Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Binding Memories


This past weekend I attended a workshop taught by Leslie Marsh entitled "Binding Memories in Black and White." It was held at Lemoncholy's Studio, Kecia Deveney's wonder of a place on the Jersey shore. As you can see from the following images, Kecia's studio is an inspiration in and of itself.





Leslie Marsh is my bookmaking hero and she was kind enough to bring a sampling of her incredible handmade books to the class. While she is a stellar photographer and her books look quite amazing on her blog, they are even more spectacular in person.


The workshop focused on a bleaching technique to alter black paper using materials from nature - leaves, flowers, and the like.


Our fearless leader...


Our sensational host...


Bleaching in action..


Racking it up...


But that was just the beginning. After we made our pages, Leslie taught the long stitch technique so we were all able to bind our pages into our own books.



Pleasures of Hope, the book I created...


A sampling of my pages...





Thank you Leslie and Kecia and the whole gang. It was a great day!

44 comments:

Barb Smith said...

It looks like a wonderful place to take a great class. Your "Place of Hope" looks amazing.
Peace & Love,
~Barb~

lyle baxter said...

seth, what a wonderful class! we met your hostess at a "craft show" and were impressed with her work. wish we had known about the class! your book looks terrific. . thanks for showing us!

ooglebloops said...

What a great workshop- and a great locale!!! I love the way your pages turned out - might have to give bleaching a try!!!

MrCachet said...

WOW, Seth! You did it up right. I really like the vintage cover, too.

Kathryn Dyche said...

Wow, what a treasure trove that places looks. Sounds like the class was amazing.

Kimber said...

Looks like a great class. Your book and the pages are awe inspiring! I love anything to do with leaves. And handmade books.

Leslie said...

Thanks Seth! It was great spending the afternoon with you. You are a hero of mine too. I loved seeing the books you brought to share with us. And your Pleasures of Hope . . . what a beautiful title and book.

I hope to run into you again soon!

Unknown said...

WOW WOW WOW!!! Stunning. You must have all had a ball. I have got to learn how to produce such images. Guess what I'll be buying tomorrow?

Julie said...

These pages are stunning Seth and what a wonderful space to create in.

nancy neva gagliano said...

ooooooooooooooooo love the effect

Mary S. Hunt said...

gosh seth...you make me miss the east coast even MORE!
i would so have gone to this class!!!!
what a great place to learn in..
thanks for taking me there this way tho
:)

Julie Prichard said...

NICE!!

Anonymous said...

What stunning pages, and a wonderful binding technique.
Looks like a great class, and sorry to have missed it.
Eileen

Gina said...

your book (LOVE the title - obviously so thoughtfully chosen) and shown pages are scrumptious ... i love it - nicely done (as always) Seth >>> Gina

jilLy said...

What an amazing workshop by Leslie Marsh- of binding memories in black and white. Your photos of the studio are gorgeous- how special can it get to be in such a lush setting for learning such awesome techniques, selecting your book, creating those over the top nature pages and come home with such a treasure! Your photos and the pages you've made are bursting with energy - just love everything here except that I wasn't there too!!

Jacky said...

What an amazing workshop (and what a wonderful studio).
I love the black and white effect using nature as your inspiration. Your new book, "Place of Hope" is very special and I look forward to seeing more of it.

Would love to do a class like that. Lucky you!

Jacky xox

Svetlana said...

Lucky you, I love Leslie's work. Your pages are stunning.

Bill said...

Wow! Awesome book!

Anonymous said...

Am,amazing an awesome the studio and the art pages OMG what fun you must have had.
I'm getting ready to teach an Assemblage class and this studio has given me so many ideas to make it a better experience for the students. Thanks Seth so much for sharing!!!

kecia deveney said...

oh how fun to see all my vinettes showcased on your blog! you took some great photos, especially of my "junk chandelier"!

it was a great class and the rain made it more cozy; thanks for coming and supporting Lemoncholy's Studio and Leslie!

kecia

Joanie Hoffman said...

I like the old timey feel of your pages, who knew leaves had a past! And I swear I can see little fairy faces in some of the pages (of course I am a child of the '60s). ;)
Happy days, Joanie

~*~Patty S said...

WOW amazing pages you've created Seth, the class looks and sounds like a perfect time ... great pics in this post!

ArtPropelled said...

What a great looking book Seth ... Pleasures of Hope. The pages are so effective. I love this technique.

Rita Vindedzis said...

Bleaching looks like a wonderful technique. Maybe you'll share it with us?

mansuetude said...

Great space. Wonderful results. Wild spikey textures.

Kathleen Harrington said...

Hi Seth,
Thanks for posting pics of this inspiring studio space. Would love to see some pics of your studio space :) The Pleasures of Hope is an interesting concept. Would love to see more exploration of that theme. Your pages in this book are beautiful. I especially like the 2 page mulberry leaves spread and the wheat stalks page.

Anonymous said...

I'm loving the contrast in the pages/papers!

Mosaic Magpie said...

What a great looking book, I love the cover and the stitching you did to bind it.
Debbie

Marit said...

I wish I could have been there... the studio, the people, the atmosphere: it looks so loving and fun and beautiful!!! Your pages are amazing!

Lynn Cohen said...

What a series of photos that inspire and turn one green with envy! Are you going to tell what the magic solution is in the silver tray that turns these leaves into pages or must i go to Jersey to take a class? ;-)
Love how your pages turned out.

Kim Mailhot said...

How absolutely gorgeous are those bleach prints ? What a wonderful learning experience and what a remarkable result. Love thecover and title of your book, too, Seth !

Karin Bartimole said...

OMG, I love the pages you made Seth! That bleaching technique looks amazing. And what a great cover, and title binding them. Love that you guys used the long stitch with old book covers - very cool idea. Sounds like a rich experience, with much to carry you forward!

Unknown said...

how great that you were able to take Leslie's class!!

It looks like an amazing space to play!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Stunning pages in your book. That studio looks like a gem, too. Thanks for sharing this with us.

Rebeca Trevino said...

WOW! that's all!
(ps: why is there no picture of you?)
<< I mean, how do we know you were really there? >>

Nelda Ream said...

Wow, what a fantastic experience...and technique. I LOVE your book!

Parabolic Muse said...

Seth, You are magnificent. That book is beautiful, and I love it that you got to take Leslie's class. Aren't her books just yummy? Such attention to detail and craft, and they last and last. I bet she's a delight to be around, too.

You didn't put little plastic dog poopy on her chair, did you? of course not.

I have no idea why a student would do that to their teacher. Sort of.

Peggi Meyer Graminski said...

What an awesome looking workshop! I love your book, Seth - beautiful, amazing work! I would love to attend a workshop like that someday. Thanks for sharing this =)

altered bits said...

i absolutely love leslie! and kecia's place is just gorgeous!! what a fantastically wonderful time you must have had. i find myself wishing, just now, that i lived on the east coast.

your book is just divine, seth! fantastically done. what a wonderful treasure to bring home!!

so glad to see that you've had such a productive and wonderful past few weeks. i missed your posts while i was gone and am thrilled to be caught up. :)

Ro Bruhn said...

What a fabulous studio and what a great class. I love the papers, your bound journal looks fantastic.

Gillian McMurray said...

Looking at your photos and writing was like reading a story about a treasure island. All those things hanging from the ceiling, the potted plants in the studio and plant matter you bleached with, The wooden cupboards and shelves, then the tresure at the end. Those bleached pieces are beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

What a fun and wonderful you all must of had! I need to start going to these types of classes...just for the inspirations if nothing else!

jackie said...

Looks great, lucky class members.

Sharmon Davidson said...

Oh, wow, your pages are gorgeous, and so is your book! Sounds like such a cool class, and can i live in the studio? It looks like fairytale land...