Description

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Artists around the world have lately been turning to their bookshelves for more than just a good read, opting to cut, paint, carve, stitch or otherwise transform the printed page into whole new beautiful, thought-provoking works of art. Art Made from Books is the definitive guide to this compelling art form, showcasing groundbreaking work by today's most showstopping practitioners. From Su Blackwell's whimsical pop-up landscapes to the stacked-book sculptures of Kylie Stillman, each portfolio celebrates the incredible creative diversity of the medium. A preface by pioneering artist Brian Dettmer and an introduction by design critic Alyson Kuhn round out the collection. Presented in an unusual, tactile package with an exposed spine, this is an essential addition to the libraries of book lovers and art aficionados.

About the Author

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Alyson Kuhn writes frequently about paper in general and correspondence in particular. She lives in Northern California.

Brian Dettmer's artwork has been featured in the New York Times, Wired, and the Guardian, among other prestigious publications. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Laura Heyenga is the editor of Paper Cutting: Contemporary Artists, Timeless Craft. She lives in Berkeley, California.

Praise For…

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"I was instantly taken with Art Made from Books: Altered, Sculpted, Carved, Transformed - a compendium of extraordinary artworks from the around the world.... Sensual, rugged, breathtakingly intricate, ranging from "literary jewelry" to paperback chess sets to giant area rugs woven of discarded book spines, these cut and carved tomes remind us that art is not a thing but a way of being in the world that transmutes its dead cells into living materials, its cultural legacy into ever-evolving art forms and creative sensibilities." - Brain Pickings

"As a bibliophile, you might have conflicting emotions about these sculptures. Many books were harmed in the making of this book. But the thousands of painted, shredded, and petrified pages are not so much defiled as exalted by the artists whose works are shown in lush photos here." - Entertainment Weekly

"Books take on a whole new life in Laura Heyenga's anthology of groundbreaking artists who've stitched, sliced, cut and carved bound literature to create anything from an intricate chess set to a huge area rug to a literary jewelry collection. (Never fear: The artists use recycled or discarded books-that otherwise would end up in landfills!). In fact, the real joy of this book comes from discovering how each individual starts with the same item and yet ends up with vastly different works of art." - Oprah.com

"I was instantly taken with Art Made from Books: Altered, Sculpted, Carved, Transformed - a compendium of extraordinary artworks from the around the world.... Sensual, rugged, breathtakingly intricate, ranging from "literary jewelry" to paperback chess sets to giant area rugs woven of discarded book spines, these cut and carved tomes remind us that art is not a thing but a way of being in the world that transmutes its dead cells into living materials, its cultural legacy into ever-evolving art forms and creative sensibilities." - Brain Pickings

"Books take on a whole new life in Laura Heyenga's anthology of groundbreaking artists who've stitched, sliced, cut and carved bound literature to create anything from an intricate chess set to a huge area rug to a literary jewelry collection. (Never fear: The artists use recycled or discarded books-that otherwise would end up in landfills!). In fact, the real joy of this book comes from discovering how each individual starts with the same item and yet ends up with vastly different works of art." - Oprah.com

"As a bibliophile, you might have conflicting emotions about these sculptures. Many books were harmed in the making of this book. But the thousands of painted, shredded, and petrified pages are not so much defiled as exalted by the artists whose works are shown in lush photos here." - Entertainment Weekly

"Books take on a whole new life in Laura Heyenga's anthology of groundbreaking artists who've stitched, sliced, cut and carved bound literature to create anything from an intricate chess set to a huge area rug to a literary jewelry collection. (Never fear: The artists use recycled or discarded books-that otherwise would end up in landfills!). In fact, the real joy of this book comes from discovering how each individual starts with the same item and yet ends up with vastly different works of art." - Oprah.com

"I was instantly taken with Art Made from Books: Altered, Sculpted, Carved, Transformed - a compendium of extraordinary artworks from the around the world.... Sensual, rugged, breathtakingly intricate, ranging from "literary jewelry" to paperback chess sets to giant area rugs woven of discarded book spines, these cut and carved tomes remind us that art is not a thing but a way of being in the world that transmutes its dead cells into living materials, its cultural legacy into ever-evolving art forms and creative sensibilities." - Brain Pickings

"The 27 visual artists whose portfolios comprise this exciting collection each work with printed books as their medium. They carve, paint, and repurpose pulp to striking effect, building startling secondary evocations from their material's primary narratives.... The central message is uplifting and joyous-that a book is a uniquely precious, infinitely malleable treasure chest in the hands of an ambitious artist....A magical collection of paper wonders." - Publishers Weekly

"As a bibliophile, you might have conflicting emotions about these sculptures. Many books were harmed in the making of this book. But the thousands of painted, shredded, and petrified pages are not so much defiled as exalted by the artists whose works are shown in lush photos here." - Entertainment Weekly

"The 27 visual artists whose portfolios comprise this exciting collection each work with printed books as their medium. They carve, paint, and repurpose pulp to striking effect, building startling secondary evocations from their material's primary narratives.... The central message is uplifting and joyous-that a book is a uniquely precious, infinitely malleable treasure chest in the hands of an ambitious artist....A magical collection of paper wonders." - Publishers Weekly

"The 27 visual artists whose portfolios comprise this exciting collection each work with printed books as their medium. They carve, paint, and repurpose pulp to striking effect, building startling secondary evocations from their material's primary narratives.... The central message is uplifting and joyous-that a book is a uniquely precious, infinitely malleable treasure chest in the hands of an ambitious artist....A magical collection of paper wonders." - Publishers Weekly