THE MOLLUSK, a sculptural artist book, is part of an ongoing interest in the Book of Nature—an idea embraced by generations of philosophers who considered the natural world as a second scripture—an infinite volume for us to “read” and revere.
Produced with support from the 2018 Marjorie S. Coffey Book Arts Residency, this work is the result of time spent with rare and historical books about Florida malacology, conchology, philosophy, poetry, and art history combined with hands-on investigations of Atrina rigida, a marine organism that has fascinated me since childhood.
Each “specimen” is individually sculpted with multiple layers of cast artist-made paper and housed in a handcrafted box with removable cradle (with special thanks to Ellen Knudson, Associate in Book Arts, who designed and made the beautiful clam-shell boxes).
THE MOLLUSK is meant to be held, examined and contemplated. Inside its papery shell, pages referencing the bivalve’s soft tissue embrace and conceal a miniature letterpress-printed book containing original prose by the artist. Exploring the interface between art and science, my goal is to connect with the metaphysical aspects of nature while also sharing a poignant meditation of lessons learned from a humble pen shell.
