The Art of the Artist's did not change the simple pamphlet bind­ manuscript, complete with 12th century ings, that is, single signatures sewn with­ calligraphy, and an embossed cover. It By Samantha J. Cairo, out covers, the next , specifically was not the I had Former Coordinator, Special Collections The Song of the Flame, Elixir, and Noel, first dreamt of making, but it was a good ooks are, and ever will be, one of the were "shaped books." The top of the "effort" and has prepared the way for the most useful and glorious creative pages for The Song of the Flame were more complex "medieval" manuscript Bworks of all time. As a form, they designed as if flames were rising off the that will come. have been around since roughly 200 CE, book, every page of Elixir was a different I have learned many valuable tech­ and will likely continue well past the age of shape, and Noel folded out into the shape niques and discovered new ideas from the Internet and digitization. There is some­ of a star. Each of these was fun and fairly each attempt at book making. I have seen thing almost awe inspiring about holding a easy to construct; each led the way to catalogs of artist's books for sale and I book whose text speaks to you through the more ornate and complicated work. have examined each unusual book that ready access of its portable availability. I do The time eventually came when I Special Collections has purchased over not recall my very first encounter with a wanted to create something more com­ the years. Catalogs and other artist's book, but I do remember the first time I plex than anything I had done before. The books have been the most influential made one. Perhaps it was not the master­ end result had to be beautiful; it had to be force on my work. I see a design and piece I had envisioned when I began, but worthy of what I could do. The Mermaid 's think, "Wouldn't it be better if ... " or I am when it was completed I could not have Tale was just that. The lines of the poem inspired by other random visual occur- been more proud of my book rences. Sometimes a text demands a than if I had painted the ceiling of the particular format; sometimes you have Sistine Chapel. I was only two years old, to find a text for a format just discov­ but at that tender age, I still realized how ered. The problem is, though, once you much fun books were to make. start making books, you always have There were other attempts over the another idea for a new and different cre­ next few years in which I tried to recap­ ation. But, as with all creative efforts, ture the "brilliance" of my first experi­ each new effort challenges me to start ence, but each newly made "book" anew. After all these years, I can hardly never quite became the masterpiece I imagine a better way to spend my free envisioned. Then, five years ago, I took time than "making books." Or, if I were the job of Coordinator of Special to quote another artist, it might be Collections in WMU's , and Henry James who said: began again in earnest to create books .. It is art that makes life, makes interest, My incentive to "make a book" was makes importance, for our consideration and partially developed during a period application of these things, and I know of no when I was working on a master's substitute whatever for the force and beauty degree in Medieval Studies at the Samantha Cairo and "her" books of the process. University. While earning the degree, I -Letter to H.G. Wells, 10 July 1915 had many opportunities to examine were calligraphed in waves; the paper "real" medieval masterpieces. I was also inside the book was various shades of [Samantha Cairo left her position as inspired through my job in Special blues; the inks used were moss, silver, Coordinator in Special Collections in October Collections, which required repairing and and bronze; and the cover was illustrated 2005, and is now living in California.] caring for old books. Moreover, I had the with paper cutouts of waves, silk ribbon, opportunity to examine rare editions and and beads. It was an arduous as well as artist's books as well as books with ambitious project, but I was determined unusual formats and shapes. Further, to create something new for the calligra­ there were dozens of catalogs of all kinds phy show that I was entering. The only of rare and unusual books; each provided flaw of the book was the binding. The No. 37, Fall/Spring 2005/2006 a wealth of ideas about making a book. binding chosen was an Asian design As a result, I had visions of recreating a called a hemp leaf design. The end result Gatherings is published biannually medieval manuscript, but in actuality I looks fantastic, but has one major prob­ by the Friends of the University Libraries, Western Michigan Univer­ knew that such a creation was a far lem: the board for the covers. Because the material selected was too stiff, the book sity, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008-5353. greater task than I could accomplish with­ Contributors to this issue include: out practice. So I started small. doesn't open very well under the hemp Samantha J. Cairo, former Coordi­ The first book I attempted to create in leaf designed binding. Alas, my attempt nator, Special Collections; Sharon my newly discovered world was Pinocchio at beauty was a success, but the book Carlson, Director, Archives and the Difficult Dachshund, a simple book. It itself less a success than I wanted. Still, Regional History Collections; Miranda was bound in a case binding like any every book bound in the past five years Haddock, Head, Visual Resources other book you'd buy in the store with the has been a learning experience. I can ; and David Isaacson, Assistant exceptions that I used decorated paper for readily attest that quite often you learn Head, Central Reference. more from your mistakes than you do the cover, drew all the illustrations EDITOR & DESIGNER: myself, and executed my own calligra­ from your instruction manual. Laurel A. Grotzinger Finally, after a few years of experimen­ phy. However, this simple description Professor, Central Reference doesn't reflect the fact that creating this tal book making, I attempted the [[email protected]] Pinocchio was a lot of work, although the medieval manuscript that I had first finished product was worth it all since it aspired to create. A class on the History of PHOTOS: became a "labor of love." the Book taught by the late Dr. Thomas Galen Rike, Associate Professor, After a couple of other attempts that Amos, Professor of History and the Head Central Reference used a binding similar to my first cre­ of Special Collections in the University Paul Howell, Systems Manager, ation, I decided to venture out into more Libraries, gave me the opportunity. For Libraries unusual binding structures. Although I his class I recreated a leather bound

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