Etsy 'n stuff

I've finally set up an Etsy shop.




This is very exciting.

The four books that I've made while in Grad school are now available for sale on my Etsy account and will continue to be, until I sell out...which I'm assuming will be a while since two of the books were printed in an edition of 100 and another is unlimited. I'm registered under my press name ABentley Press. Go check it out, shop around, bookmark it, tell your friends.

sweet.

In other news... My book "Her Name was Mona" has been accepted to another show. The book is on view at the Heart & Hands Exhibition in Love Library, University of Nebraska-Lincoln from April 1 – 30, and then will be shown at Criss Library, University of Nebraska-Omaha, in May. And it's available for sale at my Etsy shop!

I keep being pleasantly surprised that this book is being so well received. I suppose its just self-doubting human nature at its best...but I'm happy nonetheless.



info about my thesis work is coming very soon. promise.

What is Beauty Book is Published!

I just published a book through lulu on the "What is Beauty?" project that I curated last semester. It is an 125 pg, full color book, 5.83" x 8.26" perfect bound book, and contains every postcard that I received through the project and explores the meaning, implication, and value of beauty. You can check out some of the spreads below, or go to lulu, check out the preview, and buy a copy! --->











I also made a nice clam-shell box to contain all of the postcards that I received. Since I didn't give any sort of restriction for the size, many of the entries were quite larger than regular postcard size, and so when I made the box I need to have two separate compartments to contain everything. What I came up with was a clam-shell box with a removable shelf, as seen below.

justconsulting.

My friends at The Institute on Religion and Public Policy hired me to do some more design work for a new consulting firm that is in development. The concept behind "justconsulting" is just that - they're a consulting firm with a "no strings attached" mentality ... just consulting and also Just consulting, with a capital J, fair-minded and unbiased.

The concept for the design was inspired by the ideals represented by "Lady Justice" - or the moral force that underlies the legal system. It was also expressed that the design should have a more contemporary and trendy look, so rather than go with the traditional blindfold/sword/scale representation of "Lady Justice", I went with the symbol of the torch and flame. The torch is a common emblem of both enlightenment and hope, and is known to signify truth, knowledge, and purity – all things that this new firm hopes to signify. I played around with taking the period out at the end, but ultimately decided to keep it as I felt it drove home their concept of just being a Just consulting firm.

Above is the final design they chose to go with, below were some of their other options.







The current deadness of my blog will hopefully not persist for too much longer. I'm working on a major (and by major I mean, much more work than I anticipated) project for my Thesis exhibition. I'll be posting more on that later, after I get over a few more hurdles...and flip out because it's already mid-term. oye.

NAGAS Exhibition

(image taken from Laura Swanson, Self-Portrait:White)

My book Her Name was Mona will be featured in the NAGAS (North American Graduate Art Survey) at the University of Minnesota's Katherine E. Nash Gallery from January 20th through February 19th. This show is a juried international exhibition of North American graduate student artwork. With over 250 entries, from Canada and the United States, my book along with 55 other entries were chosen to be a part of the exhibition. I was both surprised and excited to find out that my work would be included. The opening is Friday , January 23, from 6-8:30pm. If you're in the area you should check it out.





Below is a poem that was featured on the back of the brochure for the exhibition. I found it particuarly appealing...


Your work needs to be independent of other's work.
You must not compare yourself to others.
No one can help you. You have to help yourself.
Criticism leads to misunderstandings and defeatism.
Work from necessity and your compulsion to do it.
Work on what you know and what you are sure you love.
Don't observe yourself too closely, just let it happen.
Don't let yourself be controlled by too much irony.
Live in and love the activity of your work.
Be free of thoughts of sin, guilt and misgiving.
Be touched by the beautiful anxiety of life.
Be patient with the unresolved in you heart.
Try to be in love with the questions themselves.
Love your solitude and try to sing with its pain.
Be gentle to all of those who stay behind.
Your inner self is worth your entire concentration.
Allow your art to make extraordinary demands on you.
Bear your sadness with greater trust than your joy.
Do not persecute yourself with how things are going.
It's good to be solitary, because solitude is difficult.
It's good to love, because love is difficult.
You are not a prisoner of anything or anyone.

Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet, 1903

Behind the Statue of St. Peter

(A facetious fable on the fictitious hope of the future)




I just finished my latest book in the Borowsky Center for Publication Arts at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. "Behind the Statue of St. Peter" is a macabre story of a can do town that must may not. A satirical look at a group of people with such a loss of hope that they've turned self-destructive and cannibalistic. A 36 page hand, illustrated book, drawn with rapidographs and then transformed into film-litho plates- and finally printed offset on Mowhawk Superfine (100 pound text weight) in the Borrowsky center. The book was an excuse to draw more than anything else, but was also inspired by the work of Edward Gorey (you may also notice that I quote a few other artists as well).

Here's a peek at a few of the spreads, to get the full story you'll either need to track me down, or buy one! It was produced in an edition of 100, concertina binding with a false spine.

happy holidays!






(click image to enlarge)









production...

Letterpressed Christmas Cards!!!!

The green swirly things are letter forms in Edwardian Script that have been twisted and turned around (in InDesign) to make a graphic pattern. They were printed with a Polymer Plate on a Vandercook SP15 Letterpress, the text is an iron cast block, as are the reindeer which were foil-stamped onto the envelopes. I hope to sell some of these, along with some other work, at an art fair in New Hampshire this weekend as well as at the annual UArts book fair on Dec. 18... wish me luck! or better yet, come and buy stuff! (Etsy site coming soonish)







click image to enlarge

More Design Work for THE INSTITUTE

THE INSTITUTE on Religion and Public Policy hired me to do some more design work for an upcoming conference they are holding in Scranton PA. The Institute on Religion and Public Policy is an international, inter-religious non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring freedom of religion as the foundation for security, stability, and democracy.
They're good people, with good aspirations.
You should check them out.

Here is the cover for the brochure:

New Book Coming Soon!

Behind the Statue of St. Peter:
A Facetious Fable on the Fictitous Hope of the Future

Here is a quick preview of some sketches I did for my latest book. It's macabre story of a can-do town that just may not; inspired by the illustration and story-telling style of Edward Gorey. Behind the Statue of St. Peter takes a satirical look at a group of people with such a loss of hope that they’ve turned self-destructive and cannibalistic.

"First it was Larry who drove off the mountain,
then little Sally-Mae who drowned in the fountain."

Will the Mayor of Port Grimswater be able to convince the townspeople that their troubles and misfortunes are all in their head? Or will the rest of the town throw in the towel and also end up dead? You'll have to read it to find out, either way it's sure to be a killer ending (no pun intended) ;)



Within the next couple of weeks I'll be printing this book in the Borrowsky Center for Publication Arts at the University of the Arts, in Philadelphia PA. I'll end up with an edition of 100, printed and bound by mid-December. I'm working on developing an Etsy site so people can actually buy these lovely things that I'm making, instead of having them stowed up in my studio where noone ever sees them. It will be up and running shortly, I will keep you updated. :)











(click to enlarge images)
more images to come once book has been printed

Doodle

This is the doodle that started the whole lace obsession. I started drawing this while I was on the phone with a friend and it progressed from there...




I'm finishing up my last couple of spreads for book I'll be printing at the Borowsky Center for Publication Arts here at school. I'm very excited about it. I'll post some sketches soon.

Obsession

About 200 hours later and it's finally done... the hardest part was making myself stop (an obsession indeed). The photos give it an angelic look because of the lighting, it's much better seen in person.

come. to. the. show. :)