5.30.2013

Ms. Kitty's Perro





My mother, Ms. Kitty, brought this perro home from Oaxaca, Mexico about 20 years ago.  There is something about this clay pup that draws people in.  When my niece was little she used to carry him around like a baby and tell him stories.  At one point I took him to my studio for inspiration.  Before long, I returned him to my mom's house because he was such a distraction to visitors.  Many were more interested in the dog than anything else.  They wanted to know his story and to have their picture taken with him.  I even had one person repeatedly come back to the studio just to visit the dog.  (I know, it could be that the dog is just more fascinating than my work, but never underestimate the charm of this canine.  I've seen him steal the scene no matter the context.)

My Mom is gone now but the pup still lives at her house.  My sisters and I put him on a shelf for safe keeping because there are lots of visitors to her house.  This past weekend a friend of my mom's asked me about the dog- he had remembered that magnificent perro.  It got me thinking that I would bring him down from the shelf and to my house for a visit.  So here he is.  A photo can't capture his unique dogness, but it will have to do until you can see him for yourself.




5.23.2013

Book Ball

One of the projects in BOOK PLAY: Creative Adventures in Handmade Books is the Book Ball.  This project was inspired by the magnificent Dolph Smith.  It's essentially a self-printing book:  a collection of words that can be combined with physical action, random chance, and a sense of adventure to tell a different story every time.




5.17.2013

BOOK PLAY has arrived!

My book, BOOK PLAY: Creative Adventures in Handmade Books official release date is June 4, but Amazon ships copies starting today.  To preview and purchase click here.


"Make books as interesting as the stories you want to tell! In this inspiring guide, artist and teacher Margaret Couch Cogswell pushes the boundaries of bookmaking through twenty-two traditional and experimental projects. Start off with a beginner-friendly accordion fold book or a classic journal. Then open your mind with a rolling “story dispenser” or an innovative bird made from book pages! Along the way, learn how to fashion various bindings; construct forms with paper, fabric, and metal; and create decorative effects. Conversational instructions and artist features will inspire you to find your own creative voice."

5.01.2013

we are all connected

24 x 36 in
acrylic and graphite on board