LAW 89: Sorry i've been away

Wow, where has the month of April gone? I try not to let so much time pass between posts, but... life as usual got in the way. Well, actually this time it was really politics that got in the way. Mungo and i divided our time in April between yet more revisions on the Floating Empire and working for the Sanders' campaign here in Maryland. It was an uphill battle here, sigh, still, the fight goes on and there is still reason for optimism. I really don't want to get into politics a whole lot here as that is truly not what this blog is about. Suffice to say, win or lose the awakening of a new generation of activist is heartening in the extreme. Here's to no more politics as usual!

Yes, i really am pulling that hard!

It appears that weather here on the Middle River has done a flip flop. April was for the most part, sunny and warm. May so far has been nothing but rain and below average temperatures. i feel as if mold is growing everywhere and can't remember the last time we saw the sun for more than about thirty seconds at a time. Our poor solar powered batteries are limping along to the point that we had to switch our refrigerator back to shore power a week ago. Urggh!

In process, binding the signatures

Through all of this i have still been making art. I finished the first book of a two book commission for my dear friend Brian. We took several days off right after the primary to deliver the first book to him. As usual when we get together with Brian and Marianne we ate and drank extremely well. Very very well. It is always a pleasure to spend time with good friends and it is amazing just how many bottles of wine four people can consume over the course of an evening's free ranging conversation.

Inside front cover, handy pocket

Anyway, the book commission was to take Brian's Marine winter dress blouse (i believe that is the correct terminology) and create two hand bound journals, utilizing his Corporal's chevrons and other elements for the cover. One of the journals goes to Brian, the other to his good buddy Al, who served with him in Vietnam.

What a pain binding it this way. Way too many knots!

The most difficult, challenging element of this project was the binding. Brian wanted to recreate the form of the Vietnam service medal with the binding. The particular canary yellow of the medal proved impossible to find in an appropriate paper stock, so we made the decision to cover the spine edge of each signature with ribbon. That actually worked rather well, but created other issues to be dealt with down the road.

Finished, front cover view

I have done many two color bindings before, but never the way Brian wanted. It worked, it was a challenge, but it worked. So, probably tomorrow, after i finish the collage that is currently on my work table i will tie back into the second journal.

Oh, did i mention that Brian is a poet? The following piece is the poem he wrote on day two of our visit as we were all sitting in their comfortable living room. I am honored to share it all with you.

The Then And Now Of Things


My friend, Gail, artist that she is,
has made for me a journal for my writings,
covering it with the forest green wool
of my old Marine Corps uniform
and adorning its cover with
my green on red Corporal’s chevron.
It is beautiful in and of itself,
but it’s also rich with memories
from back when I wore these threads
and walked the talk they required.
I was young then, which I am no longer,
though it is the here and now that counts,
when your friend, Gail, artist that she is,
hands you back your past
in which to write your present
and perhaps dream yet about the future.


Brian C. Felder

More later
Morgainne