It was parked up outside the house in Devon where I lived with Jack.
I printed books there, under the name Pocket Press. It was a press specialising in very small books. I wanted to be a bit like J.L.Carr.
In total three books were published - Pockets, Corners and Stairs.
Pockets . . .
Corners . . .
Stairs . . .
They were all written and made by yours truly. I also noodled about printing up little bits of stuff,
with no particular purpose. Sometimes I would be bored. Other times I would be frantically trying to get things done - accidentally printing the last page upside down and having to start all over again, slicing into my fingers with stanley knives then trying not to bleed on the paper and other such haste-induced accidents.
This weekend I was in my caravan again, just looking in the drawers and cupboards, and I missed the press a lot: I wanted to get back in there and print up lots of stuff and hang it from the ceiling. It was nice to be able look at work I'd done and still like it after some years. Very comforting. Maybe one day soon I will have somewhere to put that caravan, or maybe the Pocket Press will have to get smaller and live in a cupboard but I reckon it needs to be reborn.
The dream of every artist ( or my dream) having a small place to create. Your work is great! You must print again!!
ReplyDeleteThe little books are so beautiful - perfectly imperfect. And printing them from a retro caravan in Devon. I mean, you just couldn't make it up! You should absolutely start up again!
ReplyDeleteWow - this is very very lovely. The books are like little Observer guides from the outside.
ReplyDeleteWhere did you get your caravan? I really want one to use as a traveling studio during summery months!
Isabel..
www.isabelknowles.com
very cool indeed.
ReplyDeleteThanks chums, that's good encouragement to get back to doing it. I like the term perfectly imperfect too.
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question Isabel (and probably make you hate me in the process) I got given the caravan by my friend Pete (http://tootasinfoot.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/le-weekend.html).
But I wanted one for ages while I was in Totnes and found the bloke who runs Old Nicks has an airstream and a beautiful small caravan made from an old areoplane! Might be worth asking, he obviously moves in the right circles for picking them up.