BOOKWORKS UPDATE

Cover of ABRACADABRA one of a kind bookwork. Natalie d'Arbeloff 1993

As some of you may know, making books by hand - ie artist's books - was my main occupation for many years. I say was but I haven't ruled out going back to this particular art form some time. I loved making them, gave them my all and - if I say so myself - was quite successful at it. Anyway, I've been adding a lot more pictures and descriptions to the artist's books pages of my website and more to come in the next few days.

Why not have a browse over there - follow the links which are titles in the right and left-hand sidebars and tell me what you think, which works you like, don't like, whatever. I'd be happy to answer any questions, technical or otherwise.

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ULTI-INTI JOURNAL, LAST EXTRACT

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Enough already. I'm putting this dear old journal back on the shelf. But here's my commentary on what was going on in the world around the time I was writing it. I never did take the idea beyond this first rough sketch.

Does anyone remember the Falklands war? Plus ça change, eh?

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ULTI-INTI EXTRACT 5

Well........"most sentences can be cut up at random and reassembled without too much loss of meaning or music..." Excuse me? Will you please step outside and repeat that? Help! I am being beaten up by an army of poets and other wordsmiths. Please! Look at the date: it was 1983. This is 2009 and I no longer agree with the rash statement I wrote then. I apologise. But the rest is okay, innit?

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ULTI-INTI EXTRACT 4

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Since in my meme list I confessed to a clandestine habit of solo dancing to vintage 45s, I think I should also reveal some of the 45s which provoke such unseemly behaviour in a person of my seriousness (?) standing (?) and advanced (?) maturity (?) Some of you may consider my choices uncool but if they don't get your body moving, too bad! MP3s of two of them are at the main BLAUGUSTINE

Blue Monday Fats Domino

TAGGED, MEEMED AND AWARDED

Being tagged by esteemed poet and friend Dick Jones of Patteran Pages is not something that can be brushed off and when it even includes an award, my reprehensible but unabashed need for attention spurs me to accept graciously. So, here's the award (thank you, Dick):

The rules: I must list seven things I love. Too few for me but here's a selection, in constantly changing order:

My family.

Being alone with a special person.

Food and conversation with close friends.

Dancing wildly by myself to groovy old 45rpm records.

Drawing or painting from life, anywhere.

Sitting in cafés writing or observing.

Making and editing a video on my Mac.

And I must now choose seven of my favourite blogs and pass on the award. If they accept, they must in turn repeat the whole process and link to me when doing so. It's very hard to limit myself since I have a blogroll and that's already my favourites. Here goes, but remember, anyone not included, I love you and award you too:

cassandra pages

via negativa

koshtra

never neutral

dem stimson

(Dem, maybe this will spur you to blog more often?)

porous borders

linda severn

(a brand new creative blogger I want to encourage and whom you should visit)

Over to you now.

ULTIMATE INTIMATE JOURNAL, EXTRACT 3

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ULTIMATE INTIMATE JOURNAL, EXTRACT 2

Talking to myself, so if it sounds like a lecture, that's probably what it is. The speaker in my head is often standing on a soap-box and has a pencil at the ready. For underlining. Just in case I miss the point.

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THE ULTIMATE AND THE INTIMATE

Usually I blog about what's on my mind at the present time or, if in memory-mode, stretch back into the past, clearly dividing what was then from what is now.

But such division seems pointless when coming across one's writings or images which, although dated a specific number of years ago, are unmistakeably present: memos from me to me, forgotten, hidden behind furniture, literal or mind-furniture.

So I chanced upon a sketchbook/notebook of mine dated 1980-83 which speaks to me right now. I'll post sections of it for the next few weeks: 'thoughts for the day', sometimes with quotes from other sources.

Cover, sketchbook by NdA 'The Ultimate & the Intimate'. Etching pasted on bound blank book.

Title page, sketchbook by NdA 'The Ultimate and the Intimate'

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