A little book I made...
J for Japanese Fret...
...cut-work fret design from my little book...
... used as background decoration for textiles, cloisonne, lacquered work, screens, and much more
... from Suggestions in Design, 1880 by John Leighton... amusingly, at the time Leighton's conception of Japanese decoration was held as old-fashioned... I wonder what they would be thought of as now... also makes me wonder why we have distinct ideas of how and where particular designs are appropriate...
... old fashioned things...or modern... both suit me... if they are designed well...
... details from Japanese instructional manuals..... taken from Grammar of Japanese Ornament, 1880 by Thomas W. Cutler, an architect, had a excellent understanding of the information required to design in the Japanese manner...
... these patterns although they appear quite complicated, are very simple, when basic steps are followed, layered and embellished...
The Japanese Fret is based on geometrical design and works well as a background... and once you start looking for it... its influence abounds...
...from my "ABC's of Patterns" book ... Click for the introduction of ABC designs....... the DEF designs ... and the GHI designs posts
approx. 6" x 7" x 1"... ...handbound...
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36 comments:
You and your family stay safe
Thanks for your wishes, Shicat. Hope it is not as bad as they are warning about... yikes!!!
I saw the alert for your area, I sure hope your family will be safe!
I am always amazed at your Alphabet book. I would not had the patience that you had in all the cutting and details. This is so amazing and a wonderful keepsake of your work.
Hi Anet,we have battened down the hatches... no one can ever tell how severe these storms will be... but we have to take heed to be on the safe side..
Oh you have much more patience than I do.. You are so busy with your home life, homeschooling and teaching a classroom full of little ones too.. that takes patience in the first degree.. I admire you very much!!! and the art work you undertake is inspiring!!!
What a beautiful and superb book, Gwen...you are very talented. I was impressed with the related posts too.
As for the storm, I hope you and your family are safe and sound.
Serena, making the book was really such a pleasure... I learned so much researching all the patterns.. now I am refreshing myself again...
We are all buckled in.. hope the roof stays on!!!
Thanks for visiting!!!
Thinking of you and your men. Hope you and all you love are safe. Thnks for sharing more of your book. I love it.
Wonderful patterns Gwen, and such lovely work in your little book.
Pre fire I had a tattered cast iron lacework cataogue with the most wonderful patterns as well as cast iron spiral staircases. Funny how one misses the little insignificant things the most.
Thanks for the education here. There's something about black and white patterns.
I'm worried about you guys, and my son! Haven't talked with him since yesterday afternoon to know if they left NY in light of the hurricane.
Just visited weather.com, sounds like you guys have weathered the worst of Kyle? and it's heading north? I hope you didn't receive any damage.
Thanks Arija, Oh, I would have loved to have seen that book... you are right about how we miss certain objects... It is the little things that make such a big difference... Lucky we have our memories.......
You know I have this wonderful little hard cover reproduction Boulton and Paul 1898 Rose Works catalog.. full of steel and cast iron works form England.. it is jam-packed with design and objects.... from garden gates to conservatories to chicken pens to school desks... it is a little treasure... They made everything from iron back then.. amazing...
.....
Thanks Ruth, I did hear reports that two cruise ships scheduled to come to Saint John today(Monday)were sent to other ports for precautionary measures.. and 2 more destined to arrive Tuesday are still coming.. Very calm now.. no wind or rain.. just overcast.. So your son probably wouldn't have been affected by the weather.. good news!
Luckily the storm averted course and weakened when it made landfall on the tip of Nova Scotia.. so we and most people were prepared for the worst ... better safe than sorry!!! It was really fast moving too..
Thanks so much for thinking of us Chris.. Luckily the whim of the weather has passed us by with no ill effects.. Yeah!!!
Funny thing I went down to the harbor around supper time and took pictures just incase there was a before and after.. luckily there was no "after"!!
Excellent news. So glad there wasn't the force expected.
Clever thing! Show us some more of your book...
Glad you're safe.
I love geometric designs and patterns. Your blade-work is always so amazing.
gwen, this is such a wonderful book. the last that time you posted about it i thought it was a book that you'd bought. somehow, later, it occurred to me that you'd *made* it. you must love to open it up and gaze at it -- i would... i love making books. there's just something about it...
I never speak about politics on my blog as I try to avoid the P word at all cost but I am quite surprised that Congress never passed the latest bailout bill for Wall street.. that took Guts!!!...
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Hi Lucy!! i will be posting it regularly ... now and then.. thanks for asking...
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Thanks Denise, I would love to see some of your Art work!!
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Hi Lynne, I am extremely taken with your latest book.. I could hardly hold myself back from tossing everything off the work table to start one.. Inspiring!! Wow!!...
[ again i am not really here ]
[this is a telegram from the USA]
{the P word...P sst
whisper this outloud--the whole Congress should resign... (without pay)taking the whole "media" ha ha ha's with them... can we spell REVOLUTION... in the sand... America is a giant soggy sleeping wonder bread! sold to the highest bidder... need help. come quick. }
Stop. ; )
Gwen, this book is so lovely...I have never seen anything like it! The designs are wonderful, I can see how they tie into your jewelry making. Your home is lovely in September... Roxanne
Book making is such an amazing art to me! Your work here is so lovely.
How beautiful!
I'm so interested by your book. What attracts me the most are the individual stories within each letter's patterns...fascinating!
Thank you for dropping by my blog!
And I'll be back to yours!
Becky
Oh mansuetude... I like that... If we do not laugh we will surely cry... don't even get me started on the media... they are fear mongers... bigtime... what you recommend would surely open people's eyes.. which is exactly what we need...............
Stop.
Hi Roxanne, Pamela, and Rebecca, Thanks so much...
There are so many creative activities we could put our hands and hearts too.... sometimes I think it would be fun to lock ourselves away and just indulge ourselves till we couldn't take anymore... good idea?
Gwen I've left a little something for you on my blog. Come by to pick it up when you find the time.
I am not sure how I came across your blog but I am very pleased to have found you. Your book is wondrous! Everything I love in one volume, pattern and hand made books.
Gwen, would you please tell me again the name of the store in Old Market that has Desideratum jewelry? I'm telling Peter . . .
Thanks!
Hi Ruth... it's Beckwith and Co. owner Marianne Beckwith... ... Funny you should ask.. I am just getting together some one-of and limited production work for her shop now... I just sent her our regular line yesterday...
Hope Peter is still enjoying the cruises!
Valerie, It was a thrill to tour through your blog(I still have more to go) ...so inspiring... You are so talented!!!
Thanks, Gwen! He said he found a shop already (didn't say which one), and found your stuff! He said there wasn't there weren't any long danglies with crystal, but the shorter danglies are there. So yay! Now I get to be surprised which ones he is buying. :D
That looks like a marvelous book; thanks for the heads up. You always are such a source of inspiration.
BTW; I have dropped you the Blog Award For Amazing Friendship; you can find out more details here:
http://ascenderrisesabove.com/wordpress/?p=4414
I understand if you don't want to play along with it; artists are on their own journey and it sometimes difficult to change course and entertain something like this. Only wished to drive a little traffic your direction.
Hi Ascender, Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness... I am very surprised and humbled...
I would find it extremely difficult to choose only a few of the talented people I have virtually met online that I would have to pass this on to everyone on my "People to See and Places to Go" sidebar....
I really appreciate this!!! Thanks again!!
This is one of my favorite books, too. I agree, old or new doesn't matter so much as good design.
Oh my, thank you so much Shayla.. it was so enjoyable to make..
I love that book. It's just so beautiful.
Jazz, I really appreciate you coming over to see what I have done... Thanks!
Gwen - Every time I see more of this book I just want it more. I want it to be a published book and I want to be able to buy it and give it to people - do you think there's a way we can make this happen?
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