Mersea Artists Books

WBN is organised by Sarah Bodman and Linda Parr and for this years theme, In Praise of Birds , we’re invited to read a text or book about birds and to make a postcard in response.  Reading about the endangered status of curlews online, in books like Red Sixty Seven, and noticing how these days I only see curlews in ones and twos on my local Eastern UK shoreline I’ve begun to wonder if my memories of them in flocks are only my imagination . . . My postcard for WBN2024 shows a curlew flying out of the frame accompanied by a couple of lines from the poem Curlew Wind, by Steuart Allin, reflecting the distinct possibility that falling numbers may mean we loose them forever. The book Red Sixty Seven is a collection of words and art inspired by Britain’s most vulnerable birds, put together by Kit Jewitt from an idea he originally shared on Twitter. If you’d like to find out more about this fabulous bird (and more) visit curlewaction.org And check-out this beautiful performance The Seven Whis

A project for making a concertina book with pockets. 9.30am - 1pm Wednesday 6th March, at No.4 West Mersea, Colchester.  Learn how to construct a unique, concertina fold (with pockets) handmade book that can be used as a ‘memory book’. This would make an ideal personalised Mother’s Day gift and is perfect as a commemorative gift.  Concertina books are a favourite of mine. They are perfect to stand up and be displayed on a shelf or a table as well as be held in the hand. This workshop is for a hand-made concertina book with pockets. My particular interest is in simple book forms, concertina (also known as Leporello & accordion fold) Japanese stab binding and pamphlets. For the majority of my books, I use the simplest of tools; a rule, a bone folder, cutting knife, glue, needles & thread, scrap paper and a hole punch. As a printmaker I use ink (of course) and also paint and pens, with stencils and collage for image creating and mark-making. When any of us make a handmade book, we