Freelance offense

Playing inside of a book means not reading it but rather observing, reacting, identifying, and creating with the inside of an old book. Taking the words and choosing in the moment the ones that stand out. It’s a bit of a walk, a bit of a dance. Sometimes I draw in the book, sometimes just pluck words. I circle them, call attention to a word on a page, occasionally a phrase. I draw connections and follow an informal playful word flow. Occasionally I collage. It is open, a freelance offense.

 

I’m drawn to older books—art books, books of poetry, scientific books, subjects that I am fascinated by,  and books written by my great great grandfather Henry Holt. 

Some of the books have standalone pieces inside them and others are really wordplay where the selected words together from multiple pages run into a dialogue, a found poem. Some books I’ve had for years, observing and reflecting on them before I ever touch them. I’m always working on multiple sketchbooks and some of the books I have altered are sort of falling into that realm of almost being a sketchbook. I have had Garrulitites of an Octogenarian since I was a teenager, and it is only recently that I have begun to work with it in a collaborative way. I started altering books in my 20s, and over time I have collected probably four or five copies of this book, written by my grandfather about his life. It’s pretty complicated to reflect on, to devour the writing of my ancestor. And in this case his writing is of a different era and complex because of its age and his voice.  

When I work inside of these books, I take my time. I work fast and then take a pause with some. I compose in a truly free way. It is intense and expansive and fast and slow all at once.