More

Redwood City, CA: Judith of Serebrin Books & Prints, 2011. Unique artist's book. Well-known artist Judith Serebrin received a master's degree in fine arts from the University of Utah in 1990 and has been making limited edition and unique books since then. Her work can be found in public and private collections in the United States and abroad. She states: "All my life I have observed, listened and looked at the world around me and have tried to make sense of it. I am concerned with issues of social justice, and liberation. Art for me is a way to learn about the world and to challenge oppressive mores, to make interesting connections that I can share with others. I hope to make others think as well, to grin, to perhaps gain insight and to spark new thoughts. Interrelations between people, animals and the planet are explored in my work--I hope in ways that are accessible. Using "book arts" as a format is part of that for me as you can have an intimate experience holding a book and looking through it." She often creates her artists' books by combining ceramic structures with mixed-media paper books for striking effect. She says of this work: "This is part of a series of porcelain figures called “Soul Books.” Figures with books in them represent a symbolic and tactile way of being able to reach into someone’s soul without embarrassment, censorship, or fear. Both human and animal-like figures—all represent the importance of every creature to the world. This Soul Book figure represents the thoughtful intention in every action taken." The sculptural figure is made with stained porcelain and measures 6.5 x 2.25 x 1.75 inches. The book was created with paper, watercolor and ink, and linen thread with a binding of exposed link and kettle stitches. It measures .75 x 1.25 x .75 inches. In fine condition. Fine. More