Happy Abstract

Bound by Richard Beadsmoore

Happy Abstract by William Blake
New York, NY: Russell Maret, 2018
22.6 x 16.3 x 2.3 cm

Open:Set competition entrant and exhibitor and winner of Highly Commendable prize for Tooling.

Binding in the style of Jean de Gonet, with visible sewing in black. Boards and spine bound in Fair Goat, airbrushed with leather dyes and tooled in 23.5K gold leaf, palladium leaf, red metallic foil, and gold foil, with cross-hatching in black ink. Textblock sewn on yellow leather straps; endbands of same. Pastedowns and flyleaves in paper, air-brushed and lettered by hand. Top edge waxed. Interior pages hand illustrated. Untitled. Bound in 2019.

I wanted to use a style of binding that both opened well and gave me an opportunity to introduce different colours and textures to the cover. The design relates back to my treatment of the textblock and the tension between flights of fancy and the harsh realities of the life of an engraver. I hope my binding conveys a feeling of "happy abstraction"!

You can see more of Richard's work on his website www.beadybookbinder.com