Week 30: Dear Paulus...

   Letters are gates of communication. Thoughts, feelings and information flow from one person to another as if they are talking side-by-side. When time and distance make it too difficult for a personal visit, a letter is a lovely way to reach out to someone. Just as gates are a physical representation of that point of change between two areas, letters are a physical representation of communication between two people. The book-of-the-week for Week 30, Dear Paulus, is based on the concept of the letter as a gate. 

an etui box for the case...

   The book is actually a number of items that are housed inside a four-sided (etui) drop-side box. The pastepaper and chiyogami covered box measures 2.5 by 2.5 inches square by 3 inches tall. When the lid is lifted, all four sides fall and the contents are revealed. Inside is a bottle of india ink, a pen and box of nibs, and a palm-sized coptic book with the letter Dear Paulus written inside.

inside the box...

the coptic book with it's pastepaper cover

Dear Paulus,

I meant to write

3 days ago

3 weeks ago

3 months ago

3 years ago

to thank you

to tell you

how much it meant

how good it was

to have you visit

to walk

into the studio at Penland

into my classroom

into my life

and show me

all of us

a new way

your gentle way

that molds clay

and dances up the earth

that speaks 

poetry

of that redbird

and your cup of tea

and tiny glass

of whiskey.

Love, Kathy

the box as a gate... and all it's contents

   Not all artist's books are autobiographical, but the Paulus in this letter is a real person. Paulus Berensohn is a writer, a book artist, a painter, a dancer, a poet, a clay artist, a steward for the earth, and a teacher. Recently a documentary was made of his life...To Spring from the Hand; the life and work of Paulus Berensohn. Paulus' approach to art and to life are a valuable guide for living a meaningful creative and generous life... for appreciating the tiny insignificant beauties in life and for including poetry and play in our life.  If you love artistry and poetry, take the time to view the documentary and it's associated films. They can be found online at the link: http://www.springfromthehand.com/